Curator and Director of the Institute of Contemporary Art

Institution: University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Deadline: January 23, 2026
Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States
Salary: $77,000–$80,000 per year
Contract Type: Full-time, 12-month staff appointment
Start Date: July 2026
Work Mode: Fully on-site

The Department of Art at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga invites applications for the Curator and Director of the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA). This senior curatorial role leads the ICA’s artistic, educational, and operational vision, fostering strong connections between exhibition programming, collections management, and the department’s academic mission.

Named after George Ayers Cress, the ICA (formerly the Cress Gallery of Art) became the Institute of Contemporary Art at UTC in 2020. It serves as both an academic resource and a key cultural platform within the Chattanooga arts ecosystem, working in dialogue with regional institutions such as Hunter Museum of American Art, Stove Works, Association of Visual Arts, and ArtsBuild.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee all daily operations of the Institute of Contemporary Art.
• Curate and manage a year-round exhibition programme, including faculty, student, and visiting artist exhibitions, as well as shows drawn from the Permanent Collection.
• Lead all aspects of exhibition production: research, artist liaison, installation, public programmes, and promotion.
• Manage and document the Permanent Collection, including archival best practices and new acquisitions.
• Oversee the ICA operating budget and produce fiscal reports.
• Participate in fundraising and donor development in collaboration with UTC’s Office of Development.
• Hire, train, and supervise student gallery staff.
• Foster student engagement and research opportunities.
• Teach one undergraduate course per year within the Department of Art.
• Actively contribute to departmental governance and strategic alignment between the ICA and academic programmes.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Art, Curatorial Practice, Visual Studies, Art History, or a related field.
• Demonstrated record of curatorial experience.
• Experience with fundraising, donor relations, and/or grant writing.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in a university or college gallery or museum context.
• Minimum of three years of curatorial experience.