Artistic Director & Curator

Art Gallery of Burlington; Burlington; On-site; CAD 80,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits

OMERS pension

Free onsite parking

Job summary

Art Gallery of Burlington seeks an experienced Artistic Director & Curator to lead its artistic program and connect contemporary art and craft with the life of the community. The role reports to the Executive Director and sits on the Senior Leadership Team, guiding exhibitions, collections priorities and learning collaborations.

You will curate projects, mentor the curatorial team, and work with learning staff to connect artistic ideas with public participation, within a midsized public gallery

Qualifications

• Significant progressive curatorial experience and a strong record of exhibitions.
• Experience managing staff, projects and budgets in a public gallery setting.
• Knowledge of contemporary art and craft; ceramics expertise is a strong asset.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of a multi-year exhibition program rooted in contemporary art and craft.
• Curate exhibitions and commissions, guiding projects with clear responsibilities and schedules.
• Coordinate research, interpretation, and exhibition delivery with editorial and digital platforms.
• Build relationships with artists, galleries and community partners to support exhibitions and engagement.
• Provide mentorship to the curatorial team and manage portfolio budgets in collaboration with SLT.

Skills

Curatorial leadership

Exhibitions planning

Ceramics knowledge

Academic writing

Community relations

Education

Advanced study in art history/curatorial studies

Job description

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & CURATOR

REPORTS TO:

Executive Director

LEADERSHIP:

Member of the Senior Leadership Team

POSITION TYPE:

Full-time, 5 days a week, typical workweek Monday to Friday with some evenings and weekends mandatory.

COMPENSATION:

Salary range: $80,000–$95,000, commensurate with experience, plus benefits, OMERS pension, and free onsite parking.

WHY JOIN THE ART GALLERY OF BURLINGTON?

For more than fifty years, AGB has brought artists and communities together through exhibitions, studios, learning and creative exchange. Home to the world’s largest collection of contemporary Canadian ceramics, the Gallery holds a distinctive place in Canada’s cultural landscape. Our mission is to bring people into meaningful relationships with contemporary art and craft through making, learning, and encounter.

As a public gallery, AGB offers donors the opportunity to support ambitious exhibitions, artists, collections, curatorial research and meaningful public engagement with contemporary art and craft. Alongside this artistic work, Community Generator, the Studio Access Model and partnerships across education, health and community services create meaningful opportunities to invest in making, learning, belonging and cultural access.

A mandate grounded in our Strategic Plan

AGB Vision & Strategy 2026–2040 guides the role. You will advance Lead Artistically by deepening curatorial direction and collections stewardship, and work with the Manager of Learning to strengthen the Living Cultural Ecosystem connecting exhibitions, studios and participation. Alongside SLT colleagues, you will contribute to Voice and Presence and Organizational Resilience, and provide artistic input into the longer‑term AGB Waterfront Project and Cultural Commons as planning progresses.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Art Gallery of Burlington is seeking an experienced and collaborative Artistic Director and Curator to lead its artistic program and connect contemporary art and craft with the life of its community. This is an opportunity to bring curatorial depth, sound judgement and a commitment to artists to a midsized public gallery with a distinctive ceramics collection and an active culture of making and learning.

Reporting to the Executive Director, you will shape a coherent exhibition program, guide collections priorities and work with learning colleagues to connect artistic ideas with public participation. You will curate selected projects and provide direction and mentorship to the curatorial team.

You will join a four‑person Senior Leadership Team (SLT) that shares responsibility for institutional planning and organizational success. The role is supported by an Associate Curator, Curatorial Assistant, Collections Manager, Manager of Learning and learning team. Together, you will set achievable priorities, draw on each other’s expertise and deliver an artistic program suited to AGB’s resources and ambitions.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Artistic Direction & Exhibition Planning

• Lead the development of a multi‑year exhibition program rooted in contemporary art, craft and material‑based practice, aligned with AGB’s Strategic Plan and available resources.
• Curate selected exhibitions and commissions; guide projects developed by the Associate Curator, guest curators and other collaborators, with clear responsibilities and realistic schedules.
• Work with the Associate Curator and Curatorial Assistant to coordinate research, interpretation, project administration and exhibition delivery, assigning work according to their roles and expertise.
• Guide artistic content and interpretation for exhibitions, publications and digital platforms, making ideas accessible and engaging for different audiences.
• Build respectful artist relationships through clear communication, appropriate compensation and well‑managed agreements.
• Support research and share knowledge through exhibitions, writing, talks or digital projects, with priorities and time agreed through annual planning.

Collections & Cultural Stewardship

• Guide collection development, interpretation and access, working with collection and curatorial colleagues to identify achievable priorities for the permanent collection, library and archives.
• Recommend acquisitions and deaccessions through approved policies and governance processes; contribute professional advice to the Collections Committee.
• Strengthen representation of Indigenous, Black, racialized, diasporic and underrepresented artists across exhibitions, acquisitions and interpretation.
• Support ethical collection practices, including attention to provenance and culturally appropriate access and interpretation, seeking specialist advice where required.

Learning & the Studio Community

• Work with the Manager of Learning to connect exhibitions and the collection with studio practice, artist development and public programs.
• Provide artistic context and strategic support while the Manager of Learning leads the learning team, program delivery and studio access operations.
• Support connections across Community Generator, community arts initiatives, residencies, educators, Studio Access and community partnerships, using feedback to improve public experience and participation.

Partnerships & Public Engagement

• Develop relationships with artists, galleries and community partners that support exhibitions, artistic exchange and meaningful local engagement.
• Build ongoing relationships with Indigenous artists, Elders, knowledge‑keepers, and communities applying appropriate consultation and cultural protocols to relevant artistic work.
• Represent AGB through selected talks, tours, openings and professional activities, and work with communications colleagues on accurate and accessible artistic messaging.

Team Leadership & Shared Institutional Work

• Provide clear direction, mentorship and performance feedback to staff within the portfolio; support the Associate Curator, Collections Manager and Manager of Learning in exercising their responsibilities.
• Prepare and monitor portfolio budgets with Director of Operations & Financial Services; coproduce annual priorities, workloads and measures with the Executive Director and report on progress.
• Participate in the four‑person SLT, contributing artistic judgement to shared planning, decisions and problem‑solving. Bring artistic and visitor needs into future facility discussions as required.
• Partner with the Director of Philanthropy and Major Gifts on artistic funding opportunities, selected donor engagement and stewardship; contribute program content to grant applications and reports.
• Work with colleagues on relevant policies, accessible practices and responsible material use. Undertake other duties consistent with the role.

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work to further the goals and objectives of the AGB and participate actively in the institution’s life. Act in a respectful, accountable, and generous manner towards other staff, volunteers, and the general public.
• Demonstrate a positive professional presence, inspiring and building confidence both within the AGB and outside the institution among a broad range of constituencies.
• Demonstrate a commitment to the AGB’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion priorities, ensuring that diverse audiences are represented, promoted, and engaged.
• Other duties as assigned.

WHAT WE’RO LOOKING FOR

You are an established curator and thoughtful leader who can set direction, support colleagues and deliver work with care. You bring confidence in your artistic judgement, openness to other perspectives and an understanding of how a regional public gallery serves artists and communities.

• Significant progressive curatorial experience, including a strong record of exhibitions and demonstrated responsibility for staff, projects and budgets.
• Strong knowledge of contemporary art and craft. Expertise in ceramics or material‑based practice is a strong asset.
• Experience with collections, acquisitions and responsible stewardship, and the ability to connect collection knowledge with public interpretation.
• Excellent writing, presentation and relationship‑building skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with artists, colleagues, supporters and public audiences.
• Experience working collaboratively with learning or community‑engagement colleagues and supporting inclusive and accessible artistic practice.
• Sound organizational and financial judgement, with the ability to prioritize, delegate and work within agreed resources.
• Relevant advanced study in art history, curatorial studies, studio practice, museum studies or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education, professional experience and curatorial achievement.

Early Priorities & Measures of Success

In the first year, build relationships with the team, artists and community, and guide delivery of the exhibition and programming plans developed by AGB’s current Artistic Director for the next two years. Honour contracted commitments while reviewing the schedule, budgets and projects with the Executive Director and relevant colleagues, adjusting where appropriate and in consultation with artists and partners. Develop a focused artistic workplan that supports continuity while creating space for the incoming Director’s curatorial perspective to inform future programming.

Success will reflect artistic quality, respectful relationships, collaborative leadership and reliable delivery within available resources. Opportunities to connect exhibitions, collection and learning—and advance longer‑term research, partnerships and collection projects—will be phased through annual planning.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT