Curator of Fine Arts

Carnegie Museum of Art creates experiences that connect people to art, ideas, and one another. We believe creativity is a defining human characteristic to which everyone should have access. CMOA collects, preserves, and presents artworks from around the world to inspire, sustain, and provoke discussion, and to engage and reflect multiple audiences.

Carnegie Museum of Art is arguably the first museum of contemporary art in the United States, collecting the “Old Masters of tomorrow” since the inception of the Carnegie International in 1896. Today, the museum is one of the most dynamic major art institutions in America. Our collection of more than 30,000 objects features a broad spectrum of visual arts, including painting and sculpture; prints and drawings; photographs; architectural casts, renderings, and models; decorative arts and design; and film, video, and digital imagery. Through our programming, exhibitions, and publications, we frequently explore the role of art and artists in confronting key social issues of our time, combining and juxtaposing local and global perspectives.  With our unique history and resources, we strive to become a leader in defining the role of art museums for the 21st century.

Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh is interested in candidates who, through their experience and collaborations, will contribute to diversity and excellence of the Carnegie Museums community.

PRIMARY FUNCTION
The Curator is a motivated, intellectually curious, and highly collaborative professional who oversees the presentation, loan, and development of CMOA’s Fine Arts collection, comprising over 9,000 objects with notable strengths in 18th-, 19th-, and early 20th-century American and European art. An essential member of the museum’s curatorial team, the Curator provides programmatic vision, long-range planning for the collection, staff management, and artistic leadership to advance the museum’s strategic goals. They organize/co-organize original collection- and loan-based exhibitions; identify and coordinate borrowed exhibitions for presentation at CMOA; oversee gallery rotations of the permanent collection; conduct research and interpret artworks; shape the collection through gifts and purchases; and evaluate and assess holdings as part of an overall collections plan, including deaccessioning. The Curator cultivates and maintains strategic relationships with regional, national, and international museum colleagues, CMOA Advisory Board members, prospective donors, and affinity groups. They nurture relationships and partnerships with local organizations to increase awareness of CMOA and expand its base of supporters; actively participate in fundraising and audience development efforts; and represent the museum through lectures, juries, events, and publications, locally, nationally, and internationally.

KNOWLEDGE,SKILLS, ABILITIES
The position requires strong organizational, interpersonal, and problem-solving capabilities—including the ability to be an effective leader, motivator, and team member—as well as exceptional oral and written communication skills. The Curator must be a creative thinker, innovative exhibition maker, and enthusiastic advocate for the evolution of art museums in the 21st century. The ability to read, and ideally speak, languages other than English that are relevant to the collection is preferred; experience with provenance research is advantageous. Proficiency with Microsoft Office, standard business software, and basic office equipment is required. The Curator will be expected to gain familiarity with KE EMu, CMOA’s collection’s management system, and project management applications such as Asana.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
The position requires a master’s degree in art history, curatorial studies, or a related field and at least five years of progressively responsible curatorial experience in a museum setting; an equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered. The Curator must have a proven track record of curatorial achievement, including art acquisitions, exhibitions, and publications in American and European art. Area(s) of specialization should be relevant to CMOA’s collection. The Curator’s record of experience must also reveal deep knowledge of and commitment to the latest developments in critical curatorial practice and theory as well as focused engagement in key social issues facing museums art today.