Senior Curator | UK

SENIOR CURATOR

HULL UK CITY OF CULTURE: BEYOND 2017

Hull 2017, the organisation set up to deliver Hull UK City of Culture 2017, will carry on as a new permanent national arts company based in the city but operating nationally and with a remit to transform the future of cities through arts and culture.

2017 has by any standards been a success and we will build on the momentum of an extraordinary year that has seen more than 1,000 events, hundreds of artists and nine out of ten residents taking part.

We will continue to commission world-class arts programming aimed at residents and visitors, whilst working strategically with partners inside the city and across the UK to cement Hull’s reputation as a centre for culture and
creativity. We will also develop the company as an independent agency specialising in culture and cities, which not only commissions work, but offers unrivalled expertise, consultancy and advocacy, across the UK and internationally.

We have begun the process of recruiting a team of creative and motivated individuals, who will have the opportunity to shape a company that will have a key role in transforming cities and the lives of people living in them through culture. In 2018 the company will undergo a rebrand to reflect its refocused and renewed role.

THE ROLE

The Senior Curator will lead the next phase of Humber Street Gallery through the development of an active programme of exhibitions and performances and events in Hull and across the UK.

Following an extraordinarily successful opening year in which over 80,000 people visited exhibitions, events and live performances, Humber Street Gallery is now evolving into a permanent part of the cultural landscape in Hull. The Senior Curator will be central to designing and realising these future plans, and positioning Humber Street Gallery as a unique and influential voice in the city, UK and international art world.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Programme Development

– With the Creative Director, develop a distinctive and coherent curatorial identity and strategy for the next phase of Humber Street Gallery, building on its vision and strengths.
– Work with the Creative Director, Executive Director and wider Gallery team on the strategic development of Humber Street Gallery including policy, business and budget planning.
– Research and develop proposals for the Gallery’s exhibitions, working closely the Creative Director to shape the programme and establish partnerships and collaborations.
–Lead artistic project activity which may include artist residencies, collaborations with existing or new city festivals, exhibitions, screenings and performances.
– Design and deliver a complementary public programme, written and digital content to enable the Gallery to achieve its audience development ambitions.
– Work with internationally recognised as well as emerging artists to produce exceptional new works and performances.
– Activate an existing network of professional relationships with organisations and individuals within the sector.

Programme Delivery

– Lead the project management of exhibitions from initiation to delivery, including transportation, acquisition of materials and exhibition design.
– Manage budgets ensuring they are thoroughly prepared, realistic and accurate and work closely with the Creative and Executive Directors to devise plans and allocate resources.
– Be the first point of contact for exhibiting artists and lenders, ensuring they are well supported and able to realise their projects to the maximum quality and scale possible.
– Lead all aspects of administering the production and realisation of exhibitions including the coordination of logistics, loans, transport of artworks, security, insurance of individual works, artist travel and accommodation.

Other

– Work closely with the Partnerships & Development Team on future funding bids.
– Create and negotiate partnerships with stakeholders in the city, the UK and beyond which place the Gallery firmly within the contemporary art landscape.
– Cover front of house duties when required.
– Supervise a small volunteer workforce.
– Develop and maintain positive relationships with a wide range of people, including artists, gallerists, funders and colleagues from other arts organisations in the city and beyond.
– Represent the Gallery and external meetings and events when required.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

You will be an ambitious and creative individual with a deep knowledge of contemporary art practice and a practical understanding of the processes of commissioning new work and creating and staging exhibitions.

You enjoy the detail of project management; planning, budget control and negotiation; with the ability to work across teams to align work plans and ensure delivery of excellent quality.

You enjoy the creative possibilities of bringing artists and audiences together and will have a flair for designing events and happenings that create extraordinary experiences.

– MA level degree within the field of contemporary art or equivalent professional experience
– Extensive experience of curating art within an art gallery, museum or similar environment, including organising temporary exhibitions, managing projects involving the commissioning and fabrication of new work, and developing public access.
– Proven ability to develop and deliver exceptional and original contemporary art programmes.
– Proven experience of all stages of exhibition delivery with demonstrable organisational skills.
– Experience of producing performance and live work.
– Experience of writing and editing exhibition texts and producing publications.
– Experience of managing loaned collections of art works.
– Existing network of high-level contacts across different areas of the art industry.
– Ability to engage and inspire new audiences in Hull and across the UK.
– A collaborative leadership style, develop and maintaining positive relationships at all levels.
– Experience of managing financial and contractual responsibilities, showing good judgement in decision-making.
– Commitment to supporting and developing colleagues and collaborators.
– Ability to work flexible hours, including evening and weekend working.

For more information, please visit: https://www.hull2017.co.uk/jobs/senior-curator/