Director for the Western Gallery and University Public Art Collection

Director for the Western Gallery and University Public Art Collection

Western Washington University is seeking a Director for the Western Gallery and University Public Art Collection. This position is an exciting opportunity to manage and expand the diverse experiences in visual arts available on campus, including the internationally recognized University Public Art Collection.

The Gallery Director oversees all aspects of the Western Gallery, including scheduling exhibitions and programming in the 4,000 square foot gallery, maintaining and marketing the University Public Art Collection, and three permanent galleries in the Performing Arts Center, budgeting for the gallery and collections, engaging stakeholders in arts education, and writing grants and fundraising. The Director works closely with the College and University communications departments and represents the University as a board member on the Washington Arts Consortium (WAC), a group of seven arts institutions in the Northwest (http://www.washingtonartconsortium.org/). The Director reports to the Dean, College of Fine and Performing Arts (CFPA).

About the College: Western’s College of Fine and Performing Arts is home to five performance spaces, the Western Gallery, the Performing Arts Center galleries, two student-operated galleries, and an internationally acclaimed outdoor sculpture collection. The College supports Western’s mission to bring together individuals of diverse backgrounds and perspectives in an inclusive, student-centered university that develops the potential of learners and the well-being of communities, and encourages applications from diverse candidates. Western Washington University is a comprehensive state university, highly ranked nationally, with approximately 15,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school. The campus, overlooking the San Juan Islands, is located in Bellingham, a coastal community of 80,000, 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, B.C.

The Western Gallery and University Public Art Collection, open to everyone, provide diverse experiences in visual art. While the galleries expand the audience’s awareness through historical, contemporary and experimental art exhibitions, the internationally renowned University Public Art Collection reminds us that art in the environment is an active part of daily life. The collection features major international, national and regional artists who address such issues as the relationship of nature and culture, human scale, types of narration, personal perceptions and spatial dynamics. Whether temporary installations or permanent objects, figurative or abstract in appearance, these works represent sculpture from 1960 to the present. More recently, the University has begun to place sculpture inside major building lobbies, allowing for new kinds of sculpture media, such as video and digital technology (see http://westerngallery.wwu.edu/).

Minimum Required Qualifications:

1. Master’s degree in appropriate field and at least five years of experience as a museum/gallery curator or director.
2.  Evidence of successfully selecting, exhibiting, programming, and publicizing large shows.
3. Evidence of successful grant writing, external fundraising, and budget management.
4. Evidence of directing and managing permanent and circulating collections.
5. Evidence of inclusive work with diverse artists, exhibitions and audiences.
6.  Demonstrated evidence of establishing and maintaining long-term relationships with donors and friends of a gallery or museum.
7.  Experience working with legislators and commissions to gain necessary funding.
8. Excellent oral and written communication and public speaking skills.
9. Demonstrated supervisory skills working with staff.

Preferred Qualifications:

1. Ph.D. in appropriate field.
2. Professional experience within a university/college environment.
3. Experience with an outdoor sculpture installation.
4. Evidence of teaching or working independently with students and interns.

Application Information and Deadline:

Please log in below and submit your application via WWU’s Electronic Application System for Employment (EASE). Note: You will need to be using Internet Explorer to fully utilize our online application system. Completed applications must include a current resume/cv and cover letter addressing qualifications, the names and contact information of four professional references, and documentation related to a curated exhibition (e.g. printed program, video, PowerPoint, etc.). Review of the completed applications will begin on December 10, 2014 and continue until the position is filled.

https://jobs.wwu.edu/JobPosting.aspx?JPID=6241

For questions, please contact:
Dr. Kit Spicer, Dean
College of Fine and Performing Arts
Western Washington University
Phone: 360-650-6144
Email: Kit.Spicer@wwwu.edu

Job Posted: 11/5/2014
Closing Date Notes: Application review begins December 10, 2014; position is open until filled
Recruitment #: 141287