Director / Curator
The Faculty of Arts at The University of British Columbia (UBC) – Vancouver campus invites applications for the position of Director/Curator, Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2021. The successful candidate will hold an academic appointment concurrent with the directorship; the latter appointment is expected to be for an initial five-year term, with the possibility of reappointment upon successful review. The successful candidate must be appointable to a tenure-stream professorial position, demonstrate experience and ability to teach and supervise students, and possess leadership and administrative skills.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DIRECTOR/CURATOR
Reporting to the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, the Director/Curator of the Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery is responsible for the overall artistic vision and operations of the Gallery, including exhibitions, collections, acquisitions, programs and direction and management of the Gallery’s professional staff. The successful candidate will be expected to maintain an active program of research and scholarly activity and curatorial practice, to teach and supervise graduate students in the Department of Art History, Visual Art & Theory (AHVA), including course offerings in the Critical and Curatorial Studies Program (CCST) and leading the CCST Practicum. The Director/Curator is responsible for overseeing the long-term vision for the Gallery, including developing and carrying out the Gallery’s strategic plan for programming, staffing and facility needs, and expansion. The Director/Curator oversees the Gallery’s fiscal responsibilities to the University and external funders, including approving the Gallery’s annual budget plans, approving research and project grants, authorizing expenditures, and ensuring operations and programming initiatives are undertaken within available resources and in accordance with UBC and external agencies’ policies and guidelines. The Director/Curator is also responsible for overseeing fund development and fundraising for the Gallery’s operations, acquisitions, programming, research, and special projects, and works closely with UBC Development on stewardship of the Gallery’s major donors. This position leads and works with the Gallery’s curatorial team in developing a program of contemporary art exhibitions and programming, oversees the development of the University art collection, the Belkin Archives, and the outdoor art collection by researching and recommending acquisitions (purchases and donations) and deaccessions; and approving outgoing loans.
REQUIREMENTS
The successful candidate is expected to have a strong record in scholarly and curatorial practices in contemporary art, experience in museum and collections management and working in a gallery/museum environment, a commitment to and proven ability in fundraising, liaising with different levels of government, and grant writing, critical writing skills, and demonstrated leadership and administrative skills and experience including effectiveness in leading, managing and working with a team of professional staff. In addition, the successful candidate will have an excellent record of high quality undergraduate and graduate teaching, and graduate supervision. The successful candidate will be able to articulate a defined curatorial vision for the future and an appreciation of the values and strengths the Gallery carries forward. They will be expected to demonstrate the ability to lead an organization through change and develop a forward-thinking strategic plan for addressing growth; develop and strengthen relationships across the University and with external constituents in a highly interdisciplinary and collaborative environment; take a proactive role in fundraising by cultivating and soliciting new funding sources; cultivate relationships with individual donors, foundations, corporations, and government funding agencies; and foster a collaborative, respectful, and inclusive environment for students, staff, faculty, and community partners.
Applicants with a PhD degree or appropriate terminal degree are preferred, but a combination of education and appropriate curatorial and publishing experience would be considered. We seek applicants with an excellent record of research publications, creative works, and/or professional contributions and scholarly activity that meet the criteria for appointment to a tenure-stream professorial position as either Assistant Professor or Associate Professor, with the rank of appointment commensurate with qualifications and experience, who have attained wide recognition in their field(s). The field of specialization within contemporary art is open; however, the successful candidate will have excellent knowledge and understanding of contemporary visual art practices and critical theory; the ideal candidate would also have an understanding of the Gallery’s collection and the ability to put the local conversation around art in Vancouver/Canada in an international dialogue.
