Senior Curator, Modern & Contemporary Art

University of Texas at Austin; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Complimentary museum admission

20% discount at Museum Store

Job summary

The Blanton Museum of Art at The University of Texas at Austin seeks a Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art to lead research, exhibitions, and collection strategy. You will work with a small team to shape a dynamic program spanning international and American art, including public engagement and education initiatives.

Responsibilities include organizing exhibitions, developing strategy for the collection, external relations, fundraising, and supervision of staff and scholars.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in art history or related field, or a bachelor's degree with equivalent professional experience.
• At least seven years of museum experience with a strong record of publications, public presentations, and active participation in the national or international art community.
• Deep knowledge of American and international modern and contemporary art.
• Demonstrated excellence in scholarship, writing, communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
• Proven ability to manage budgets and experience in fundraising, including cultivating donors and securing grants from foundation and government sources.
• Strong professional relationships across the field, including artists, collectors, gallerists, writers, scholars, and museum colleagues.
• Collaborative and collegial approach, with the ability to work effectively across departments to advance institutional goals.
• Demonstrated integrity and professional judgment in all areas of work.
• Ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences, from students and the public to scholars and specialists.
• Equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Responsibilities

• Organize exhibitions and installations using collection objects, loans, and commissions.
• Lead development of exhibition concepts, tours, and co-produced projects in collaboration with curatorial colleagues and external partners.
• Define and implement a vision for the modern and contemporary art collection.
• Recommend and secure acquisitions and collaborate with collections staff on conservation strategies.
• Build relationships with artists and national/international institutions.
• Solicit and secure loans and externally generated exhibitions and represent the museum in collaborative initiatives that advance its mission.
• Develop interpretive strategies and materials
• Partner with Education and Academic Affairs to create programs, train docents and gallery assistants, and support public engagement with modern and contemporary art.
• Conduct original research on the collection and contribute to exhibitions, programs, and publications.
• Supervise guest curators, visiting scholars, interns, and student researchers.
• Promote use of the collection in teaching and engage with the academic community.
• Support fundraising efforts, including donor cultivation and proposals, and manage related budgets, records, and intern supervision.

Skills

Scholarly writing

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Organizational skills

Public speaking

Education

Master's degree in art history or related field

Bachelor's degree with equivalent professional experience

Tools

Museum collection management systems

Digital collections initiatives

Job description

The Blanton Museum of Art at The University of Texas at Austin seeks a Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art to lead research, exhibitions, and collection strategy. You will work with a small team to shape a dynamic program spanning international and American art, including public engagement and education initiatives.

Responsibilities include organizing exhibitions, developing strategy for the collection, external relations, fundraising, and supervision of staff and scholars.