The Peabody Essex Museum to hire a TikTok creator-in-residence

Content creators — and art lovers — can use their TikTok skills for a paid, part-time position at the Salem museum

Peabody Essex Museum is the first art museum in the US to create a TikTok creator-in-residence position.Peabody Essex Museum

Is your social media account a work of art?

This week, the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) in Salem announced that it is hiring a TikTok creator-in-residence for this summer. Anyone can apply for the paid, 20-hour/week position, though the museum stated it would give preference to New England-based art students and recent graduates. The creator-in-residence, a temporary, one-time summer role, will be tasked with engaging viewers through short-form TikTok videos covering collections, history, and events, while featuring staff, visitors, and visiting artists. According to the PEM, it is the first-ever TikTok creator position at an art museum in the country.

“This program offers a singular opportunity for art school students to combine their love of art and culture with a valuable experience in content creation and brand building,” said Chief Operating Officer Dr. Kurt Steinberg in a press release.

@peabodyessex

We’re feeling not-so-accidentally Wes Anderson! Romanticize your next trip to PEM Anderson-style with symmetry, bright colors and quirkiness to boot. We’re open 10 am–5 pm, Thursday–Monday for all your artsy adventures! #wesanderson #wesandersontrend #wesandersonfilm #wesandersonaesthetic #peabodyessexmusuem #museumtok #museum #fyp #salem

♬ original sound - Jeremy Cascamisi

The museum launched its official TikTok account (@peabodyessex) in April 2022, so far accruing 536 followers at the time of reporting. Current content includes highlights of the galleries and programming and participation in popular trends like imagining a day at the museum under the aesthetic direction of Wes Anderson.

In the application, aspiring creators must include a TikTok portfolio along with a resume and cover letter; submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The museum hopes to find its creator-in-residence, who will report to the marketing department, by early June. The role will run through the summer; however, PEM said it may renew the position in the future. Those interested can apply at pem.org/employment.