Assistant Curator

Sharjah Art Foundation; Sharjah; On-site; AED 260,000 - 420,000; Full time

Job summary

Sharjah Art Foundation in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, seeks a seasoned curator to lead exhibition projects, manage budgets, and coordinate with artists, lenders, and partner institutions.

The role requires a Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in relevant fields with substantial experience, strong editing and communication skills, and willingness to work 9:00–17:00, Monday to Thursday, with occasional evenings or weekends.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in fine arts, humanities, or social studies with 5+ years of experience in related fields; OR Bachelor’s degree with 8+ years of experience.
• Experience in exhibition management, budgeting, and coordinating external collaborators.

Responsibilities

• Monitor and maintain the project budget of exhibitions or projects assigned by Team Head by obtaining estimates, processing invoices, maintaining budget files, and liaising with Accounts.
• Serve as main contact for exhibitions with external collaborators and coordinate the entirety of exhibition activities including agreements, research, production, installation, and travel.
• Research loans and coordinate with Operations to ensure safe loan and exhibit of works.
• Write and edit interpretive texts related to exhibitions, in collaboration with curators and artists, and coordinate publication materials.
• Compile information for guidebooks, wall labels, and websites, and manage exhibition checklists and related databases.
• Manage trainees, interns, and other freelance staff.
• Coordinate with all Foundation departments to share information timely.
• Assist in pairing exhibitions with other Foundation projects such as Learning and Research, Film, Music, Performance and Collections.
• Organise invited committees and coordinate with members as needed.
• Assist in touring exhibitions to external institutions.
• Coordinate with Communications on publicity and provide material for press releases; conduct press interviews as necessary.
• Coordinate with Hospitality and Guest Relations to host guests and support private views and tours; attend events as appropriate.
• Represent SAF at public events and meetings.
• Maintain files and correspondence; archive past exhibition files.
• Report to Team Head regularly and undertake other tasks as needed.

Skills

Budget management

Project coordination

Stakeholder liaison

Editing texts

Public relations

Education

Master’s degree in fine arts, humanities, or social studies

Bachelor’s degree in fine arts, humanities, or social studies

Job description

Reporting to: Head of Curatorial
Job Location: Sharjah Emirate, United Arab Emirates
Expected Starting Date:As soon as possible
Application Deadline: The job is open until filled

Roles and Responsiblities

• Monitor and maintain the project budget of exhibitions or projects assigned by Team Head (collectively “Exhibition”) by obtaining estimates, processing invoices, maintaining budget files (digital and physical), keeping expense reports while liaising with the Accounts Team and under supervision of Team Head.
• Perform the role of main contact for Exhibition for external collaborators—including curators, artists, lenders, collaborators and professionals—and coordinate all follow-through of the Exhibition with external collaborators—including agreements, research, production, installation, communication and travel.
• Research loans and administer loan requests, and coordinate with Operations team to ensure the safe loan and exhibit of the work.
• Write and/or edit, and collate interpretive texts in relation to the Exhibition—including exhibition introductions, work descriptions, biographies—in close conversation with curators and artists and under supervision of Team Head; communicate and coordinate with other teams in the Foundation for all published texts and images, on- and off-line.
• Compile information for guidebook, wall label, wall text, website, Guide briefing kits and where applicable; maintain Exhibition checklist, loan list, guest list, and any other material or database pertaining to the realization and management of the Exhibition.
• Manage trainees, interns and other freelance employees
• Coordinate with all other departments of the Foundation regarding Exhibition so that necessary information is shared in a timely and clear manner within the Foundation.
• Assist in pairing Exhibitions with other projects of the Foundation—including Learning and Research, Film, Music, Performance and Collections.
• Organise any necessary invited committees and/or advisory groups and coordinate with invited individuals as necessary.
• Assist in touring Exhibitions to external institutions.
• Coordinate with Comms on publicity and marketing angles and provide necessary material for press releases; do press interviews as necessary.
• Coordinate with Hospitality and Guest Relations to host guests and make certain their needs are met; assist with private views and Exhibition tours as necessary; attend any relevant events (openings, VIP dinners, meetings, etc) where appropriate.
• Represent SAF at public events, meetings and networking on behalf of SAF.
• Maintain files and correspondence as well as archiving past Exhibition files.
• Report to Team Head on a regular basis.
• Any other task that the Team Head deems necessary.

Required Experience, Qualifications and Skills

Master’s degree in fine arts, humanities, or social studies with 5+ years of experience in related fields; OR Bachelor’s degree in fine arts, humanities, or social studies with 8+ years of experience in related fields

Conditions of Work

The role is a full-time position based in Sharjah, with working hours from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Thursday, and occasional evening or weekend work as needed.