Associate Director – Gallery at the Curatorial+Co.

Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Contract: Full-time
Working pattern: Onsite, Monday–Friday
Salary: Commensurate with experience
Application deadline: Not specified

Curatorial+Co. is seeking an Associate Director to lead the commercial performance, daily operations and continued development of its contemporary art gallery in Sydney.

Working closely with the Director, the successful candidate will lead the Gallery team, develop relationships with artists and collectors, oversee exhibitions and drive sales and audience growth.

About the Role

This senior leadership position combines commercial strategy, curatorial judgement, artist liaison, team management and collector development.

The Associate Director will take ownership of gallery sales targets while helping shape the exhibition programme and long-term strategies for represented artists.

They will balance artistic integrity with commercial objectives, identifying opportunities for exhibitions, art fairs, commissions, prizes and institutional placements.

Responsibilities

Gallery Leadership and Sales

The Associate Director will:

• Lead the Gallery’s daily operations and commercial performance;
• Develop and implement strategies to achieve sales targets;
• Maintain an active personal sales pipeline;
• Lead client engagement, follow-up and sales conversion;
• Manage and motivate the Gallery team;
• Establish expectations and encourage accountability;
• Review sales, artist performance, exhibition results and client acquisition; and
• Report regularly to the Director.

Artists and Exhibitions

The role will involve:

• Overseeing the exhibition programme with the Director and Gallery Manager;
• Contributing to artist selection, scheduling and exhibition planning;
• Developing commercial strategies for exhibitions;
• Acting as a senior point of contact for represented artists;
• Maintaining clear and constructive communication with artists;
• Developing individual strategies for artists’ careers;
• Identifying exhibition, commission, prize and art-fair opportunities; and
• Placing artists’ work in private, corporate and institutional collections.

Collectors and Partnerships

The Associate Director will also:

• Develop relationships with private collectors, designers, institutions and other clients;
• Introduce new collectors and audiences to the Gallery;
• Strengthen relationships with its existing client base;
• Contribute to Australian and international art-fair participation;
• Identify opportunities to expand the reach of represented artists;
• Maintain knowledge of the Australian and international contemporary art markets; and
• Work with Marketing on digital, editorial, public-relations and client communications.

Systems and Strategy

The role includes responsibility for:

• Maintaining accurate CRM records and sales pipelines;
• Monitoring opportunities and preparing sales forecasts;
• Managing multiple exhibitions, artists, clients and priorities;
• Supporting Curatorial+Co.’s reputation for accessible and intelligent curation; and
• Advocating for represented artists and their long-term development.

Requirements

Applicants should have:

• Significant experience in a commercial gallery, auction house, art advisory business or arts organisation;
• Demonstrated success selling contemporary art;
• Experience developing long-term relationships with collectors;
• Strong knowledge of the Australian contemporary art market;
• An established network across the arts or design sectors;
• Experience managing and supporting a team;
• Confidence working with sales targets, budgets and performance measures;
• Strong curatorial judgement;
• The ability to balance artistic and commercial priorities;
• Excellent organisational and project-management skills;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
• A proactive and entrepreneurial approach; and
• A strong commitment to contemporary art and artists’ career development.

About Curatorial+Co.

Curatorial+Co. is a contemporary art gallery and art consultancy based in Sydney.

The Gallery represents emerging, mid-career and established artists through exhibitions, art fairs, events and collaborations. Its consultancy places contemporary art in private collections, hotels, commercial spaces and major public-art projects.

Curatorial+Co. focuses on discovering and championing artists, developing their careers and connecting their work with new audiences.