Associate Curator
Associate Curator
Organisation: The Studio Museum in Harlem
Location: New York, NY, USA
Salary: $90,000–$100,000 per annum
Job Type: Full-time (Exempt)
Reports to: Chief Program Officer (in partnership with the Chief Curator)
Application Deadline: 31 July 2026, 5:00 pm
About the Role
Founded in 1968, the Studio Museum in Harlem is the nexus for artists of African descent locally, nationally and internationally, and for work inspired and influenced by Black culture. It is a site for the dynamic exchange of ideas about art and society.
The Associate Curator will assume primary responsibility for the execution and continued articulation of the department’s strategic vision for the Museum’s permanent collection.
Reporting to the Chief Program Officer, and in partnership with the Chief Curator, the successful candidate will lead the long-term planning and oversight of the Museum’s permanent collection, which currently contains approximately 9,000 objects spanning the nineteenth through twenty-first centuries.
The role requires deep knowledge of the work of artists of African descent, with particular expertise in art produced between 1900 and 1960, alongside an understanding of contemporary artistic practice.
Serving in a leadership role within the curatorial department, the Associate Curator will work collaboratively across the Museum while building strong relationships with artists, estates and institutional partners. Excellent research, writing and public speaking skills are essential.
Responsibilities
- Conduct original research and organise exhibitions.
- Produce exhibition texts, publications and other interpretive materials.
- Manage loans, acquisitions and donation offers.
- Work closely with the Museum Registrar on the care and stewardship of the permanent collection.
- Lead projects relating to conservation, rights and reproduction, and object research.
- Prepare presentations and reports for trustees, committees, staff and public audiences.
- Manage departmental budgets and contribute to grant and proposal budgets.
- Co-supervise curatorial assistants, assistant curators and curatorial fellows.
- Build and maintain relationships with artists, patrons, trustees, members of the press, professional organisations and community partners.
- Collaborate across departments and represent the curatorial department in internal meetings.
- Engage a wide range of audiences and stakeholders across multiple platforms.
- Perform additional duties as assigned.
Requirements
- Extensive historical expertise in art by artists of African descent, with demonstrated knowledge of the period from 1900 to 1960.
- Ability to place historical works in dialogue with contemporary artistic practice.
- Strong understanding of current critical and curatorial approaches to permanent collections.
- Knowledge of contemporary global artistic practice and active engagement with the cultural sector.
- Experience managing permanent collections, including acquisitions, provenance research, loans, committee processes, collection databases and collaboration with registrars.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate the role of culturally specific institutions and collections within the museum field.
Education and Experience
- Master’s degree in Art History with an emphasis on modern and contemporary art by artists of African descent, Black history and culture. PhD preferred.
- Minimum five years of curatorial experience in a museum setting.
Benefits
A competitive benefits package includes:
- Medical, dental, life and long-term disability insurance
- Retirement plan
- Generous annual leave