Senior Curator – Performance and Public Practice (full time)

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Are you someone who is:

Highly adept at creating a compelling and relevant collection of performances and public programs?
Tapped into the pulse of cultural and social issues of our times with a keen understanding of the relationship of performance and public engagement to those issues?
A passionate advocate and steward for performance and participatory practices?

If so, then the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago is looking for you!

We have an opening for a full-time Senior Curator in the Performance and Public Practice department who provides guidance and leadership for all live arts programming at the museum. This position works in collaboration with other Artistic department heads to create a holistic artistic and civic strategy that finds commonalities between performances, participatory projects, public talks, and community partners. The Senior Curator will integrate live programming to position the MCA as a primary engine of groundbreaking artwork, civic exchange, and social cohesion. To be successful in this role, you must:

Develop a live arts and public practices program that fosters social belonging in Chicago and beyond and builds trust within the creative community of greater Chicago.
Align performance and public practice with the broader artistic and civic goals of the museum, especially with regard to social belonging – an atmosphere of welcome, a site of energized public assembly, and deep collaboration among staff, artists, external partners, and audiences.
Conceive, organize, and supervise major live arts and digital programs with a focus in an area of expertise with the goal of creating a globally inflected, relevant, and engaging collection of performance and public practice programs each season.
Supervise and mentor direct reports, including program development oversight and general staff management to ensure the integration of curatorial voices and efficient collaborative work practices.

You must also have a MA or MFA in Art or Art History (or equivalent experience) with an emphasis on 20th and 21st century live arts and public practice; a minimum of 10 years of museum, gallery, or theater experience required, with an emphasis on conceiving, producing, and managing performance programs and public programs; and:

Expertise in public programming, civic engagement, contemporary theater, music, or performance art and a strong understanding of socially engaged art practices.
Ability to forge and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of representatives in public and private organizations, Board members, vendors, and MCA staff.

This is a full time position with a schedule of five days per week, with varied hours based on program schedules and off-site work requirements including evenings and events as necessary. National and international travel for research is expected. Ability to operate general office equipment and telephones and general mobility throughout museum required.