POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT
| JOB TITLE: |
Curator, Davison Art Collection |
| DEPARTMENT: | Olin Library |
| TYPICAL DUTIES: | Reporting to the University Librarian, the Curator has primary oversight of Wesleyan’s Davison Art Collection, which houses over 25,000 objects, including a world-class collection of prints well as photographs, drawings, and other items. The Curator is responsible for integrating this collection into the intellectual life of the University by encouraging and facilitating its use in classes and in student projects and by working in collaboration with faculty, staff, students, and the Associate Director of Visual Arts, who manages the University’s exhibition program, to display publicly objects from the collection. In addition, the Curator is the principal steward of the Collection and oversees acquisitions, cataloguing and publications, and maintaining financial and loan records.
Primary responsibilities include: · Develop and organize, in collaboration with the Associate Director of Visual Art, exhibitions that will draw principally on the holdings of the Davison Art Center’s collection, thereby providing dynamic public programming. · Committed to scholarly endeavors within a given curatorial field and/or art history · Collaborate with a variety of academic departments and constituencies across campus and, in particular, the Department of Art and Art History, the Art Library, Special Collections and Archives, and the Center for the Arts · Promote use of the collection across campus · Support student engagement with the collection. This could include supervising tutorials and regularly teaching one or more courses per year that utilize the collection, alone or in collaboration with faculty in Art and Art History, as well as with courses in other disciplines · Responsible for all aspects of the management of the Davison Art Collection, including security, access, and commitment to museum ethics, standards, and best practices · Supervise the Registrar of Collections, and work with the Registrar to manage acquisitions, cataloguing, and recordkeeping for the collection. · Share supervision of the Gallery Supervisor with the Associate Director of Visual Arts. Work with the Gallery Supervisor regarding preparing art for viewing in classes and exhibitions · Collaborate with scholars and museum professionals from other institutions. · Liaise with donors and University Relations to solicit and manage gifts to the collection · Facilitate Middletown and Wesleyan community engagement with the collection, in particular by working with the Friends Association and with other library and CFA staff |
| MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: | Master’s degree in Art History or related field and 3 years of experience in the visual arts, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience
Demonstrated experience and expertise with works on paper, including historical and contemporary prints and photographs Knowledge of and passion for art and art history, with a strong track record of work with art collections in in a museum, gallery, library, archive, or related institution Demonstrated commitment to ethics, standards, and best practices as promulgated by the American Alliance of Museums Commitment to teaching with objects Demonstrated experience in art handling Interest in working with students to advance their learning Proven collaborative leadership skills Superior communication skills, analytical and problem-solving abilities Proven knowledge of budget planning Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Excellent Microsoft Office skills including Word and Excel Excellent skills with collections management software Ability to work independently and prioritize multiple projects with competing deadlines Demonstrated commitment to work within a diverse environment and interact openly with individuals of different backgrounds Must be able to work, on occasions, at evening, weekend, and holiday events as needed Must be willing to travel occasionally |
| PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: | PhD in Art History or related field
Demonstrated effectiveness in working with students and faculty Experience in integrating visual arts across disciplines Prior supervisory experience Proficiency in a foreign language most represented in the collection (e.g., German, Japanese, Italian) Familiarity with EmbARK Collections Manager software |
| COMPETENCIES:
|
Business acumen, Composure, Creativity and innovation, Dealing with ambiguity, Decision quality/ judgment, Functional/technical skills, Intellectual horsepower, Organizational skills, Peer relationships, Planning/priority setting, Presentation skills, Project management, Respects diversity, Strategic agility, Commitment to sustainability |
| MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES:
|
Build effective teams, Innovation management, Managerial courage, Project management, Staff development |
Qualified candidates are invited to apply online at http://careers.wesleyan.edu/postings/
Wesleyan University, located in Middletown, Connecticut, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, age, gender, gender identity or expression, national origin, marital status, ancestry, present or past history of mental disorder, learning disability or physical disability, political belief, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information or non-position-related criminal record. We welcome applications from women and historically underrepresented minority groups. Inquiries regarding Title IX, Section 504, or any other non-discrimination policies should be directed to: Antonio Farias, VP for Equity & Inclusion, Title IX and ADA/504 Officer, 860-685-4771, afarias@wesleyan.edu.
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