Description
Position Summary
The Chief Curator is an executive-level, full-time position conceiving and executing exhibitions in collaboration with the Executive Director and Curators. This position leads the Burchfield Penney exhibition program with a focus on our mission to cultivate and elevate the work of Charles E. Burchfield and Western New York artists, while demonstrating our institutional values of being gracious, inclusive, and local.
The Chief Curator brings both expertise and an eagerness to learn and participate in a multi-disciplinary program that encompasses artistic practices from the mid-19th century to present.
Building on the museum's emphasis on collaborative projects, the Chief Curator seeks out and develops partnerships across the Western New York arts community to manage and curate an active exhibition program of 12-16 exhibitions annually.
The Chief Curator serves as leader of the Curatorial department which currently includes a Charles Burchfield Scholar and five curatorial staff working together on curating and managing our exhibitions and collections.
As part of the senior staff the Chief Curator also works in concert with other departments at the Burchfield Penney to carry out the strategic vision of the Art Center through various cross-departmental initiatives, activities, and experiences.
Essential Job Functions & Duties
Exhibition Curation and Management – 65%
- Proposes, curates/co-curates, and delivers an appropriate annual exhibition schedule.
- Facilitates an integrated curatorial vision.
- Contributes to rethinking, understanding, and marketing the Museum’s collection and exhibitions in the context of national and local contemporary conversations.
- Provides and participates in research that meaningfully supports the education department’s training of docents and creates written content to provide context through exhibition didactics and publications.
- Works collaboratively across curatorial, advancement, communications, public engagement, and education departments to clearly position exhibitions, collections and programs within the goals of achieving exhibition funding, creating cohesive and complementary programmatic opportunities, fully utilizing the benefits of public relations/marketing, and providing the basis for integrated education programming.
- Maintains relationships with artists, researchers, community members, and local organizations to ensure engagement around the museum’s regional mission.
- Incorporates accessibility standards and produces new curatorial approaches to collections and partnerships.
- Identifies and researches significant trends, issues, and opportunities within the field.
Supervision and Administration – 25%
- Leads the curatorial team in the development and management of departmental and exhibition budgets. Supports the career development of the Curatorial Team.
- Meets regularly with the Director of Finance, Chief Advancement Officer, and Executive Director to track exhibition planning and budget.
- Contributes to fundraising and resource development efforts.
- Collaborates across Curatorial, Exhibitions, Public Engagement and Learning, and Communications staff on a variety of projects and initiatives.
- Prepare reports and give presentations on exhibition and project developments for both internal and external stakeholders.
Service / Professional Development – 10%
- Serves on museum and community committees.
- Actively represents museums with external stakeholders.
- Participates in the museum field, developing and maintaining relationships with other museum professionals, and participating in professional activities.
Work Schedule
A typical work week is 37.5 hours. Generally, work will be conducted at the museum Monday through Friday during normal business hours. However, this position is required to be present for committee meetings, board meetings, exhibition openings, and other events that may begin or end outside of normal work hours. Flex scheduling will be used to maintain work/life balance.
Compensation
The Burchfield Penney Art Center is committed to fair, competitive, and industry-informed pay for our employees.
Benefits available include health, dental, and vision insurance, paid vacation and sick time, BPAC direct contributions to 403(B), and others as determined by Management.
Requirements
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Demonstrated knowledge in American Art from mid-19TH century to present.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to work autonomously, and lead groups.
- Must be a collaborator inside and outside the museum.
- Ability to effectively collaborate with and support a wide array of staff.
- Discretion and tact in handling sensitive information.
- Exceptional at establishing and fostering strong, credible and long-term relationships with artists, colleagues, donors, board members, staff, volunteers and other stakeholders.
- Excellent interpersonal communication skills with artists, museum colleagues, donors, and the public.
Required Education & Experience:
- BA/BS degree in art history or other relevant field and years of art curatorial experience
- 5+years of leadership, project management, and experience managing budgets over five hundred thousand dollars.
- Experience in managing and leading research, planning, development and implementation of curatorial and socially engaged programs.
- Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects and multiple priorities in a dynamic, mission-driven environment.
- Experience working with boards, senior executives, donors, and diverse teams.
- Experience working with museum or CRM database systems.
Preferred Education & Experience:
- MA degree in art history or another relevant field.
- Broad knowledge of art history from mid-19th century – contemporary art, including the work of Charles E. Burchfield and his contemporaries.
- Knowledge of the artists of western New York.
