The mission of the Decorative Arts Trust, a non-profit organization, is to promote and foster the appreciation and study of the decorative arts. Their efforts include exchanging information through programming, collaborating with museums and preservation organizations, and underwriting internships, research grants, and scholarships for graduate students and young professionals.
The Curatorial Internship Grants program aims to offer practical experience to graduate students and young professionals in the decorative arts field by providing two-year internships. Each year, the Trust provides a $40,000 grant per intern, intended to cover salary costs, with an additional requirement for the host organization to contribute towards the intern's health insurance and benefits. This initiative is designed to support the career development of future curators in the sector.
Preference is granted to internships that offer chances for interns to significantly contribute to exhibitions, publications, public programs, and community engagement initiatives.