Senior Curator

About the Job

Supervises:
Ihlenfeld Curator and O’Brien Fellow (changes yearly). Also supervises curatorial assistants, interns, and volunteers as the changing demands of projects warrant.

In-person. This is a senior level position and will require working on campus most days of the week with some flexibility to work remotely.

Please note, this position is not eligible for H-1B or Green Card sponsorship.

PRIMARY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY: The Weisman Art Museum at the University of Minnesota is seeking a seasoned curatorial leader with a proven track record of conceiving ambitious curatorial projects. This position provides direction on the development of the museum collection and works closely with the museum’s registration team to realize successful exhibitions, research acquisitions and deaccessions and facilitate collection use for scholarship.

This position works collaboratively with the public engagement and learning department to ensure that the exhibitions and projects align with the institution's priorities. The successful candidate has extensive experience with working with teams to build respect and trust across all areas of the museum. The ideal candidate will have strong verbal and written communication skills.

The senior curator will work with the museum’s director to present exhibitions and projects that align with the institution's priorities, vision and values. With the director, the senior curator will help define the museum’s curatorial vision and philosophy. They will have a clear point of view and the ability to translate their vision into engaging and thoughtful exhibitions. They will welcome and value diverse perspectives.

The successful candidate will possess excellent leadership qualities that motivate and inspire peers and accepts responsibility and appropriate feedback from others. The senior curator provides clear delineation of workflow and expectations and cultivates a respectful work environment.

The curator reports to the director and works closely with other staff members—in committees and one‑on‑one—to fulfill the responsibilities of this position.

Exhibitions 55%

• Conceive, develop, organize and implement permanent and temporary exhibitions that align with the museum’s vision and values.
• Oversee long and short‑term strategy for the museum’s exhibition program and collections.
• Research, write and speak about collections and exhibitions to internal and external audiences, including working closely with the development department on grants and other philanthropic opportunities.
• Draft and edit labels and wall text to tell a narrative about a particular topic.
• Work closely with the museum’s PEL team to develop innovative programming around exhibitions and collections.
• Develop and foster relationships with artists, galleries and community groups.
• Assist communications department by participating in interviews, press previews and other media requests.
• Serve as institutional curator for exhibitions organized by external sources, administering all aspects of exhibition planning, reviewing and modifying interpretative materials as needed, and ensuring alignment with institutional approaches to access, learning and audience engagement.
• Serve as project lead to facilitate interdepartmental work and negotiations with relevant outside partners.
• Research exhibition strategies that support the museum's vision, mission, and core values.
• Lead the annual planning of the exhibition schedule, including exhibitions initiated by WAM and traveling exhibitions.
• Initiate and manage relations for assigned projects with institutions, colleagues, collectors, and/or businesses in developing exhibition loan contracts, checklists, and schedules.
• Encourage and facilitate a culture of collaboration with effective communication across departments.
• Review exhibition proposals and ideas for artistic merit, mission fit, budget, and scheduling factors.
• Serve as a positive museum representative through participation with programs, development, publicity marketing and networking activities.
• Develop, maintain, and strengthen relationships with members of the broader arts community including artists,…