Assistant Curator, Contemporary Art at the Addison Gallery of American Art, Phillips Academy
Job Title: Assistant Curator
Job Status: Full-time
Location: Andover, MA
Salary: $55,000.00 – $60,000.00
Description
The Addison Gallery of American Art seeks a collaborative, flexible, and team-oriented individual to join a dynamic Curatorial department as Assistant Curator. The successful candidate will possess a strong knowledge of American art history with a focus on contemporary art. The Assistant Curator will aid the curatorial department in the development and implementation of curatorial projects and artist’s residencies, including exhibition development, publications, and the maintenance, research, presentation, and growth of the permanent collection.
About the Addison Gallery of American Art
One of the first institutions dedicated exclusively to American art, the Addison Gallery has one of the world’s most important collections of American art. Through the museum’s collection of over 25,000 works across all media, visitors can trace the cultural, political, and social forces that have shaped the American experience from the 18th century to the present. In a typical year, the museum presents 12-15 shows, including both permanent collection installations and major traveling exhibitions, carefully balanced to represent a wide range of art, across time and media. A teaching museum located on the campus of a secondary school, the Addison Gallery serves not only as an educational resource for Phillips Academy but as a cultural and educational center of American art for local, regional, national, and international audiences. The museum is free and open to the public.
Phillips Academy is an intentionally diverse residential school committed to creating an equitable and inclusive community in which students from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and experiences learn and grow together. The ideal candidate supports this commitment.
Essential Functions
• Contribute to the development, management, and promotion of loan and permanent collection exhibitions at various levels of responsibility
• Propose and develop thematic exhibitions including works from the permanent collection and/or loans: establishing the concept, proposed checklist, and budget
• Assist senior curators with research and planning of exhibition and publication projects including the production and maintenance of project timelines, checklists, and loans
• Collaborate with museum project partners including other museums, galleries, artists, guest curators, editors, designers, publishers, and in-house staff
• Participate in the selection of artists for the Elson Artist-in-Residence Program, coordinating visits and facilitating related projects including residencies, exhibitions, publications, and events
• Perform ongoing research on collection objects, artists, and potential acquisitions
• Support the day-to-day operations of the Curatorial department, participating in exhibition, collection, and public program planning
• Write or collaborate on exhibition-centered texts, including venue proposals, work labels and didactics, content for the museum website, press releases, and grant applications
• Work in close partnership with the Education department to contribute to programs related to the collection and special exhibitions for Phillips Academy and the public, including but not limited to lectures, workshops, tours, and other in-gallery interpretation offers
• Assist with preparing proposals, reports, and presentations for Board, alumni, and committee meetings
• Contribute to the general promotion of the museum and its fundraising activities by serving as an ambassador for the Addison Gallery locally, nationally, and internationally as an active member in the field and with the general public
Qualifications
• Broad knowledge of American art with a focus on contemporary art
• MA in art history or related discipline is preferred, with 2-3 years of relevant museum experience
• Experience working with living artists is helpful
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including writing and public speaking
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to meet deadlines and manage shifting priorities
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel and PowerPoint
• Proficiency with computerized collection databases; Gallery Systems’ EmbARK database preferred
• Agility with project management and sharing applications
TO APPLY:
As the COVID-19 pandemic persists, our top priority is safety. Accordingly, the Academy will require, subject to disability and religious accommodation exceptions under federal and state law, that all employees be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. This includes the Covid-19 Booster by February 1, 2022 or 5 months after completing the primary vaccination series with Pfizer or Moderna, or 2 months after receiving the J&J/Janssen vaccination.
Phillips Academy is an equal opportunity employer. Phillips Academy is an intentionally diverse and inclusive residential community “committed to creating an equitable and inclusive school in which students from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and experiences—including race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, socioeconomic class, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, and ability—learn and grow together.” The ideal candidate supports the inclusive and diverse nature of the community. Any offers of employment will be contingent upon successful CORI/SORI and fingerprinting background checks as well as unrestricted authorization to work in the United States.