Curator of Contemporary Art

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The Baltimore Museum of Art seeks a Curator of Contemporary Art to lead the Contemporary Department and join a 15 member curatorial team in fashioning a dynamic civic and cultural identity for the Museum. We envision a vibrant institution embraced as an indispensable element of community life, a vital educational resource for a broad and diverse audience, and a leader in the revitalization of the city that surrounds it.

The BMA has a wing dedicated to contemporary art where objects from its fine collection including painting, sculpture, print, drawings, photographs, and new media are exhibited. Recent acquisitions include major works by Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Ana Mendieta, Meleko Mokgosi, Amy Sherald, Louise Lawler, Wolfgang Tillmans, Carrie Mae Weems, Melvin Edwards, Senga Nengudi, and Stephen Towns. In addition to a major retrospective on Jack Whitten, other past exhibitions include two widely admired shows John Waters: Indecent Exposure and Mark Bradford: Tomorrow Is Another Day, and a current series of smaller project shows organized within the Contemporary collection galleries.

This is a highly attractive opportunity to work at a renowned and rapidly transforming museum that aspires to become a national and international leader in innovation around the role of art and creativity and establishing a museum platform in our society and in communities like Baltimore.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Curator of Contemporary Art will oversee post-1960 art. S/he will enhance the collection and nurture a vibrant community of collectors and artists through exhibitions, public programs, and publications of scholarly significance. Baltimore benefits from a significant community of visual and performance artists in an increasingly vital collaboration with the city’s cultural institutions, including the nationally ranked Maryland Institute College of Art and a remarkable number of other strong academic institutions. It is a priority for the Museum staff to engage in meaningful ways with Maryland’s vibrant artistic community to build support for the BMA and to nurture a growing interest in contemporary art.

The Curator of Contemporary Art reports to the Eddie C. and C. Sylvia Brown Chief Curator and the Dorothy Wagner Wallis Director. In partnership with the Chief Curator and the Director, the Curator of Contemporary Art will implement the Museum’s curatorial objectives and will be encouraged to champion fresh thinking and approaches to art and to seize opportunities to be creative, experimental and innovative.

Primary responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Propose, research, and organize exhibitions of Contemporary Art and coordinate rotations in the collection galleries.
Pursue, research, write justifications for, and present new acquisitions (gifts, promised gifts, bequests, and purchases); maintain familiarity with art market and network with dealers.
Supervise Department, including Curatorial Assistant and interns/volunteers as required; assess staffing needs in Department.
Conduct scholarly research and write for various publications on the BMA’s collection of Contemporary Art. Conduct research and write exhibition labels, didactics, and catalogues and articles in journals as time permits.
Develop and participate in public programs and on-line initiatives to generate interest in and educate visitors about the BMA’s collection of Contemporary Art, including giving public talks, tours, and lectures.
Cultivate donors.
Assist in fundraising for acquisitions, exhibitions, and special projects as well as write narratives for grant applications.
Ensure best possible standards in caring for the BMA’s collection of Contemporary Art, including the negotiation of loan requests.
Oversee various collection management projects, including the augmentation of on-line records for the BMA’s collection of Contemporary Art.
Collaborate with curatorial colleagues as well as fellow staff in the Divisions of Education & Interpretation, Development, Digital Experience & Communications, and Finance & Administration.
Network with professional associations, including participating in scholarly panels and symposia as well as attending professional conferences.
Plan, develop and manage division/departmental budgets.

REQUIREMENTS

Minimum: Master’s degree in art history or related field; Ph. D preferred
Applied knowledge of professional museum principles, practices and procedures
Knowledge of research tools and methodology
Self-directed and motivated
Collaborative by nature, flexible and helpful
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment, and in an atmosphere of continual growth and rapid change.
Entrepreneurial, creative risk-taker, out-of-the-box thinker
Non-hierarchal style of leadership
Minimum of 4-years management-level museum or comparable experience required
Minimum of 5-years applied curatorial experience
Demonstrated experience managing substantial department, project and/or program budgets.
Other experience that demonstrates ability to lead and achieve within nontraditional structures, creative enterprises and cultural initiatives
Excellent written, verbal, and listening communication skills.
Strong staff management and mentoring skills
Demonstrated organizational planning, problem-solving and collaboration skills
Effective interpersonal skills, tactful, and diplomatic
Proficient computer skills. Database and software knowledge preferred.
Ability to interpret the collection and to communicate knowledge about it in a manner relevant to the general public
Ability to perform and oversee scholarly research in the field
Highly developed public speaking skills
Ability to create and successfully manage an annual budget

BENEFITS

The BMA is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We are committed to building a culturally diverse staff and strongly encourage all qualified professionals to apply.

We offer a competitive salary and a generous benefits package. For this exempt position we offer medical, dental, vision, prescription, 403b retirement plan, long term disability, flexible spending account, museum and restaurant discounts, and reduced fee gym membership. We also offer accrued vacation, holidays, personal days, floating holidays, and sick days.

APPLY

Please send cover letter, resume, record of scholarship, and salary requirements via email to HR@artbma.org with “Curator of Contemporary Art” Last Name and First Name in the subject line.

Incomplete application materials will not be accepted. No phone calls please.