Chief Curator

The Contemporary Art Museum (CAM) St. Louis seeks a Chief Curator to lead its ambitious
exhibition program. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Chief Curator is responsible for
strategically generating the institution’s curatorial vision and conceptualizing, developing, and implementing exhibitions. The Chief Curator actively and effectively engages in fundraising and cultivation activities in the St. Louis community and worldwide. They manage a department of two, overseeing the Associate Curator and Registrar. This position is part of the senior leadership team responsible for setting direction and strategy for CAM.

Responsibilities:

Curatorial and Exhibitions:

• Exhibition Program Strategy/Vision: Lead CAM’s efforts to create a distinctive exhibition program that contributes to the field and garners critical attention.
• Exhibition Design and Implementation: Identify and recommend exhibition ideas; develop exhibition plans and checklists; work closely with artists and dealers; lead and manage exhibition staff; and oversee installation design and successful implementation.
• Advanced Exhibition Planning: Work with Executive Director to plan a three-year
• exhibition calendar, with emphasis on variety and diversity of artists, media, scope, scale, and audience impact; plan strategically to include an array of curatorial perspectives.
• Writing: Contribute texts to a range of materials in conjunction with the exhibition program, including grant proposals, press releases, didactics, and educational materials; plan, write, edit, and oversee design and production of publications as appropriate.
• Staff Management: Lead and manage a staff of two in the implementation of the exhibition and programmatic activities of CAM; team-building skills and leadership experience necessary.
• Budgeting: Develop and oversee budgets for exhibitions, including expense and revenue projections; work with the Deputy Director to create and update reports for Executive Director and Board of Directors.

Leadership:

• Fundraising: Lead fundraising efforts for the exhibition program, including identification and solicitation of individual and institutional donor prospects; development of earned income opportunities such as artist editions, auctions, or traveling exhibitions; and grant writing. Assist CAM’s Development department with major gift fundraising from individuals and foundations, including solicitation and cultivation activities.
• Strategic Collaboration and Direction: Work collaboratively with senior team members from Learning and Engagement, PR/Marketing, and Development departments to set strategic vision for the Museum and maximize the impact of CAM and its exhibitions.
• Local Audience Development: Foster relationships with local arts organizations as well as dialogue with regional artists to steward CAM’s reputation and maximize service to the St. Louis region.
• National Relationship Development: Work to build mutually beneficial relationships between CAM and the wider local, national, and international art communities; develop and maintain relationships with a broad group of collectors, donors, dealers, and scholars.

Qualifications:

• A Master’s degree in Art History or Museum Studies with emphasis on contemporary visual culture
• A minimum of seven years curatorial experience
• Energy and enthusiasm to reach ambitious growth goals while creatively applying problem-solving skills
• Excellent interpersonal and written and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrates good judgment and high level of discretion when necessary
• Demonstrated commitment to values of diversity, equity, access, and inclusion
• High level of attention to detail
• Upbeat attitude; enthusiastic problem-solver (Drive and ambition to pursue excellence while maintaining composure under pressure.)
• Must be outgoing, self-starting, well-organized, tactful, detail-oriented, innovative, and capable of multitasking to meet deadlines
• Experience managing staff and working effectively within a fast-paced, creatively driven organization
• Deep curiosity about St. Louis culture and passion for CAM’s mission, programs, and future plans

Compensation:

This is a full-time position. Compensation, including benefits, is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience. The salary range for this position is $95,000-$110,000.

CAM’s benefits package includes:

• Employer paid medical insurance
• Dental and vision insurance
• Voluntary life insurance
• Flexible spending account

Additionally, CAM offers generous time off, including nationally observed holidays, vacation, sick, paid-time off, volunteer time off, and various leave policies. CAM also hosts a flexible remote work policy, and more.

Application Instructions:

Please click “Apply Here” to be forwarded to the application portal. In order to apply, you must
create a free account for Submittable. You will be asked to upload a cover letter and resume.
Applications will be acknowledged. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, but priority consideration will be given to those received by December 16, 2022.

Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion:

The Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis is committed to embracing diversity, practicing equity, and ensuring accessibility and inclusion. We will continually strive to achieve a welcoming environment in all our spaces, where staff, artists, board, and community feel reflected and valued for their unique perspectives and backgrounds. DEAI values will guide and impact all the decisions the museum makes, both internal and external, so that we are choosing a path toward ongoing transformation. We embolden ourselves to carry out these values by:

• acknowledging our place in and actively working against our national problem of systemic racism and white supremacy;

• ensuring that underrepresented voices are included and heard;

• seeking out and building partnerships that represent our DEAI values;

• continuing to be a free gathering space and an open forum for ideas.

We enthusiastically take on the work of change. To remain true to these core values, we will hold ourselves accountable through a perpetual process of reflection and responsive action.

About the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis:

Founded by civic and cultural leaders in 1980, the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis
transformed from a small gallery into an internationally-recognized arts institution, now
permanently housed in a 27,000-square-foot building designed by renowned American architect Brad Cloepfil. Flexible, open, and inviting, the building reflects the organization’s values, and
supports a dynamic range of exhibitions, public programs, and educational activities. CAM is the only museum in the St. Louis region solely dedicated to contemporary art and one of the
preeminent non-collecting institutions of its kind in the United States. We are a site for discovery, a welcoming space, free and open to all.

Learn more at camstl.org.

CAM is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color,
religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, age, family
responsibilities, national origin, or veteran status.