Curator, Contemporary Art [Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR]

Position Summary

The Curator, Contemporary Art will serve as a key member of the curatorial team working to expand the impact of Crystal Bridges by creating and sustaining an exciting and relevant contemporary art program at Crystal Bridges.

The Curator will be a dynamic, visionary, accomplished, and productive individual, who will guide the acquisition, presentation, publication and interpretation of contemporary art.

The ideal Curator candidate is flexible, experimental, creative, a collaborative spirit, has a passion for connecting to our guests and diverse communities, and embraces innovative ideas. Experience in creating spaces, programs, exhibitions, and acquisitions is critically important as are excellent speaking, writing, and research abilities.

Primary Responsibilities

The Curator is charged with shepherding all activities related to the contemporary art program in a very collaborative process. The four key areas of this work include:

• An ongoing contemporary art exhibitions program that includes monographic and thematic shows, commissions, and installation works and appropriate related publications.
• Collection development, presentation, research and publication.
• Engagement in a broad range of public programs, internally and externally.
• Donor cultivation and stewardship.

Principal Responsibilities (Essential Functions)

• Contribute to a long-term vision for the museum that includes contemporary art. 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 contemporary collection presentation in collaboration with internal team.
• Create and implement collection development strategies that include purchases and gifts.
• Create and activate outdoor sculpture program.
• 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 Division 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.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

Education, Training, and Traits:

• Extensive knowledge of American art post-1960
• Master’s degree in art history or equivalent as evidenced by publication of significant writing and the organization of distinguished exhibitions
• 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 five (5) years prior curatorial experience
• Must have experience managing others, projects, and budgets

Licenses and Certifications:

• Valid Driver’s License with clean driving record
• 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 within the department, division, branch and 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.