March 6, 2019

Associate Curator – Moody Center for the Arts, Rice University

Position Summary

Reporting to the Executive Director, this position will be responsible for developing, organizing and executing visual art exhibitions for the Moody Center for the Arts. These exhibitions are not limited in terms of media or timeframe, but will consistently support the Moody’s mission of fostering interdisciplinary conversation through the arts. They will be selected with the goal of engaging diverse academic disciplines. The Moody mounts approximately 8 curatorial projects of varying size each year, filling four galleries. The curator will organize 3 to 5 of these projects. They will include exhibitions originated at the Moody, as well as traveling shows.

The ideal candidate will have experience organizing solo exhibitions, group shows and thematic projects, working directly with artists, lenders, peer institutions and diverse audiences. The position will be responsible for generating written texts to accompany each exhibition, including introductory wall texts, wall labels, brochure and catalogue essays. The Curator will also be responsible for leading tours, speaking publicly about art, supporting the Moody’s development and marketing efforts, building ties to local, national and international collaborators, and managing curatorial interns.
Responsibilities

Exhibitions

  • Generates a range of innovative exhibition proposals, working with the Executive Director to establish the forward calendar. These proposals will include site-specific commissions, as well as solo presentations and thematic loan shows
  • Coordinates and installs exhibitions traveling from other institutions
  • Communicates with artists, fellow curators, lenders, technical staff, Rice constituents, students and visitors about each project to ensure all parties are well informed
  • Works with Moody staff to ensure artwork on loan to the Moody is handled with the highest level of professional care, in accordance with museum standards
  • Works with the Moody’s Exhibition Manager to ensure exhibitions are installed and de-installed in a timely and professional manner
  • Works with the Moody’s Deputy Director and Exhibition Manager to develop, track and analyze exhibition budgets to ensure exhibitions are completed on budget
  • Works with the Moody’s Program Manager to generate public programs that complement the exhibition, including the Moody’s signature “Dimensions Variable” and “Artist-in-Dialogue” programs
  • Proactively reaches out to and works with Rice faculty to engage classes with exhibition projects and to promote interdisciplinary engagement with the arts
  • Supervises a student curatorial intern and/or a part-time Curatorial Assistant

Public information, Marketing, Development and Institutional Advancement

  • Writes wall text and labels, brochure texts, web and social media postings, and for other Moody and Rice publications, as needed
  • Provides information and assistance to the Moody’s Director of Marketing & Communications to ensure accurate public communications across all channels
  • Participates in interviews with the press, as needed
  • Takes an active role, together with the Moody’s Director of Development, in identifying prospective funders, including individuals, corporations and foundations
  • Assists with writing grant proposals and generating follow-up reports
  • Provides information and assistance to the Moody’s Director of Development to ensure donors and prospects are well-stewarded and accurately informed. Includes leading tours for patron groups and meeting with funders, as needed
  • Participates as an active and visible member of the local, national and international art community, representing the Moody at art openings, conferences and fairs, when appropriate. A modest travel budget will be provided in support of this goal
  • Attends all Moody exhibition previews, openings and public events

Required Skills and Qualifications

  • Master’s degree in art history or related field, with extensive knowledge of and enthusiasm for the history of art
  • 3-5 years of curatorial experience in a university or arts institution
  • Demonstrable experience conceiving, developing and implementing a diverse range of art exhibitions
  • Familiarity with museum-quality exhibition practices
  • Excellent research, written and verbal communications skills
  • Strong interpersonal skills, with an ability to work with diverse constituents, including faculty, staff, students, patrons, artists and the general public
  • An entrepreneurial, self-starting mindset
  • A desire to work as part of a collaborative team in a dynamic, fast-paced environment

Interested applicants should apply online: https://jobs.rice.edu/hr/postings/18659

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