Minimum salary: starting at 3.100 EUR gross, overpayment according to qualifications and experience
Type of employment: 40 h/week, permanent
Start of employment: at the earliest opportunity
Place of employment: steirischer herbst festival gmbh, Sackstraße 17, 8010 Graz, Austria
steirischer herbst festival is looking for a curator in the field of theater, dance, and performance at the earliest opportunity to shape the festival’s program from 2026 onward.
steirischer herbst is an interdisciplinary festival for contemporary art taking place annually since 1968. Initially dedicated to the postwar avant-garde, it has been reinventing itself with each director. Under Ekaterina Degot (since 2018), the festival has been focusing on new productions in various media, including theater, dance, and performance, shown often as site-specific works in unusual locations and in public space. The festival explores the Central and Eastern European context and the shifting border between West and non-West in captivating stories that resonate both locally and internationally. It speaks to audiences beyond the art world bubble and has strong connections to local initiatives. The current iteration of steirischer herbst challenges both the biennial format and that of the performing arts festival. Its central ambition is to create forms, contexts, and languages that fit the decentralized world of the 21st century while examining the festival’s avant-garde legacy with a critical eye.
Responsibilities include:
- researching and monitoring the international, national, and local theater, dance, and performance scene, including projects in public space
- proposing artists, projects, and ideas for the program, initiating meetings with artists and studio visits
- performatively developing, together with the chief curator, major moments of the festival, for instance, opening and closing events
- developing and managing confirmed new projects with artists, conceptually as well as organizationally (in close connection with the production department), from budgeting and location scouting to casting and dramaturgical support
- writing about art projects
- moderating discussions with theater directors and performance artists in the program
- monitoring and regularly reporting on festivals and other major international events
- developing and maintaining connections to institutions in Graz as well as to the Styrian and Austrian theater, dance, and performance scenes
- researching Graz and Styria for possible venues for performances and participatory projects, as well as historical and social backgrounds
- responding to artists’ proposals
- liaising with the education team, participating in the educational program and audience development
- liaising with the communication team and on documentation matters
Profile:
- You hold a degree in dramaturgy, theater/dance/performance studies or can demonstrate relevant knowledge in contemporary theater, dance, and performance.
- You have at least two years of programming experience at a festival, theater, contemporary art/dance center or other relevant experience.
- You are passionate about contemporary performance, discourse, and culture and have a knowledge of contemporary visual art as well.
- You are extremely creative and are suited to work in a festival that constantly uses new locations and formats.
- You have a network in the international cultural scene.
- You have excellent organizational and communication skills.
- You are fluent in both German and English.
- You have good writing and editing skills, with attention to detail.
- You can handle several projects at once and meet deadlines.
- You have your main residency in Graz or are ready to relocate there. The job requires being in Graz most of the week.
We’re offering:
- an exciting job in an appreciative work environment as part of an international team
- a horizontal organizational structure and opportunities to help shape it
- a workplace in the city center of Graz
- flexible work hours and home office options
- numerous perks such as paid training opportunities and additional paid vacation days
Minimum salary: starting at 3.100 EUR gross, overpayment according to qualifications and experience
Type of employment: 40 h/week, permanent
Start of employment: at the earliest opportunity
Place of employment: steirischer herbst festival gmbh, Sackstraße 17, 8010 Graz, Austria
steirischer herbst festival gmbh strives to ensure that social diversity is also reflected in its staff and therefore expressly welcomes applications from representatives of marginalized perspectives.
How to apply
Please send your application with the subject “Application: Curator theater/dance/performance” by 10 August to Rita Puffer: jobs [at] steirischerherbst.at.
- Your application (all documents in one PDF file) should consist of:
- a cover letter (maximum 1 A4 page) outlining your qualifications and motivation
a CV with a summary of your professional experience
Image credits: Mateja Bučar, Annenlinie (2023), performance, photo: steirischer herbst / Johanna Lamprecht
