Assistant or Associate Curator of Contemporary Art

• Place art and our diverse communities at the center around which all activities radiate.
• Pursue excellence in collecting and programming, present works of art across cultures and time, and be a driving force in contemporary art.
• Strengthen our position as a prominent, innovative institution, expanding the meaning and possibilities of learning and creativity.

About the Dallas Museum of Art

Established in 1903, the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) is among the 10 largest art museums in the country and is distinguished by its commitment to research, innovation, and public engagement. At the heart of the Museum and its programs is its global collection, which encompasses more than 22,000 works and spans 5,000 years of history, representing a full range of world cultures. Located in the heart of the nation’s largest arts district, the Museum welcomes some 600,000 visitors annually and acts as a catalyst for community creativity, engaging people of all ages and backgrounds with a diverse spectrum of programming, from exhibitions and lectures to concerts, literary events, and dramatic and dance presentations. In January 2013, the DMA returned to a free general admission policy and launched DMA Friends, the first free museum membership program in the country, which currently has over 70,000 members. For more information, visit DMA.org. The Dallas Museum of Art is supported, in part, by the generosity of Museum Partners and donors and by the citizens of Dallas through the City of Dallas/Office of Cultural Affairs and the Texas Commission on the Arts.

Scope of Position

The Nancy and Tim Hanley Assistant/Associate Curator will work primarily to research the permanent collection to determine opportunities and challenges in the display and care of our extensive and diverse holdings, as well as to help drive the robust acquisition program of contemporary art to fill strategic needs. The Assistant/Associate Curator will possess a keen understanding of the local, national, and international art community to provide creative direction to the shaping of a balanced and dynamic exhibition and public program schedule.

The DMA has one of the leading collections of contemporary art in an American encyclopedic museum. The collection encompasses over 4,000 works from 1945 to the present, including major holdings of Abstract Expressionism and Minimalism; conceptualism, time-based media, and installation works; photography; and the work of emerging artists. The Museum has particular strengths in German, Italian, East Asian, and Latin American art, as well as art of the African diaspora.

The Assistant/Associate Curator will work collaboratively to ensure the museum and the department are responsive to emerging trends in the field of contemporary art, addressing historical blind spots and striving to remain at the forefront of new trends in contemporary artistic production. As a department we will build on our current collections strengths to further our position ourselves as a leader in the presentation of the transnational development of postwar art and work with curatorial colleagues to explore cross-departmental confluences in the presentation of art across time, space, and medium.

Essential Functions

• Perform scholarly research on objects in the collection to deepen the Museum’s knowledge of its contemporary collection
• Creates catalogues of the collection, exhibitions, and related materials to increase interest in the museum’s collections and programs
• Conceive and implement small to medium sized exhibitions focused on emerging artists, predicting and setting trends, issues and debates that strengthen the DMA’s position as a leader in presenting contemporary art
• Conceive and implement larger scale exhibitions appropriate for the curator’s specialization
• Collaborate with curatorial and collections colleagues on the creation and implementation of the museum’s collections plan; strategizing on storage, display, and deaccession opportunities when appropriate
• Create meaningful connection with the local and broader Texas art community by engaging with colleagues at other local, regional, and national arts and educational institutions to advance the DMA’s goal to be a laboratory for ideas and collaboration
• Partner with colleagues in curatorial and exhibition departments to innovate new ways of working cross-functionally in the curation, display, and interpretation of works of art, drawing on the collection for inspiration
• Present stimulating and accessible public lectures and presentations
• Develop and maintain advantageous local, national and international relationships with a community of artists, critics, dealers, museum colleagues, professional organizations, collectors, trustees, and friends of the Museum to enhance the DMA’s position and relevance locally, nationally, and internationally
• Assist with fundraising and public relations efforts to support and promote departmental and museum activities
• Collaborate with the Education division to develop and present materials and programs relating to the interpretation of the collections and special exhibitions for the public such as gallery texts, publications, lectures, electronic media, and docent training
• Supervise shared curatorial administrative assistants and interns, in conjunction with other curators in department
• Research and recommend potential acquisitions on emerging artists and artists of the curator’s specialization and present recommendations to the Committee on Collections
• Consider, solicit, and submit possible gifts for consideration to the Senior Curator
• Remain well-informed of new art and artists and emerging movements through preparation of scholarly articles and essays, presentation of talks and lectures at the DMA and other institutions, and participation in professional art organizations
• Be available for national and international travel, serving as an important representative of the department and the museum
• Work across all departments to promote and support the contemporary department internally and externally
• Conform to the AAMD codes of ethics governing the museum profession
• Adhere to museum policies and support management decisions in a positive, professional manner

Education, Experience, and Certification

Minimum Qualifications: Assistant Curator

• Master’s degree in art history or related field, with a specialization in contemporary art, theory, or practice required
• Minimum three years curatorial experience working in a museum or equivalent institution with impressive record of achievement
• A specialization in African American Art, Artists, or History and arts of the African diaspora highly desirable

Minimum Qualifications: Associate Curator

• Master’s degree in art history or related field, with a specialization in contemporary art, theory, or practice required; PhD preferred
• Minimum five years curatorial experience working in a museum or equivalent institution with impressive record of achievement
• A specialization in African American Art, Artists, or History and arts of the African diaspora highly desirable

Key Qualifications

• Demonstrated creative problem-solving skills; Capacity and initiative to recommend solutions
• Aptitude for public speaking
• Demonstrated project management skills on complex curatorial projects
• Excellent time management and analytical skills
• Ability to assess priorities and work well under pressure
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Aptitude for working collaboratively on projects with internal and external teams and with other curatorial staff, and members of the Education, Exhibitions, and Collections departments
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office suite, TMS, and the use of an internal content management system
• Willing to work flexible schedule including evenings and weekends when needed