Curator of Exhibitions [James A. Michener Art Museum]

The Michener Art Museum seeks an energetic, creative and highly motivated curator, with a broad knowledge of American art, to fill a permanent position starting April/May 2014.

The Curator of Exhibitions will be part of a 5 member team including a Curator of Collections, Exhibitions Manager, Collections Registrar, and Exhibitions Registrar.  The primary area of curatorial responsibility will be to originate exhibitions that inform and expand upon our American Art holdings and to guide a temporary exhibition schedule that is broad based and spans art historical genres.   A strong network of professional contacts and curatorial colleagues will further inform the exhibition program.

The curator will work with members of the staff to secure funding, supervise interns/guest curators, craft didactic materials, and develop educational programming.  S/he will collaborate with the curatorial department and the Director in establishing budgets and long term goals and objectives for exhibitions and collections building.  In addition, the museum values a team approach and the ability to work effectively and collaboratively across departments, and to work with flexibility and good humor.

The curator will also be an important participant in acquisitions to enhance the permanent collection and building relationships with collectors and donors.  The permanent collection numbers 3,000 objects with important holdings in 19^th/20^th century American painting, sculpture, craft and design with a particular focus on the distinguished artistic heritage of Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

The James A. Michener Art Museum is located 20 miles north of Philadelphia in historic Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The museum has strong support in its community and an excellent facility, with stable, effective leadership and a dedicated staff, as well as a record of creativity and excellence in exhibitions, education, collections, and publishing. The Michener is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. Additional information at www.michenerartmuseum.org.

Minimum requirements are 5-7 years of professional practice along with a master’s degree in art history or equivalent experience—Ph.D. preferred. The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate broad-based knowledge, prior experience developing and coordinating exhibitions as well as the ability to carry out focused intellectual activities.  The successful candidate will have significant administrative, research and publishing experience and will have excellent writing skills in both academic and non-academic styles.

The successful candidate will have a charismatic personality and the ability to convey a passion for the museum and American Art to colleagues, donors, and the public.  S/he is expected to maintain the highest standards of scholarship, connoisseurship, and professional practices in the field.