Curatorial Assistant for Montclair Art Museum
Job Title: Curatorial Assistant
Job Status: Full-time
Description:
The Curatorial Assistant is a full-time position reporting to the Chief Curator and Curator of Native American Art, assisting them in a full range of capacities. The Curatorial Assistant will act as the departmental liaison to all staff and appropriate members of the public, especially with regard to exhibitions, as well as fielding information, research, and external requests.
Principal Responsibilities:
• Under direction of Curators, coordinate with all departments to help determine and maintain planning and implementation schedule for exhibitions, including graphics production, as well as curatorially driven public programs.
• Arrange Curatorial department meetings; host virtual meetings and public programs through Zoom.
• Prepare Art Committee set-up sheets, agendas, minutes, and correspondence, purchases, and preliminary loan correspondence.
• Handle all departmental purchase orders; assist with preparing and monitoring departmental budgets.
• Prepare exhibition checklists and size images of works for layout in 3D exhibition models.
• As directed by the Curators, research selected artists, objects, and draft relevant exhibition text.
• Contribute as a reader/copyeditor for all exhibition text.
• Support Registrars and Preparator as needed for exhibition installation and deinstallation, including label production, artwork handling, etc.
• Handle a variety of telephone, email, and mail inquiries (i.e. research requests).
• Provide clerical support and supervise occasional part-time clerical support; deliver and pick up mail for Curators.
• Organize travel, accommodations, and catering for curatorial events.
• Maintain office supplies for Curatorial department; oversee maintenance and servicing of office equipment.
• Monitor catalogue/brochure supply for exhibitions and request more when needed.
• Maintain exhibition and office files. Update exhibition schedule with continuous list of all exhibitions.
• Handle external rights and reproduction requests for MAM object photography.
• Support data entry in collections database.
• Lead engaging tours for groups through the exhibition spaces. • Assist with Curator-led projects as needed.
Requirements:
• The successful candidate must be highly organized and have excellent clerical, computer, and writing skills.
• Experience with Excel, Microsoft Word, and PowerPoint is required.
• Experience with Zoom webinars, Photoshop, and collections database management systems is a plus. Training will be offered in TMS (The Museum System) and Tessitura.
• A bachelor’s degree is required; some background in museum studies, art history, especially historical, modern, and/or contemporary American/Native American art, or American studies is preferred.
• Must have rigorous attention to detail and be proactive, flexible, and collaborative.
Hours/Benefits:
Full-time, Monday–Friday, 40 hours weekly, with occasional evenings and weekends for special events. This is a hybrid position comprising in-person and remote work: typically two days remote per week. Includes benefits and vacation package.
To Apply:
Applications Please submit a cover letter and resume with a list of references to employment@montclairartmuseum.org.
No phone calls please. The Montclair Art Museum, as a community-centered institution, is unequivocal in our stance against racism and injustice in all of its forms. MAM strives to maintain an environment that fosters productivity, creativity, and individual satisfaction by celebrating the many diverse traits of our community, which includes but is not limited to race, gender, nationality, age, religion, sexual orientation, and physical abilities. We see the arts as playing a critical role as a medium of observation, insight, education, articulation, and advocacy and seek to provide a platform for facing tough issues in our society as expressed through art. We seek candidates who combine a commitment to excellence in their field with a passion for this role for the arts and have creative ideas on how our exhibitions and programs can serve as an agent for societal change.