Chief Curator [Museum of Arts and Design]

Chief Curator, Museum of Arts and Design

Position Description
The Museum of Arts and Design is seeking a Chief Curator with depth of knowledge in contemporary art and design practices, and significant experience in organizing exhibitions in both these and associated fields.   The candidate must possess strong organizational and communication skills, plus a proven ability to work effectively and efficiently among colleagues and peers, a willingness to encourage and mentor junior curatorial staff, as well as interface directly with Museum supporters and the community as a whole.

The Chief Curator will have direct responsibility to create and oversee a diverse exhibition program that will represent, enhance, and support the core vision of the Museum of Arts and Design both locally and internationally.   The individual would be looked upon to make significant content-based contributions towards at least one or more exhibitions on an annual basis and to be a catalyst for greater cutting-edge research and thinking within a wide range of subject areas that fall within MAD’s domain.  The Chief Curator will also be asked to reflect upon and to build upon the Museum’s collection, presenting it in ways that are relevant to contemporary audiences; to develop strategies for further expansion through intelligent acquisitions.   Cultivating new supporters for the museum, and establishing common cause in the exploration of creative territory, will also be a key priority.

The Museum
The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD), located at Columbus Circle in the heart of Manhattan, focuses on the ways artists and designers transform the world around us, through processes ranging from the artisanal to the digital. The Museum’s exhibition program is dedicated to creativity and craftsmanship, and demonstrates the limitless potential of materials and techniques when used by gifted and innovative artists.

The permanent collection is global in scope and includes art, craft, and design from 1945 to the present day.  The Museum also houses classrooms and studios for master classes, seminars, and workshops for students, families, and adults. Three open studios engage visitors in the creative processes of artists at work and enhance the exhibition programs. Lectures, films, performances, and symposia related to the Museum’s collection and subjects across the full spectrum of making practices are also presented.

The collection of the museum, which is displayed on rotation, has been assembled in several phases since 1970. It currently includes an eclectic range of material including studio craft, design, and fine art, with a particular strength in studio jewelry. The Museum also has a dedicated jewelry gallery.

Recent exhibitions at MAD have included Out of Hand: Materializing the Postdigital, a groundbreaking survey of art and design made using new technologies such as 3D printing; NYC Makers: The MAD Biennial, a survey of creativity from the five boroughs of New York; and the current exhibition New Territories: Laboratories for Design, Craft and Art in Latin America.

Interested candidates should submit their resume and cover letter to HR@madmuseum.org.  Please include “Chief Curator” in the subject line.  No calls please.

Experience

• Minimum of 5 years management-level museum experience (preferred)
• Minimum of 7 years applied curatorial experience (required)
• Proven ability to develop and implement a sustainable multi-year exhibition program
• Demonstrated experience managing substantial department, project and program budgets

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in art history or related field, PhD or equivalent preferred
• Outstanding national and international exhibition and publication history
• Excellent research, written and verbal communication skills
• Applied knowledge of professional museum principles, practices and procedures
• Broad knowledge of art, craft and design
• Self-directed and motivated