Assistant Curator at the Art Bridges Foundation

Location: Bentonville, Arkansas, US
Contract: Full-time, exempt
Workplace: Onsite
Schedule: Monday–Friday, 8:00–17:00, with occasional evening and weekend work
Salary: Not specified
Application deadline: Not specified
Reports to: Curator

Art Bridges Foundation is seeking an Assistant Curator to support the research, development and stewardship of collection-based art-sharing projects and curatorial initiatives.

The Assistant Curator will undertake scholarly and object-based research, develop curatorial and interpretive content, support acquisitions and collection development, and help place works from the Art Bridges Collection with partner museums.

Working across departments and with external stakeholders, the successful candidate will contribute curatorial expertise to projects that expand access to American art and support museums throughout the United States.

Responsibilities

Collection and Curatorial Initiatives

The Assistant Curator will:

• Manage and support the placement of collection works with new and existing museum partners;
• Conduct scholarly and object-based research for collection loans, acquisitions, exhibitions, publications and other curatorial initiatives;
• Contribute curatorial research and expertise to collection development, acquisitions and interpretation;
• Support exhibitions, loans and other collection-based projects; and
• Maintain accurate information within collections management systems, databases and departmental resources.

Collaboration

The successful candidate will:

• Build and maintain relationships with museum partners, artists, scholars and other stakeholders;
• Act as the curatorial contact for assigned partnerships and collection projects;
• Provide timely scholarly information and project coordination;
• Collaborate with internal departments and external partners on collection loans and curatorial initiatives;
• Present collection research and curatorial content to museum partners, professional audiences and other stakeholders; and
• Contribute curatorial content and specialist knowledge to digital, communications and audience-facing projects.

Curatorial Operations

The Assistant Curator will:

• Manage assigned projects within agreed priorities, timelines and resources;
• Identify challenges and escalate matters requiring wider departmental direction;
• Support departmental planning, documentation, expense tracking and meetings;
• Mentor interns and provide guidance relating to curatorial research and projects;
• Participate in courier travel and other activities supporting the safe movement and stewardship of artworks; and
• Contribute to departmental workflows and evolving organisational priorities.

Qualifications

Applicants should have:

• A master’s degree in Art History, Curatorial Studies, Museum Studies or a related field, or a bachelor’s degree combined with significant relevant experience;
• Three to five years of curatorial, exhibition, research, interpretation, collections or related museum experience;
• Demonstrable knowledge of American art and curatorial practice;
• Experience conducting scholarly research and developing curatorial or interpretive content for exhibitions, publications, presentations or other public materials;
• Experience supporting acquisitions, collection development, exhibitions, loans or related curatorial initiatives;
• Experience coordinating projects, timelines and resources within a museum or cultural institution;
• Strong written, verbal, presentation and interpersonal skills;
• The ability to manage competing priorities and simultaneous projects;
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills;
• The ability to collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and external partners;
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Teams, SharePoint and project-management platforms such as Asana;
• Familiarity with collections management systems, digital asset management platforms and related technologies;
• A high level of professional integrity and discretion; and
• The ability to remain adaptable and focused in a fast-paced environment.

A master’s degree is preferred.

Working Conditions

The role is based onsite in a professional, open-plan office environment and requires regular interaction with members of the public, colleagues and external stakeholders.

Some travel is required, including occasional overnight travel. The successful candidate may also need to work occasional evenings and weekends.

The physical requirements include prolonged computer and telephone use, bending and stretching, and lifting and transporting items weighing at least ten pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be provided.

Employment is conditional upon satisfactory completion of a confidentiality agreement and background check. The appointed candidate must also provide evidence of their eligibility to work in the United States.

About Art Bridges Foundation

Founded by philanthropist and arts patron Alice Walton in 2017, Art Bridges Foundation develops and supports projects that bring works of American art out of storage and into communities.

The Foundation works with a network of nearly 400 museums, providing financial and strategic support for exhibitions, collection loans and programmes designed to educate, inspire and deepen engagement with local audiences.

Its collection presents an expanding vision of American art from the nineteenth century to the present, encompassing multiple media, histories and voices.