The Arts and Education Complex at Oregon State University is seeking a Chief Curator with a specialization in the relationship between art, science, and/or technology. This is a full-time (1.0 FTE), 12-month, professional faculty position. This position is responsible for developing original exhibitions as well as for supervising a gallery manager and student workers who install exhibitions at on- and off-site locations.
Scheduled to open in Spring 2024, the Arts and Education Complex (AEC) is a new $70M building currently under construction. The AEC directly programs a 3000 square foot art gallery but also has a leadership role in programming art presentation spaces outside the gallery itself. The Arts and Education Complex also features a 500-seat recital hall, a black box theater, and robust programming in music, theater, film, and literary arts, in addition to visual art and design. In addition, the AEC will act as a convener for a variety of arts activities throughout the OSU network, which includes units on the Corvallis campus and beyond. The Chief Curator will be expected, as part of the broader mission of the AEC, to engage across the University.
The AEC seeks to build particular strengths in exhibitions related to art and science as well as art and technology. In general, the AEC will host 3-4 exhibitions per year, with the expectation that one or more will be curated by the Chief Curator. The others will be either developed by guest curators (under the guidance of the Director of the AEC and the Chief Curator); co-created in partnership with other institutions; or rented and hosted by the AEC. The AEC intends to make some of its internally curated programming available for exhibition at other institutions.
The Arts and Education Complex is mindful that traditional art presentation spaces and approaches may create barriers to access that are socioeconomic, racialized, or otherwise reflective of systemic forms of bias, and has committed to using its artistic platforms to lower those barriers and advance Oregon State University’s goals in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Alongside all the staff of the AEC, the Chief Curator will be responsible to that mission. Exhibition planning will occur in the synergistic context of programming across the entire AEC, and the Chief Curator should expect to work in the context of annualized themes or other coherent programming goals (particularly in the relationship of art, science, and technology) across all the arts areas presented by the Arts and Education Complex.
The Chief Curator reports to, and will work closely with, the Director of the Arts and Education Complex and will lead or co-lead a curatorial team that may include visiting/guest curators, a head of popular music curation, Oregon State University faculty in relevant disciplinary areas, graduate fellows, student interns, and additional positions.
The Chief Curator is an in-person position that will be expected to work as part of a team during regular business hours, with the additional willingness to be flexible in relation to exhibition preparation, installation, and other work. Some in- and out-of-state travel will be expected. As a start-up organization, the Arts and Education Complex seeks an enterprising and energetic individual who is comfortable working in the context of a developing organization in which organizational and operational decisions are still being made.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in field of choice.
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with staff, faculty, students, artists, collectors, donors and volunteers.
- Track record of involvement in conceptualizing, organizing, and presenting exhibitions.
- Excellent verbal and written communications skills.
- Academic or practical involvement in the relationship between art, science, and technology.
- Ability to articulate complex ideas and proposals.
- Excellent research and process-management skills.
- A demonstrable commitment to promoting and enhancing diversity.
For additional information please contact:
Felicia Phillips
Felicia.phillips@oregonstate.edu (preferred)
541-737-1667
Or visit the website.
*Image: www.idp.com
