Curatorial Assistant

New York City-  Full Time

About Dia Art Foundation 

Dia Art Foundation was established in 1974 for the purpose of commissioning, collecting, and presenting major works of art made in the 1960s onward. Today it consists of eight permanent sites across the United States and Germany, as well as three changing exhibition spaces in New York state: Dia Chelsea in New York City, Dia Beacon in the Hudson Valley, and Dia Bridgehampton in eastern Long Island. Dia is taken from the Greek word for “through” and conveys the foundation’s role as a facilitator of meaningful artistic experiences that can be encountered in single and repeated visits. 

Position Summary

Dia seeks a curatorial assistant to play an important role in its dynamic and expanding curatorial program. This full-time position is based in Dia’s New York City office with occasional travel to Dia’s other sites and locations. The Curatorial Assistant reports to the department co-head and works closely with the Curatorial team to support the care and maintenance of Dia’s growing collection and to help implement Dia’s expansive program of commissions, exhibitions, long-term displays, performances, and related public programs designed to advance the foundation’s mission. The Curatorial Assistant’s responsibilities include scheduling meetings about interdepartmental projects, taking minutes, maintaining Curatorial research files, managing correspondence, and other administrative tasks for the department. The Curatorial Assistant will provide support for forthcoming projects, assist with publications and other didactic materials, coordinate public programs, and research and coordinate acquisitions under the supervision of the curators.

Responsibilities

Administration

• Maintain project-specific meeting schedules 
• Prepare agendas for and take notes at meetings about key projects
• Prepare materials for quarterly board meetings, including coordinating with the Director’s Office to gather agenda items and assemble slide presentations and supporting the Curatorial department with other items
• Maintain regular contact with the Development department, and utilize Altru to update lists of Curatorial contacts and collection artists
• Maintain Curatorial research files
• Work closely with the Archivist to maintain the Curatorial archive and library
• Work closely with the Information Technology department and facilitate technological needs for the Curatorial department 
• Oversee mailing of Dia publications to Curatorial contacts

Program and collection coordination

• Research potential artists for programs and acquisitions
• Assist with all aspects of implementing exhibitions including scheduling meetings, maintaining correspondence, and tracking projects
• Write and develop exhibition-related texts intended for the general public including checklists, floor plans, interpretive materials, invitations, and other printed and digital materials
• Produce, routinely review, and update information related to programs and exhibitions on Dia’s website to ensure accuracy 
• Work with the Senior Registrar on the maintenance and execution of loan paperwork and related correspondence for long-term loans to and from the collection, as well as for exhibitions, as needed
• Coordinate acquisitions for board approval, and prepare paperwork and relevant correspondence

Public program organization

• Serve as Curatorial’s first point of contact for internal communication and facilitate other interdepartmental communications about public programs
• Support curators with speaker logistics including travel coordination, itineraries, and the preparation for and submission of international visas
• Coordinate the execution of contracts, letters of agreement, and payment for those involved in Dia’s programs
• Perform additional duties for public programs, Development events, exhibition openings, and public tours at various Dia sites and locations

Qualifications

• Interest in art from the 1960s to the present and working directly with living artists 
• Ease with managing a variety of tasks and projects simultaneously; have excellent time-management skills; and be self-directed, organized, and detail-oriented
• BA degree in art history or similar field of study and 1–2 years of administrative support experience or experience in a museum or cultural institution required, MA preferred
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook are essential
• Proficiency in a foreign language preferred 

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

• This is a full-time position with a Monday-Friday schedule in a hybrid environment of no fewer than 3 days in the office
• Regular travel to Dia Beacon is required; occasional weekend or evening hours are also required
• Significant computer work, which may require repetitive motion, prolonged periods of sitting, and sustained visual and mental effort
• Occasional lifting (some of which could be up to 15 lbs.), bending, pulling, collating, and filing

Please note that to provide a safe workplace free of recognized hazards and to take every possible step to reduce the transmission of COVID among our employees, Dia requires proof of COVID-19 vaccination upon hire, except for those who obtain an exemption due to a medical condition, a religious belief, or pregnancy.

Qualified candidates are invited to apply by completing the online job application, linked HERE, and attaching a resume and letter of interest.

Dia provides a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package with significant employer contributions toward the cost of healthcare premiums. The 401(k) plan provides 100% employer match up to 4% of the employee’s deferral and immediate vesting. Paid time‐off benefits include three weeks of vacation, ten days of sick leave, thirteen holidays, and a generous parental leave program. Work-related travel expenses are fully covered. Additionally, staff ID badges gain reduced or free admission to most American museums and arts organizations.

Dia Art Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, national origin, ethnic origin, citizenship status, disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law in its employment policies. In addition, Dia will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and supports a neurodiverse workplace. 

No phone calls or emails please.