Cynthia Woods Mitchell Curatorial Fellowship

Collectionsthatcare; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 50,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

The Blaffer Art Museum invites applications for the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Curatorial Fellowship, a 12‑month, full-time fellowship. Fellows work closely with museum staff to develop and produce exhibitions within budget and university protocols, while crafting public programs aligned with the museum's mission.

Eligibility includes MA/MFA; a PhD is strongly preferred. Candidates should have at least three years of relevant curatorial experience and submit an exhibitions portfolio plus three

Qualifications

• Requires thorough understanding of theoretical and practical aspects of curatorial discipline.
• Curatorial portfolio (3–5 exhibitions) and 3 writing samples (≤30 pages) required for application.

Skills

Curatorial practice

Exhibition planning

Education

MA or MFA required

PhD strongly preferred

Job description

Summary

The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Curatorial Fellowship is intended to support emerging curators as they develop their practice and expand their research. Fellows maintain regular office hours at the Blaffer Art Museum, where they support all curatorial and programming initiatives of the museum, in close collaboration with every member of the museum's staff and student team. The Fellow supports the development and production of Blaffer exhibitions, remaining within budget and following all university protocols. The Fellow also develops academically rigorous and engaging public programs, aligned with the museum's mission. The Fellow is part of a Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center Fellowship Cohort and attends related activities and meetings with other Fellows in the Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts.

Key Details

Salary: $55,000

Duration: 12 months, with possibility of renewal

Schedule: FT (40 hours/week)

Deadline:ASAP (Posted March 3, 2026)

Eligibility

Education: Requires a thorough understanding of theoretical and practical aspects of curatorial discipline. MA or MFA required, PhD in related field (Art History, Studio Art, Curatorial Studies, Arts Leadership, Arts Administration, Writing) strongly preferred.

Experience: Requires a minimum of three (3) years of directly job-related experience. Curatorial portfolio (3-5 exhibitions) and 3 writing samples (cumulatively no more than 30 pages) required for application.

About

The Blaffer Art Museum is a non-collecting contemporary art museum that serves the University of Houston campus and the broader Houston community. Situated within Houston's historic Third Ward, the museum has historically offered a dynamic roster of international artists their first U.S.-museum exhibition. Serving a campus community of more than 48,000 students, exhibitions engage with the thematic and research-driven topics relevant to our contemporary world. The museum's full-time staff includes eight arts professionals and seven student interns.