Chief Curator, Grand Rapids Museum of Art Grand Rapids, MI
The Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) announces a search for the new position of Chief Curator and seeks an energetic, collaborative, creative curator with expertise in modern and contemporary art and/or design. The Chief Curator is part of the Leadership Team and will oversee 7 professionals and a department budget of $660,000 at a 104-year-old, healthy, future-minded art museum.
About the Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM)
• Located at the center of a lively downtown near Maya Lin’s Ecliptic park and Alexander Calder’s La Grand Vitesse, GRAM is internationally known for its 2007 building designed by Kulapat Yantrasast (a disciple of Tadeo Ando) of wHY Architecture. It was the world’s first LEED Gold-certified museum.
• Accredited by AAM (since 1983) and member of AAMD.
• Operating budget of $5 million and total staff of 55.
• GRAM recently reviewed and revised its mission and, working with staff, board, and stakeholders is building a 3-year strategic plan. “Focusing on art, design, and creativity, GRAM will provide diverse platforms for experiences, ideas, and dialogue that enrich the human spirit and teach practical learning skills. Through dynamic exhibitions, collections, learning initiatives, and community collaborations, GRAM will increasingly serve as a cultural beacon and civic anchor.”
• Having celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2010, GRAM’s collection includes more than 5,000 works of art, focused on American and European 19th and 20th century painting and sculpture and 3,000 works on paper covering the history of printmaking from old masters to contemporary, with strong selected drawings and photography. Embracing the region’s legacy as a leading center of furniture design and manufacture (Herman Miller, Steelcase, etc.), GRAM has a growing collection of modern craft and design. An endowment for American Paintings allows major acquisitions, and the collection purchase funds currently top $875,000.
• Thematic and single artist exhibitions present national and international artists and include traveling shows from leading museums such as the Boston MFA and the Whitney.
• GRAM’s Director since 2012, Dana Friis-Hansen, has an international reputation as an expert in contemporary art, especially art of Asia.
• Visit www.artmuseumgr.org. Watch a video history of GRAM’s first 100 years and view its growing collection at: http://vimeo.com/67531183.
About Grand Rapids and West Michigan
Grand Rapids, located between Chicago (178 miles) and Detroit (170 miles), is Michigan's 2nd largest city, with a metro-area population of 1.3 million. The Gerald R. Ford International Airport serves 2 million passengers annually. Civic leaders have long had a city-booster, can-do attitude, generously supporting local institutions to make Grand Rapids a vibrant and exciting city – yet with a low cost of living, affordable housing, and short commutes.
The Wall Street Journal Market Watch named Grand Rapids the “2nd Best Place to live in the US” in 2011, citing the public schools and strong economy; and Forbes selected it as Best City for Raising a Family in 2012. Forbes also listed it in the top “15 U.S. Cities' Emerging Downtowns” in 2013, while Fox Business listed it as a “Best Place to Invest” in 2012. Grand Rapids was one of the “Top 8 North American Cities Experiencing an Artistic Boom” in 2012, and AARP chose it as the “Best Place to Retire” in 2013.
Grand Rapids features world-class museums and cultural events, including the ArtPrize (an international art competition and festival), the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Ford Presidential Museum, Children’s Museum, Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts with its cinema, the Public Museum, and 2 Frank Lloyd Wright houses (Meyer May House). Calder’s monumental La Grande Vitesse was the first public artwork funded by the NEA. Theater, music, dance, and opera venues and colleges are complemented by 25 craft beer breweries, restaurants with leading chefs, and minor-league hockey and baseball teams. Outdoor recreation includes biking, hiking, boating, fishing, golf, and America's largest 25K road race (21,000 global participants). Visit www.experiencegr.com or www.grandrapids.org to learn more.
Scenic West Michigan stretches along the Gold Coast of Lake Michigan and is known for beaches, apple orchards and as a second-home destination for many Chicagoans. West Michigan has a healthy, growing economy and is a national leader in civic-minded philanthropy. In 2013 Grand Rapids was ranked the No. 13 city in the U.S. for generosity by The Chronicle of Philanthropy and the Corporation for National & Community Service, based on data on 366 cities; and The Chronicle said, “The Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland metro area was ranked second most generous in the nation.” Many corporate headquarters are located here, including Steelcase, Herman Miller, Wolverine Worldwide, and Amway.
Chief Curator Job Responsibilities
Curatorial & Programming
• Lead the development of a balanced and dynamic exhibition program.
o Organize original exhibitions and identify and coordinate incoming traveling exhibitions.
o Focus on late 19th-century to contemporary art and design.
o Collaborate with the Leadership Team and curatorial staff.
• Lead the growth and enhancement of the permanent collection.
o Opportunity to develop the collection and leave a legacy.
o Cultivate collectors, donors, and artists.
o Serve as staff liaison to the Accessions Committee of the Board on matters related to the collections, providing recommendations for acquisitions and deaccessions.
• Lead presentation and new interpretations of the collection, in concert with education and curatorial staff.
• Collaborate in the preparation of interpretive materials for new exhibitions, multimedia scripts, brochure texts, and catalogues.
• Collaborate with the programing team to ensure alignment of the curatorial vision with GRAM’s interpretive, guest-services, and community-outreach goals.
• Provide programming support (lectures, workshops, etc.), as required.
• Perform other duties as required to ensure the effective operation of the Museum’s Curatorial department and to fulfill GRAM’s Mission.
Leadership & Administration
• Serve as a member of the Museum’s Leadership Team and participate in Executive/Finance Committee and full Board meetings.
• Supervise the Curatorial department, including 2 curatorial staff, the registrar, and 4 collections management/preparation staff.
• Develop, implement, and manage budgets and resources for department and related Museum-wide programs.
• Partner with Advancement Department on donor cultivation and development of grant proposals.
• Represent the Museum in the community and in professional organizations to pro-actively enhance GRAM’s relationships with the creative community, the general public, and other institutions locally, regionally, and nationally.
Required Skills and Abilities
• Deep and current knowledge of art and design in one’s specialty, within the period of 1850 to today.
• Strong knowledge of museum curatorial principles and practices.
• A track record of creativity evidenced by developing successful exhibitions. A thoughtful risk-taker who can convert vision into working programs and inventive exhibitions -- not necessarily cutting-edge, but balanced to expose broad audiences to the best.
• Enthusiasm for sharing art, design, and creativity with multiple constituencies. Enjoys introducing contemporary and less familiar art and ideas to broad general audiences.
• Collaborative approach, with the flexibility and collegiality to engage and connect with a variety of stakeholders, including colleagues and peers, the Museum Board, Accessions Committee, volunteers, varied external partners, and the general public.
• Ability to collaborate with Learning and Audience Engagement Department and to build and welcome regional and national audiences.
• Familiarity with and open to using new technologies, on-line experiences, and new fields of study such as digital humanities.
• A mentor with passion for staff development.
• Superior communications skills, both written and verbal.
• Leadership skills, including strategic thinking, organizational effectiveness, and stretching a budget.
Experience and Qualifications
• Minimum of 7 years of curatorial experience. Two years or more of management–level museum experience preferred.
• Track record of effective exhibitions, including shows that were well attended and received by the general public, as well as by peers.
• Advanced degree preferred in Art History or related field with concentration on art or design since 1850. Bachelor’s Degree in field required.
• Experience and interpersonal skills to approach donors and work with trustees.
How to Apply
• Apply in confidence. Send résumé, cover letter including a narrative describing interest in and experience for this particular job, salary requirement, and names with contact information of 3 references to: [log in to unmask] by April 14, 2014. Nominations welcome.
• GRAM is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to diversity.
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