Head of Curatorial and Collections

Bundanon Trust; Greenwell Point; On-site; AUD 159,000 - 178,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Award Free

Job summary

Bundanon Trust invites a senior leader to head the Curatorial and Collections program. You will drive artistic strategy, oversee exhibitions across the Art Museum, Homestead and Arthur Boyd Studio, and manage AIRs with a focus on national and international engagement.

You will work with an executive team to steward Bundanon’s collections, archives and heritage environments, ensuring compliance with standards while fostering Indigenous engagement and community partnerships.

Qualifications

• Extensive curatorial experience delivering high-quality exhibitions and artistic programmes across disciplines.
• Strong strategic and team leadership with experience managing budgets and staff.
• Experience working with heritage collections, provenance, loans, and related governance concepts.

Responsibilities

• Lead Bundanon’s artistic programs and curatorial team, including Exhibitions, Collections and AIRs.
• Curate and deliver exhibitions of contemporary and historical art across Bundanon’s locations.
• Oversee collections, archives, acquisitions, conservation, and loans to museum standards.
• Lead AIR partnerships and residency programs, ensuring high-quality creative outcomes.
• Develop and implement strategic plans, budgets and policies for artistic programming.
• Represent Bundanon nationally and build collaborative partnerships with artists and institutions.

Skills

Curatorial Experience

Strategic Leadership

Budget Management

Education

Art history/Curatorship/Museum studies or related

Job description

Full-time Permanent Associate

Posted 16 Oct 2026

Description

KEY DETAILS

• Full-Time, 5 days a week (38 hours/week)
• Reports to - Chief Executive Officer
• Direct Reports - 4
• Annual Salary - $178,080 incl super (package) or $159,000 + 12% super
• Award Free

ABOUT BUNDANON

Bundanon is an art museum embedded in a 1,000 hectare landscape, in the Shoalhaven region of NSW. The organisation’s mission is to operate the Bundanon properties as a centre for creative arts and education, to support the development of arts practice across all disciplines and to enable public access to the arts and to the landscape. Bundanon’s vision is to promote creativity and learning based in a unique cultural and natural landscape.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Head of Curatorial and Collections is a key member of Bundanon’s Senior Leadership Team, reporting directly to the CEO and leading the strategic and operational direction of the organisation’s artistic program. Overseeing the Curatorial team, the role is responsible for Exhibitions, Touring Exhibitions, Collections and Artists in Residence program, ensuring they are integrated and artist-centered. The role also delivers multi-artform programming in the Art Museum and through site-specific projects, with oversight of the collection, archive, and heritage environments, ensuring compliance with national museum standards and governance principles. This role is responsible for upholding cultural protocols, promoting contemporary arts practices and enhancing Bundanon’s reputation as a destination of national and international significance.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Forms a part of the Executive Team to contribute and execute on strategic initiatives.
• Develop and execute long-term strategies to position Bundanon as a cultural leader, driving innovation and excellence in exhibitions, touring programs and residencies.
• Oversee and manage budgets for Curatorial, Collections, Touring Exhibitions and Artists in Residence programs to ensure alignment with Bundanon’s strategic objectives.
• Contribute to the development of the corporate plan and policies pertaining to Artistic programming, Collection, AIRs and Heritage Management.
• Drive review processes to set priorities, monitor progress, remove obstacles and ensure the sustainability of planned work.
• Stay informed of trends, legislative, regulatory and other factors likely to impact the sector.

Curatorial

• Lead Bundanon’s artistic programs and curatorial team, managing Exhibitions, Collections, and Artist in Residency programs, including administrative and stakeholder oversight.
• Curate, develop and deliver exhibitions of contemporary and historical art across all disciplines, drawing on Bundanon’s collections as well as private & public collections, and curating interdisciplinary presentations.
• Oversee exhibition publications, including writing, editing, and art direction.
• Manage relationships with artists, curators, donors, and other key stakeholders to support Curatorial and Collections programs.
• Represent Bundanon nationally in professional forums to promote its artistic leadership.
• Develop and deliver integrated curatorial programs across Bundanon’s three key cultural locations: the Art Museum, the Homestead and the Arthur Boyd Studio.

Collection & Heritage

• Oversee Bundanon’s collection, archives, and heritage environments, including the Arthur Boyd Studio & Homestead.
• Lead the management of Bundanon’s Collections, focusing on documentation, cataloguing, research, interpretation and care.
• Ensure compliance with museum standards and governance principles for provenance, acquisitions and loan programs.
• Manage the acquisitions process in alignment with the Cultural Gifts Program, foster relationships with artists, art dealers and donors, assess and recommend acquisitions, and monitor the art market within the collection’s scope.
• Respond promptly to collection enquiries from colleagues, artists, researchers and the public.
• Ensure the conservation and safe storage of artworks and objects according to international museum standards, providing culturally appropriate access when relevant.

Artists in Residence (AIRs) Program

• Oversee the Artists in Residence program, ensuring Bundanon’s commitment to supporting new work across all disciplines while maintaining integrity in engagements with artists, arts companies, and international partners.
• Provide leadership in strengthening AIR partnerships with sector peers and fostering new opportunities across disciplines.
• Ensure diversity and due diligence in the application and selection processes for the annual AIR call-out.
• Oversee the management of the AIR complex at the Homestead site, ensuring a positive and safe experience for artists in collaboration with Operations team
• Lead assessments and recommendations for repairs or improvements to the AIR heritage and purpose-designed buildings.
• Work with the CEO, staff, and stakeholders to fulfill Indigenous engagement commitments, ensuring significant and meaningful representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, perspectives and experiences.
• Ensure adherence to best practices for curatorial staff when engaging with Indigenous artists or communities.

Cross-Team Collaborations

• Collaborate closely with Live Programs, Learning Programs and other key managers to develop cohesive and integrated programs that connect AIRs, the natural environment, First Nation perspectives and the Art Museum.
• Ensure designs for projects are inclusive and accessible, meeting the needs of diverse audiences across the Art Museum, Collections, Touring Exhibitions and Artists in Residence.

Team Leadership and Development

• Offer proactive guidance, support, and continuous supervision for team members to help them navigate challenges, fostering their well-being and aiding in their development.
• Establish and communicate clear goals and objectives for the team to ensure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities.
• Evaluate and manage the performance of team members, including conducting regular assessments and providing constructive feedback.
• Create and maintain a positive work environment that promotes collaboration, innovation, and a sense of belonging.
• Assist the team in prioritising workflow, developing processes, and maintaining quality control.
• Ensuring a seamless induction experience for new staff members.
• Facilitating continuous feedback, aligning goals effectively, and cultivating a positive work culture to ensure ongoing improvement and the well-being of the team.
• Cultivating a workplace culture where the team is well-informed about and committed to Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) responsibilities, while also prioritising and maintaining the overall welfare of the team.

SELECTION CRITERIA

• Relevant tertiary qualifications in art history, curatorship, museum studies or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Extensive curatorial experience delivering high-quality exhibitions and artistic programs, with strong knowledge of contemporary and historical art.
• Demonstrated strategic and team leadership, including managing budgets, developing staff and delivering organisational priorities.
• Substantial collections management experience, including acquisitions, conservation and loans, with sound knowledge of museum standards and governance.
• Strong research, writing and communication skills, with the ability to build partnerships and collaborate across disciplines.
• Experience working respectfully with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and communities, with demonstrated understanding of cultural protocols.
• Experience overseeing artist residency programs.
• Experience working with heritage collections and places.

REQUIREMENTS

All Bundanon employees are required to obtain:

• Current Working with Children Check.
• National Police Check.
• A current driver’s license.