Associate Director of Curatorial Affairs
Associate Director of Curatorial Affairs
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Job Description
Job Description:
Reporting to the Director of Art Museum and Galleries the ADCA serves as the senior art curator and oversees the care and interpretation of the permanent collection along with the creative and administrative responsibilities of the museums curatorial and collections team consisting of four fulltime professional staff: Registrar Collections Manager curatorial fellow in American Art and curatorial fellow in Ceramics. The ADCA will play a key role in shaping curatorial policy including contributing to the development of a comprehensive collecting plan and a threetofiveyear framework for acquisitions. A close collaborator with the Director the ADCA will offer thoughtful pragmatic ideas that support the Art Museums strategic direction and align with the Universitys broader vision.
Washington and Lee University actively promotes a dynamic and inclusive environment that allows students and employees of multiple backgrounds cultures and perspectives to learn work and thrive together. Successful candidates will contribute to that environment and exhibit potential for excellence in their areas of expertise.
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About Washington and Lee University:
Washington and Lee University (W&L) is a small liberal arts college nestled in the Virginia mountains with an undergraduate enrollment of approximately 1860. W&L is the nintholdest college in the U.S. a topranked private university located in Lexington (pop. 7000) a vibrant and picturesque town in Virginias Shenandoah Valley.
About the Museums at Washington and Lee:
The Museums at W&L are part of Academic Affairs reporting to the Provosts Office and comprise two branches: the Art Museum and Galleries and the Institutional History Museum and Galleries. Each branch is dedicated to showcasing distinct collections and exhibitions and to fostering a community inspired by art and W&Ls history.
The Art Museum and Galleries team oversees the art collection including the Reeves Museum of Ceramics Watson Galleries and McCarthy Gallery while the Institutional History Museum team manages the institutional history collection and oversees the University Chapel and Chapel Galleries and Washington Galleries.
About the Art Museum and Galleries:
The Art Museum and Galleries mission is to promote learning through direct engagement with its collections and to foster an interdisciplinary appreciation of art history and culture. It achieves this through a variety of permanent and rotating exhibitions that support the liberal arts curriculum align with the universitys academic objectives and reflect the varied interests of the community and offers students and faculty opportunities for research internships employment exhibitions and programmatic offerings.
The Art Museum and Galleries consist of eight galleries across three sites: the Reeves Museum of Ceramics Watson Galleries and McCarthy Gallery. Together they house an extensive collection of approximately 15000 objects spanning centuries geographies and media within their decorative and fine arts holdings. The collection ranges from early American portraits and European paintings to a nationally recognized collection of Chinese and Japanese export porcelain as well as significant works on paper photographs and sculptures. The collection traces its origins to a bequest in 1875 when six portraits laid the foundation of the art collection. Over the past 150 years it has grown to include celebrated works by artists such as Elizabeth Catlett Fernando Botero Mohammed Omer Khalil William Christenberry Sam Gilliam Sally Mann Charles Willson Peale Gilbert Stuart and Andy Warhol. Additionally the museum boasts a substantial collection of East Asian prints scrolls and decorative arts highlighting its global scope.
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Essential Functions:
Working closely with the Director conceptualize and implement a comprehensive exhibition and permanent collection strategic plan to broaden and strengthen the museums local national and international audience.
Regularly engage with the core team consisting of the Visitor Services and Operations Manager and the Curator of Academic Engagement to collaboratively shape and communicate highlevel operational curatorial educative and programmatic decisions ensuring alignment with the museums strategic plan and institutional goals.
Shapes curatorial policy including contributing to the development of a comprehensive collecting plan.
Supervises Registrar Collection Manager curatorial fellows contractors and/or student interns on projects related to the permanent collection.
Directs and manages the exhibition program serves as head curator assures a high standard of presentation and artistic quality and oversees the interpretation and stewardship of the collection.
Collaborates with collections team to develop and implement collection policies ensuring proper preservation and documentation and oversees exhibitions and loans.
Supports research activities related to the collections such as cataloging provenance research and conservation studies.
Ensures increased community awareness interest and appreciation of the permanent collection by conducting lectures gallery talks tours and seminars.
Fosters engagement by collaborating with faculty and students to pursue curatorial research projects to deepen engagement with the art collection.
In collaboration with the Education unit presents lectures docent training W&L class sessions and other programs related to the museums exhibitions and collections.
Researches writes and oversees scholarly and interpretive content for publications supporting the permanent collection working closely with contract and museum staff.
Oversees the management of operating project and program budgets for Curatorial Affairs; identifies funding opportunities for exhibitions and staffing support assists with grants and tracks expenditures to ensure adherence to set goals.
Assists the Director and the Development team in contributing to fundraising initiatives cultivating prospective individual donors foundations and institutional partners to obtain new and important acquisitions and to support exhibitions and select projects; develops and maintains effective relationships with the artists dealers collectors donors and museum peers.
In collaboration with W&L Communications oversees promotional efforts to support exhibition and collection initiatives including gallery guides didactic labels and exhibitionrelated brochures.
Demonstrates a commitment to fostering a welcoming museum curatorial practice; ensures that curatorial initiatives are being carried out in alignment with W&Ls values.
Leads and manages teams with empathy a high standard of excellence and accountability allowing for consensus building and recognition of teamwork. Actively mentors staff in support of their professional development and growth; fosters a culture of trust collaboration mutual respect and teamwork within the Curatorial Affairs as well as crossdepartmentally throughout the Museums.
Other related duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications:
M.A. in art history or related field.
A minimum of three years working in a curatorial role within an art museum or equivalent. Five or more years of applicable experience are desirable.
Experience in an academic art museum is desirable.
Broad knowledge of collection management is required.
Familiarity with collectionmanagement databases.
Must demonstrate an ability to conceive organize and produce exhibitions.
Knowledge of museum ethics and the legal regulations governing collecting.
Knowledge of current best practices for art museums as articulated by the American Alliance of Museums and other related professional organizations.
Valid drivers license and good driving history.
Application Instructions:
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Required materials include:
Cover letter
Resume
Names and contact information for three professional references.
Application instructions for internal and external candidates can be found at Type:
Exempt Full Time Benefit EligibleMinimum Pay:
Washington and Lee is an Equal Opportunity Employer seekingcandidates committed to high standards of scholarship performance professionalism and to a welcoming campus community. Job description requirements are representative but not allinclusive of the knowledge skill and abilities needed to successfully perform this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
Required Experience:
Director
Employment Type
Full-Time
