The Department of Art at the University of Nevada, Reno invites applications for Director, Lilley Museum of Art. The position is a twelve-month Administrative Faculty position beginning in the spring of 2020. Administrative faculty are professional staff members who perform responsibilities related to the operations of units within the university.
The UNR Department of Art is an energetic, supportive, and exciting community of professionals with a deep commitment to excellence in research/creative activity, teaching and service to the university and northern Nevada community. We are seeking candidates who can demonstrate their interest and experience in working with diverse student populations and a commitment to developing exhibitions and educational programs that help expand the constituencies who appreciate art and participate in the activities of the museum, especially programming for historically underserved populations.
The Director oversees the Lilley Museum of Art, including approximately 4,000 square feet of exhibition space located in the new University Arts Building. In addition to the museum, the Director oversees University Galleries which is comprised of multiple student exhibition spaces in nearby facilities to currently include Student Galleries South, McNamara Gallery, and Front Door Gallery. The position reports to the Chair of the Department of Art and serves as a vital link between Art Department curriculum, faculty, and students and the programming of the museum and the galleries. In close collaboration with the Department of Art chair and faculty, the Director has administrative and artistic authority to set and implement the vision, goals, and objectives of the museum, implement its artistic and administrative policies and procedures, and shape the direction of it is programs. Serving as a highly visible leader, spokesperson, and advocate for the museum, the Director shepherds the museum in alignment with the mission, priorities, and values of the Department of Art, School of the Arts, College of Liberal Arts, and the University. The Director works to maximize collaborations with University and community partners to meet the needs of the region as well as contribute to the advancement of the arts generally.
The Museum and Department of Art act as a steward of a diverse collection of art (Permanent Collection) that represents a humanist approach to the preservation of art for enjoyment and study. The collection reflects the diversity of art and history of art taught at the University of Nevada, Reno and serves as a reference collection of note within the region, including a growing depth and breadth of art holdings toward a greater representation of global art production.
We are seeking a candidate with a strong commitment to education and outreach, this includes myriad campus audiences but also extends to opportunities to foster external connections in Reno and the northern Nevada region. The Director will work to maximize collaborations with university and community partners to meet the needs of the region as well as contribute to the advancement of the arts generally.
The Director, in close collaboration with the Art Department chair and faculty, has administrative and artistic authority to set and realize the vision, goals, and objectives of the museum, implement its artistic and administrative policies and procedures, and shape the direction of its programs. Serving as a highly visible leader, spokesperson, and advocate for the museum and the arts, the Director will shepherd the museum to both inform and fulfil the mission, priorities, and values of the Department of Art, School of the Arts, College of Liberal Arts, and the University.
The Director is responsible for effectively leading two full-time museum staff as well as varied part-time staff made up of student employees and volunteers. The Director will help to train emerging professionals and will further develop the skills of those already in the field. Ultimately responsible for all areas of the museum’s operations, including work as the education curator and the chief curator of temporary and collection exhibitions, the Director is also the supervisor of all administrative, budgetary, security, preparatory, and registration activities within the museum. The Director must exercise exceptional judgment, while leveraging experience in the field and a diverse skill set to partner with an array of campus professionals to cultivate donations, market and publicize, and advance equity and inclusion.
The Director will teach a minimum of one, maximum of two courses per year in an area of the Director’s specialty, in consultation with the Chair of the Department. The director may also be eligible to serve as a committee member on Master of Fine Art and Bachelor of Fine Art advanced degree thesis committees.
The successful candidate will have excellent communication, thoughtful judgement, budgetary and time management skills, and knowledge of presenting exhibitions programming in an academic setting.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s Degree and four years of related professional experience; OR a Master’s Degree: MA, MFA, or PhD from a nationally accredited institution with major course work in Art, Art History, Curatorial Practice, Museum Study and two years of related professional experience. Related Experience:
- Leadership or non-leadership experience in an art gallery or museum environment, preferably within an academic setting
- Teaching experience at the college level
- Organize and implement large exhibitions, auctions, and museum related special events
- Knowledge of proper art handling, storage, security, climate conditions standards, museum installation practices, curatorial, and operational best practices and standards guided by American Alliance of Museums (AAM)
- Knowledge of proper art packing and shipping requirements
- Advanced training in art and art history; training in curatorial practices and non-profit management
- Experience with outreach activities, connecting within and outside of the UNR community
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience working with diverse and underrepresented populations
- Teaching experience at the college level
- Grant writing experience
- Ability to compare, analyze, and create reports
- Marketing/Development/Fundraising experience
- Fiscal management and operations
Compensation Grade/Rank
C
Department Information
The Department of Art offers multiple areas of emphasis for students including art history, book and publication arts, ceramics, digital media, drawing, graphic design, painting, photography and videography, printmaking, and sculpture. Students may work in a specific area of specialization or explore a range of practices in a variety of media in the Bachelor of Arts , Bachelor of Fine Arts, and Master of Fine Arts degree programs.
The Department of Art is one of three academic units within the School of the Arts, housed in the College of Liberal Arts. The departments of Art, Music, and Theatre and Dance enroll more than 4,000 students from diverse backgrounds in arts courses each semester; we believe that artistic exploration is integral to a liberal arts education. Talented students and faculty from each department engage in scholarship and creative activity that are showcased to the community on our beautiful stages, concert halls, and visual arts venues. Each year over 75,000 visitors attend University arts events that highlight a range of guest artists as well as our own outstanding faculty and student research and creative activity.
The College of Liberal Arts is central to the intellectual and artistic life of the University of Nevada, Reno and is committed to fostering diversity, equity and inclusivity. The college emphasizes inquiry, discovery and openness to new ideas and perspectives and supports major scholarly research and creative activity in the humanities, social sciences and arts.
The University of Nevada, Reno is the state’s flagship university and a land-grant research and teaching institution. It serves approximately 22,000 students, with significant and growing numbers of first-generation students and students of color. In accordance with the university’s land grant, tier one research institution mission, colleagues are expected to contribute to the diversity and excellence of the community. The university offers more than 80 graduate disciplines across nine colleges, and was recently among only 130 institutions to receive the “R1” designation by Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. UNR is a beautiful campus centrally located adjacent to downtown Reno, a flourishing and vibrant community nestled on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The city is 45 minutes from Lake Tahoe and major ski resorts and near both Yosemite and Lassen National Parks. The city’s eclectic vibe supports a lively cultural community, as evidenced by Artown, a month-long city-wide summer celebration of the arts, the Nevada Museum of Art and Burning Man. The Reno-Sparks metropolitan area has a population of 450,000, an emerging tech industry, a diverse population and a rich cultural history. Reno is within four hours driving distance to the San Francisco Bay Area and the Reno-Tahoe International Airport offers easy access to national flights, direct flights to Mexico, and connecting flights to major international hubs. For more information about the city and the surrounding area, please visit www.cityofreno.com and www.visitrenotahoe.com.
Faculty Dual Career Assistance Program
The University of Nevada, Reno recognizes the importance of addressing dual-career couples’ professional needs. We offer a Dual Career Assistance Program to newly hired faculty spouses/partners that provides resources and assists them to identify career opportunities in Northern Nevada.
Total Compensation
The total compensation package includes a negotiable competitive salary, moving allowance (if applicable), a rich retirement plan, health insurance options that include dental and vision, life insurance, long-term disability, annual and sick leave, along with many other benefits. Additionally, there is a grant-in-aid educational benefit for faculty and dependents. For more information, please visit: UNR Benefits
Contact Information for this position
Search Chair – Joseph Squier, Chair, Department of Art, jsquier@unr.edu
Search Coordinator –Jodie Helman, jhelman@unr.edu
Required Attachment(s)
Please attach the following documents to your application. Please contact jobs@unr.edu, the day you apply, if assistance is needed with attachments:
- A current curriculum vitae or resume
- Cover letter outlining qualifications and interest in position
- Contact information for 3 professional/academic references
- Curatorial Portfolio – may be submitted as a PDF document or website link
- A one-page diversity statement about how you would contribute toward our mission of creating a culturally inclusive environment in the role for which you are applying.
This posting is open until filled
Qualified individuals are encouraged to apply immediately. This search will close without notice when a sufficient number of applications are received or a hiring decision has been made.
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