Curator of Photography and Contemporary Art

Institution: Santa Barbara Museum of Art
Location: Santa Barbara, California, United States
Contract: Full-time
Salary: USD 95,000–115,000 per year
Application Deadline: 15 August 2026

The Santa Barbara Museum of Art is seeking a Curator of Photography and Contemporary Art to lead exhibitions, acquisitions, and collection development with a particular focus on photography. Reporting to the Chief Curator, the successful candidate will oversee a dynamic programme of temporary and permanent collection exhibitions while contributing to the museum’s strategic growth, community engagement, and national visibility.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and curate exhibitions featuring both loans and the permanent collection.
• Research, publish, and present scholarship on photography and contemporary art.
• Build and strengthen the museum’s photography collection through acquisitions.
• Collaborate with artists, collectors, community organisations, and museum professionals.
• Manage a curatorial support group and cultivate relationships with donors and patrons.
• Support fundraising initiatives with individuals, foundations, and corporate sponsors.
• Develop creative projects that highlight the museum’s permanent collection.
• Manage multiple curatorial projects, budgets, and deadlines.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in Art History or a related field.
• 5–10 years of full-time curatorial experience in a museum, commercial gallery, or comparable institution.
• 3–5 years of experience leading exhibitions, projects, and/or staff.
• Expert knowledge of 20th- and 21st-century art, with a specialisation in photography.
• Knowledge of 19th-century and Latin American art is an advantage.
• Strong record of exhibitions, publications, acquisitions, and public speaking.
• Excellent communication, organisational, and project management skills.
• Established professional network within the contemporary art field.