Executive Director and Chief Curator

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ABOUT THE SAN JOSE INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART (ICA)

The ICA is a nationally renowned energetic art space located in downtown San Jose dedicated to promoting greater awareness, understanding, and appreciation of contemporary art. The ICA’s ongoing series of site-specific installations makes it a destination for experiencing unique, immersive exhibitions that transform the gallery and engage, delight, and inspire our visitors.

Founded in 1980, the ICA has long been committed to presenting solo and group exhibitions of visually compelling and conceptually challenging contemporary art in all media, as well as a variety of public programs that include exhibition tours, panel discussions, artist presentations, workshops, demos as well as impromptu conversations in the gallery. Our distinctive Sandbox Projects provide visitors with the once-in-a-lifetime chance to experience a unique art environment, while giving emerging and mid-career artists the opportunity to experiment, take risks and develop new work. The gallery is also activated by opening receptions, First Friday gallery walks, Art in the Dark events, and installations in the front windows.

The ICA is driven by an uncompromising commitment to artists and their ideas and promotes artists whose work questions, expands, and re-imagines the aesthetic boundaries of the visual arts. Presenting 8-12 exhibitions a year, the ICA is a uniquely intimate platform for encountering artistic expressions that give form to, challenge, and complicate currents in contemporary thought.

For additional information, please visit our website at www.sjica.org.

MAIN FOCUS, PRIORITIES, AND KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Executive Director and Chief Curator is responsible for the overall management of the ICA, including exhibitions and programs, physical and financial resources, personnel, and the future growth and development of the organization. The Executive Director manages a full-time staff of six, reports to the Board of Directors through the president of the Board, and works closely with the Executive Committee and other standing and ad hoc committees of the Board.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

The Executive Director will be an experienced curator or arts leader with an informed eye and exceptional vision who will also be expected to be a fundraiser, qualified administrative executive director, and active representative for the ICA in the local, national, and international communities. In addition to a deep and passionate commitment to contemporary art, the ideal candidate will possess the following:

Extensive experience in the field.
A sizable network, including museum colleagues, artists, gallery contacts, funders, donors, and collectors.
An enthusiastic and successful fundraiser.
Prior experience with operations at a museum.
Strong organizational skills with proven ability to focus and prioritize.
The ability to manage financial operations.
Excellent writing and communication skills.
Strong interpersonal and leadership skills.
Ability to be effective under pressure and handle multitasking.
Willing and able to sustain a demanding schedule.
A self-starter and creative problem-solver, undaunted by a lean institution.
A track record of fostering a collaborative working environment while coalescing others around objectives and their successful implementation.
Strongly desired but not required: an advanced degree in an art-related field.

COMPENSATION

The ICA provides competitive compensation for an organization of its size and a standard benefits package, including health insurance, dental and vision benefits, generous paid time off, and a simple IRA retirement plan.

APPLICATIONS AND INQUIRIES

Please submit a cover letter and resume with a summary of demonstrable accomplishments (electronic submissions preferred) to: EDsearch@sjica.org

Deadline: Open until filled

The ICA is an equal opportunity employer. As such, the ICA will not discriminate in the hiring, compensation, promotion, discipline, or termination of employees based on their race, religion, sex, gender identification, sexual orientation, age, color, national origin, disability, veteran status, income, or any other category or classification protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.