Employment

CHIEF CURATOR
The Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) seeks a creative museum leader with expertise in modern and contemporary art and design.
The ideal candidate will possess a sense of adventure and creativity with a sophisticated understanding of art, design and museum curatorial principles and practices. They will have demonstrated experience as a thoughtful risk taker with a record of converting vision into working programs and a track record of inventive exhibitions. They will be familiar with and excited by new technologies, on-line experiences and new fields of study such as digital humanities. They’ll be known for their collaborative approach, flexibility, collegiality, and enthusiasm for sharing art, design, and creativity with a varied constituency. They will have superior presentation skills and demonstrate strong leadership presence and willingness to engage and connect with a variety of stakeholders, including the Museum Board, Accessions Committee, colleagues, a diverse set of external partners, and the general public. They will possess the highest ethical standards, and strong leadership skills including: strategic thinking; financial acumen; organizational effectiveness; and a passion for staff development.
 
Essential Job Functions:

  • Leads the development of a full, balanced and dynamic exhibition program in concert with the Leadership Team and Curatorial staff.
  • Leads the development of the scope and framework of a dynamic collection, its presentation, interpretation, and growth in concert with the Director and Curatorial staff.
  • Organizes original exhibitions and coordinates incoming traveling exhibitions presented at GRAM.
  • Serves as a member of the Museum’s Leadership Team, and participates in Executive/Finance Committee and full Board meetings.
  • Plans, develops, implements, and manages approved budgets, and allocation of resources for department as well as other Museum-wide programs.
  • Partners with Advancement Department on donor cultivation and development of grant proposals.
  • Collaborates with Education Department and others on the programing team to ensure alignment of the curatorial vision with the interpretive, guest services, and community outreach goals.
  • Serves as staff liaison to the Accessions Committee of the Board of Trustees on matters related to the collections, providing analysis and recommendations for acquisitions and deaccessioning.
  • Prepares research and responds to requests for information relating to the collection.
  • Provides programming support (lectures, workshops, etc.), as may be required.
  • Collaborates in the preparation of interpretive text for new exhibitions, multimedia scripts, brochure texts, and catalogues.
  • Represents the Museum in professional organizations, the community, regionally, and nationwide to ensure the Museum has a lively and productive relationship with peer professionals and institutions as well as the creative community and the general public.
  • Performs other duties as may be required to support the effective operation of the Museum’s Curatorial department.

 

Applicants should have an advance degree in Art History or a related field with concentration on art or design since 1850, and a minimum of 10 years active curatorial experience with three years management–level museum experience.

Applicants should submit their resume, a one-page native describing interest and experience, salary history and expectations, and the names of three references to GRAM’s Director of Human Resources at hr@artmuseumgr.org. Suggestions of candidates are also welcome.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, GRAM has a strong commitment to diversity.

About the Grand Rapids Art Museum
The mission of the Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) is: to inspire discovery, enjoyment, and learning about art; to serve as a welcoming and inclusive cultural resource; to collect, conserve, and interpret works of art of the finest quality. Established in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids, the new Art Museum is internationally known for its distinguished design and LEED Gold certified status. Established in 1910 as the Grand Rapids Art Association, GRAM has grown to include more than 5,000 works of art, including American and European 19th and 20th century painting and sculpture and more than 3,000 works on paper. Embracing the city’s legacy as a leading center of design and manufacturing, GRAM has a growing collection in the area of design and modern craft.