Part-Time Registrar & Exhibition Coordinator [Bolinas Museum]

November 5, 2014

Bolinas Museum

Part-Time Registrar & Exhibition Coordinator

Contract Position, 20-25 hours per week

10 AM – 4 PM Tuesday – Friday

The Registrar and Exhibition Coordinator is responsible for the care and documentation of the Bolinas Museum’s history and art collections, the coordination of incoming and outgoing loan and exhibition logistics related to Museum exhibitions, and management of exhibition publicity. As registrar, this position is responsible for the cataloging, long-range care, preservation and storage of the Museum’s collections including inventory and database records, acquisitions, de-accessions, loans, archival storage, condition reports, maintenance, disaster planning and recovery. Working closely with curators, this position also serves as Exhibition Coordinator to manage loans; plan appropriate insurance and transportation; oversee packing, delivery, and security requirements; draft condition reports as needed; and manage exhibition didactics and exhibition publicity.

This position reports to the Executive Director and interacts with curators and preparator as well as other Museum colleagues such as collectors, artists, contractors, interns, volunteers, and members of the public.

Collection Duties

• Implement, maintain, and enforce the Museum’s collection management policies and procedures, assuring their ethical integrity and effectiveness
• Administer legal forms (loan agreement, receipt/release, gift agreement, etc.), as well as other appropriate forms, contracts, and logs related to the collection
• Manage registration records for all objects owned by or housed at the Museum facilities, including
• associated databases and files
• Upgrade and maintain the Museum’s collection management software
• Photograph the collection and upload images to the database
• Oversee and maintain the Museum’s object and artists files
• Oversee conservation of objects including identifying issues, agreeing on priorities, examining and reporting on the condition of objects, selecting and overseeing consultants who carry out conservation work, etc.
• Working closely with the Executive Director, advise on budget related to collection conservation, storage and software needs
• Advise staff on matters concerning storage, insurance, loan, security and display of objects, condition, as well as other collection or exhibition issues
• Monitor gallery and storage environments and security related to the collection and exhibitions
• Advise on insurance coverage of collection and loans and associated claims; issue insurance certificates
• Draft, oversee, and maintain the Museum’s Disaster Preparedness Plan
• Assist Director with collection care grants
• Perform related administrative work as required, including managing the Museum’s Southworth Archives

Exhibition Duties

• Working closely with the Director and curators, oversee and monitor annual exhibition schedules and deadlines
• Manage all exhibition agreements including contracts, loan forms, and other legal documents
• Maintain and update the Museum’s Standard Facility Reports and floor plans; distributing to lenders and responding to inquiries as needed
• Oversee transportation, packing, shipping, insurance, and storage
• Perform inventory and condition reports of exhibition and collection material upon entry and exit of the Museum as needed
• ?Procure installation/de-installation equipment and materials such as framing—obtaining estimates, negotiating costs with vendors, and ordering, as needed
• ?Coordinate logistics and hospitality for visiting artists and guests
• Working closely with the Director and/or curators and preparator, produce and install exhibition labels, signage, and wall didactics
• Working closely with the Director, administer printing and mailing of exhibition announcements
• Working closely with the Director and curatorial staff, manage publicity including maintaining and updating the website, scheduling press releases, securing exhibition images and exhibition details for   publicity; and providing appropriate exhibition details, images, and image credits to various publicity outlets including local papers and on-line calendars
• Perform related administrative work as required

Other Duties

As the Bolinas Museum is a small institution, assistance with fundraisers and special weekend events, such as the Annual Memorial Day Benefit and fall Benefit Art Auction, and may be required as needed.

About the Museum and Collections

Founded in 1983, the Bolinas Museum is Marin County’s oldest and only collecting fine arts and history museum. Located in a small coastal California village, the Museum was initially founded to preserve local history and later added art to its mission in recognition of the area’s great creative talent. The Museum owns its complex of two restored 19^th century buildings that are the cornerstone of downtown Bolinas. It presents an average of twenty exhibitions a year and an active schedule of cultural events that feature the art and history of Coast Marin as well as ideas and issues relevant to our local communities.

The Museum is composed of five galleries and the Wintersteen Courtyard. The Main Gallery offers changing exhibitions of art—contemporary and historical—and history while the Helene Sturdivant Mayne Photography Gallery features fine art photography. Regional artists are presented in the Coastal Marin Artists Gallery and the Margaret Duncan Greene Gallery displays selections from the Museum’s Fine Art Collection dating from the 1800s to the present. The Floyd Russell Family History Room features history exhibits related to the town and surrounding area and displays photographs, documents and objects from the Museum’s History Collections and Archives. One wall is reserved for regularly changing historical displays.

The Bolinas Museum maintains several collections relating to the art and history of Bolinas and Coastal Marin. The History Collection is composed of over 3,000 objects, archival materials, and photographs from every significant era in Bolinas history dating from the time of the Coast Miwok, and the mid-1800s to current day. Key themes include: Coast Miwok; the Spanish/Mexican era; the Briones Family; the Gold Rush and related logging industry; maritime history; the growth of town commerce and agricultural activity; Marconi/RCA radio history; environmental issues of the 1950s-70s; the local literary Renaissance of the 1960s and 70s; social and political issues of 1970s; and the natural history of the area.

The Fine Art Collection features works made in or about Coastal Marin dating from the late 1800s to present day as well as works by important Bay Area artists who have exhibited at the Museum and whose work is relevant to themes and ideas close to the community’s heart. The growing collection of 165 works includes paintings by important historical artists such as George Demont Otis (1879-1962), Percy Grey (1869-1952), and Louis Bassi Siegrist (1899-1989) and contemporary sculpture, paintings and photographs by such artists at J.B. Blunk, Richard Shaw, Ruth Bernhard, David Maisel, Linda Conner, Inez Storer, and Nathan Olivera.

*This is a part-time contract position at $20/hour with growth potential.

Application Process

Mail cover letter, resume, and 3 references to:

Registrar Search

Bolinas Museum

PO Box 450

Bolinas, CA 94924

Or

email jennifer@bolinasmuseum.org as single PDF with the subject “Registrar Search”

No calls please. Only qualified candidates will be considered.

Application Deadline: Open until filled. Position will ideally be filled by January 15, 2015 at the latest.

Bolinas Museum is an equal opportunity employer.

Job Requirements