Curator
Organisation: Royal Academy of Arts (RA)
Location: London, UK
Salary: £46,000
Contract: Permanent
Application deadline: 17 June 2026
About the Role
The Royal Academy of Arts is seeking a Curator to join its Artistic Programmes – Curatorial team. Reporting to the Senior Curator, the successful candidate will contribute to the development of a world-class exhibition programme, with a particular focus on Modern and Contemporary Art while also engaging with the breadth of the Academy’s wider exhibitions programme.
The role offers an opportunity to help shape ambitious exhibitions, develop new curatorial proposals, build national and international partnerships, and contribute to the Royal Academy’s evolving exhibition strategy.
Key Responsibilities
Exhibition Development & Curation
- Generate exhibition proposals and identify collaborative opportunities with national and international partners.
- Curate and co-curate temporary exhibitions, working with guest curators, consultants, and artists.
- Research artists, artworks, themes, and exhibition concepts, including provenance and archival research.
- Develop relationships with artists, curators, lenders, collectors, galleries, auction houses, and institutional partners.
Project Management
- Lead exhibition projects from concept through delivery.
- Negotiate and manage loans with private and institutional lenders.
- Contribute to exhibition budgeting and forecasting.
- Coordinate with internal departments including Exhibitions Management, Art Handling, Publications, Rights & Reproductions, and Learning teams.
- Support exhibition design, interpretation, installation, and catalogue production.
Public Engagement & Advocacy
- Deliver lectures, gallery talks, tours, and presentations for a range of audiences.
- Contribute to exhibition publications, catalogue essays, labels, and interpretive materials.
- Support press activities, interviews, sponsorship presentations, and public programmes.
- Represent the Royal Academy externally and help strengthen its reputation and partnerships.
Team Leadership
- Support and supervise Assistant Curators and the Genesis Future Curator.
- Contribute to the strategic development of the curatorial programme.
- Foster collaboration across departments and support the professional development of junior colleagues.
Person Specification
Essential
- Master’s degree in History of Art or a related subject, with a focus on Modern and Contemporary Art, or equivalent curatorial experience.
- Significant experience working in a museum, gallery, or comparable institution.
- Proven experience developing and delivering exhibitions, including international loan exhibitions.
- Strong research skills, including provenance, archival, and scholarly research.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Experience writing exhibition texts, catalogue essays, articles, and interpretation materials.
- Experience working with artists and commercial galleries.
- Strong stakeholder management, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
- Ability to manage multiple projects and work to tight deadlines.
- Commitment to inclusion, accessibility, and equal opportunities.
Desirable
- Written and spoken fluency in an additional language.
- Experience of fundraising.
- Knowledge of audience development and visitor experience strategies.
- Experience designing accessible and engaging exhibitions for diverse audiences.
