Curator

The American Federation of Arts (AFA) seeks a Curator to play a crucial role in developing the AFA’s vibrant, diverse, and expanding exhibitions program. The Curator will initiate, develop, and manage traveling exhibitions of a wide range of media, genres, and historical periods, partnering with distinguished institutions and leading scholars in the field. The curatorial staff at the AFA primarily acts as project managers, though there are opportunities to curate and tour one’s own exhibitions.

The AFA is committed to equity and inclusion in its staff and welcomes applications from candidates of diverse backgrounds who share these interests and commitment.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Demonstrate a commitment to advancing the AFA’s mission to expand access to art and to principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion;
• Initiate, research, and develop new exhibitions through partnerships with guest curators, institutions, and private collections;
• Prepare and present exhibition proposals to Exhibitions Committee;
• Work closely with guest curators and co-organizers to shape exhibitions and prepare and finalize exhibition materials, including illustrated checklists, project descriptions, and didactic materials;
• Procure venues for exhibition tours;
• Establish and monitor exhibition timelines and budgets, working closely with the registration team;
• Negotiate and secure loans for exhibitions;
• Communicate across departments to ensure that Marketing and Development departments have what is needed for press releases, the AFA Website, funding proposals, etc.;
• Review and edit catalogue texts submitted by guest curators and guest authors, and review layout and design of exhibition catalogues with Manager of Publications;
• Liaise with curatorial staff at presenting museums, and respond to issues related to curatorial content of exhibition and installation as required;
• Represent the AFA at meetings, exhibition openings, and program-related events.

Salary Range: $68,000-$72,000

Requirements

Qualifications:

• At least five years in a museum or art-related environment with experience in organizing exhibitions;
• M.A. or above in art history and/or related field;
• Exceptional communication skills, both written and oral, and a confident public speaker and effective negotiator;
• Exceptional organizational skills, including ability to oversee complex projects and schedules, maintain deadlines, work within budgets, set priorities, and manage multiple projects simultaneously;
• Strong interpersonal and diplomatic skills with the ability to connect with a range of collaborators;
• The ability to think strategically and creatively problem-solve;
• An existing network of curators and institutions, both nationally and internationally;
• Experience working with traveling exhibitions and/or collections preferred;
• Candidate must be willing to travel to represent the AFA at meetings and exhibition openings.

To apply: Submit cover letter and resume to hr@amfedarts.org by March 4, 2022.