Associate Curator, Modern Art (Full Time) - Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art - Bentonville, AR
The Associate Curator will serve as a key member of the curatorial team and aid the Curator of American Art in the development and implementation of curatorial projects, including exhibition planning and installation, publications, and the maintenance, research, presentation, and growth of the collection, with a particular focus on American art from 1910s through the 1960s. The Associate Curator will assist with researching future exhibitions, develop focus exhibitions, plan and install installations in the permanent collection galleries, and act as a venue curator for traveling exhibitions. The Associate Curator will also share in the general responsibilities of the department, including reviewing exhibition proposals and potential acquisitions, and representing the department with donors, community partners, other staff, interns, volunteers, members, and the general public as needed.
The ideal Associate Curator is flexible, experimental, creative, and collaborative, with a passion for connecting to our guests and diverse communities. Excellent speaking, writing, and research abilities are required.
Primary Responsibilities and Duties
The Associate Curator is charged with creating and shepherding activities in a very collaborative process.
The four key areas of this work include
An ongoing exhibitions program that includes monographic and thematic shows, and appropriate related publications.
Collection development, presentation, research and publication.
Engagement in a broad range of public programs and partnerships, internally and externally.
Donor cultivation and stewardship.
Additional Responsibilities and Duties
Contribute to a long-term curatorial vision for the museum.
Conduct research on the collection and disseminate the research through oral, written and other means of communication to provide the widest possible access to both in-house staff and the public.
Propose and develop creative and engaging exhibitions of various scale and content.
Manage collection presentation in collaboration with internal team .
Create and implement collection development strategies that include purchases and gifts.
Work with fellow staff to ensure the best available standards of care and protection for all works in the permanent collection and borrowed art works.
Work in close partnership with Education and Interpretation colleagues to contribute to programs related to the collection and special exhibitions, including, but not limited to, lectures, workshops, gallery presentations and other in-gallery interpretation efforts.
Serve as an ambassador for Crystal Bridges locally, nationally, and internationally, being an active member in the field as well as with the general public.
Assist in exhibition and collection related fundraising by providing necessary project and object information and participating in grant writing and personal solicitations to potential donors including corporations, foundations and individuals.
Supervise guest curators in area of specialization, consultants and support staff including curatorial assistants, and interns as required.
Perform additional duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
Education, Training, and Traits:
Knowledge of American art, with concentration from 1910s to 1960s.
Master’s degree in art history preferred
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including public speaking and writing
Excellent working relationships with collectors, artists, the art market, and scholars
Self-directed and motivated
Work Experience:
Minimum of three (3) years prior curatorial experience
Licenses and Certifications:
Ability to obtain Passport for International Travel
Skills and Abilities:
Proficiency with standard office equipment including basic computer literacy (word processing, spread sheets, e-mail, etc.) telephone, fax and copy machines
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Ability to interpret the collection, temporary exhibitions, and to communicate knowledge relevant to the collection in a manner which is understandable to the general public
Strong research skills, ability to perform scholarly research in the field
Ability to meet deadlines and handle multiple tasks simultaneously
Demonstrated project management skills
Ability to interact respectfully, collegially, and professionally with all employees and volunteers at all levels of responsibility
Ability and willingness to be a team player both within the department, and throughout the entire organization
Ability to maintain the highest ethics as they relate to all aspects of curatorial endeavor, and to understand and maintain the highest levels of confidentiality
Physical Demands and Work Environment:
The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Physical demands: The position requires verbal and written conversation with others. Vision abilities required by the job include close vision and color perception.
Work Environment: Work will be performed in an office environment, museum spaces, and in communities served. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate. Position requires some independent overnight travel for research, professional meetings, couriering art works to venues nationally and internationally and other travel as necessary to fulfill responsibilities of the position.
Compensation
Crystal Bridges offers a competitive compensation package.
Application
To be considered for candidacy for this position, apply below.
No phone calls please.
The successful candidate will be required to pass a routine background and consumer credit check and drug screen.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
