Curator

The Contemporary Art Gallery (CAG) is searching for a full-time Curator.

Terms: Full-time, permanent
Hours of work: Weekdays, 10am to 6pm; occasional evenings and weekends required
Minimum wage: $30.02/hour + benefits
Location of work: Vancouver
Start date: Early 2022

THE ROLE
Together with the Executive Director and the other members of CAG’s curatorial team, the Curator will play a leading role in the development and delivery of the gallery’s artistic program, initiating exhibition, programming and research projects that reflect, promote and embody our commitment to an artist-driven, audience-centred mandate.

The ideal candidate for this position should be prepared to articulate and implement a vision for an ongoing program of contemporary art activities—including exhibitions, public programs, publications, and other special projects—that bridge local and global conversations; embody a strong commitment to equity and ethics; and actively build connections between art, artists and diverse publics.

The Curator will:

• work closely with the Executive Director and other members of staff to research, develop and implement a cohesive curatorial program that advances the organization’s mission and values, including in-house and travelling exhibitions, public programs and other special projects;
• propose and contribute to the organization’s publication and research initiatives, including the preparation of catalogue texts, as well as other printed, interpretive and digital materials;
• contribute critically to the development of the organization’s long-term curatorial and strategic direction;
• represent the gallery in local, national and international contexts, fostering and maintaining excellent working relationships with artists, donors, dealers, community partners, and other key stakeholders;
• play a key role in preparing and/or contributing to budgets, grant applications and other planning processes;
• contribute as appropriate to the organization’s fund development efforts, including interacting with donors, sponsors and Board members;
• maintain engagement with new ideas and theories in the field through research and contact with other curators, artists and scholars.

THE PERSON
The ideal candidate will possess:

• a proven expertise in contemporary art, with a track record of innovative research, exhibition-making and/or programming;
• a demonstrated commitment to building relationships with artists, audiences and communities rooted in accountability, reciprocity and respect;
• exemplary collaboration skills, working effectively with a diverse range of partners and stakeholders;
• a commitment to and demonstrated competency in principles of decolonization, anti-racism and accessibility as they relate to programming, audience engagement and operations;
• a proven ability to communicate with the highest effectiveness, both verbally and in writing;
• excellent interpersonal and independent analytical skills;
• exceptional organizational skills, detail-oriented focus and the ability to manage multiple priorities;
• the ability to work independently, as well as collaboratively with other staff/colleagues at all levels of operation;
• five years of relevant experience.

HOW TO APPLY
Please submit a CV and statement of intent that summarizes your interest in this position to employment@contemporaryartgallery.ca with the subject line “Curator application.” Statements of intent may be submitted in the form of a cover letter, a video, an audio recording, or a slideshow/presentation. We would prefer to receive applications electronically. Please be in touch with us at contact@contemporaryartgallery.ca should you require accommodation at any point during the application or hiring process.

This position will be posted until filled. Application review will commence on December 13, 2021 at 5pm PST.

CAG continues to work toward an inclusive, anti-oppressive and accessible work environment that reflects the communities we operate in. We seek to hire, train and engage people from diverse backgrounds, particularly those who experience systemic employment barriers. We encourage applications from all qualified candidates, including people of colour, Black and Indigenous people, members of the LGBTQ2SIA+ community, gender diverse people, Disabled people, neurodivergent people, immigrants, and other candidates with lived experience of systemic oppression.

This is a union position.

ABOUT CAG
For nearly fifty years, the Contemporary Art Gallery has played a key role in the cultural ecologies of Vancouver, operating as a threshold between the Lower Mainland and broader contexts for contemporary art nationally and internationally. With a primary commitment to presenting the work of early and mid-career artists from across Canada and around the globe, CAG champions art, artists and ideas that challenge us to transcend the familiar, reimagine the possible, and deepen our understanding of ourselves, one another and the worlds around us.

Building on its previous histories as an artists’ service organization and an artist-run centre, CAG has operated as a non-collecting public gallery since 1996. Currently housed in a 6,000-square-foot facility in downtown Vancouver, CAG is within close proximity of 2.5 million people in the Greater Vancouver Area.

CAG carries out its work on the ancestral and unceded lands of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. Our responsibilities to the stewards of the land we occupy extend beyond acknowledgements, requiring ongoing, meaningful contributions to processes of conciliation and decolonization. We are engaged in a process of deepening these commitments in our everyday work.

To learn more about CAG, please visit us at www.contemporaryartgallery.ca.