Full time permanent contract
Tuesday – Saturday during exhibitions / Monday – Friday outside exhibition periods
£23,000 per annum
Jerwood Arts seeks to appoint an enthusiastic Visual Arts Assistant to join our team in a new public-facing role to support our exhibitions and wider work with early-career visual artists.
Key responsibilities: To provide an outstanding visitor experience, support delivery of Jerwood Arts’ exhibition and events programme in London, coordinate our Learning Programme, and provide pro-active administration and communications support across our visual arts activity.
Reporting to: Gallery Manager, Jerwood Arts
Who we are
The Jerwood Foundation, Jerwood Space and Jerwood Arts is a family of organisations committed to supporting and nurturing excellence in the arts.
Jerwood Arts is the leading independent funder dedicated to supporting UK artists, curators and producers to develop and thrive. We enable transformative opportunities for individuals across art forms, supporting imaginative awards, bursaries, fellowships, projects, programmes and commissions. We present new work and bring people from across the arts together through our exhibitions and events at Jerwood Space in London, as well as across the UK. In 2020 we will present four major group exhibitions of early-career visual artists in London, alongside a busy programme of events that support critical engagement, learning and networking across the arts.
Jerwood Space is a major initiative of the Jerwood Foundation and was created to help professional theatre, opera and dance companies rehearse for the best possible performance. We aim for a conducive environment where an exciting, mutually beneficial mix of experienced and early-career artists are at work. The rehearsal studios are used by established theatre and dance professionals, while early-career artists and companies may benefit from subsidised rates. The three gallery spaces are programmed by Jerwood Arts and The School House Café is run by The Gentlemen Baristas.
This role is part of the Jerwood Arts team and is jointly funded by Jerwood Arts and Jerwood Space.
The role
The Visual Arts Assistant will be a key member of our small team, acting as the public face of Jerwood Arts for visitors to our exhibitions. You will provide administrative and communications support for our visual arts work across a wide range of projects, including national exhibition tours and call for entry awards.
Primarily based on the desk in the gallery, you will offer a friendly information service to all visitors, actively connecting audiences with the exhibitions and Jerwood Arts’ wider work. During exhibitions you will be responsible for invigilating the gallery spaces, working closely with the Gallery Manager to provide an outstanding visitor experience. Outside the four exhibition periods you will support exhibition changeovers, working with early-career artists to install new artworks alongside a freelance team of technicians.
You will be responsible for coordinating our Learning Programme, supported by Jerwood Space, consisting of four artist-led workshops per year for Southwark-based schools and youth groups. This includes developing contacts, managing the budget, liaising with freelance facilitators and supporting delivery. Alongside this you will lead on developing Jerwood Arts relationships with Higher Education art courses, arranging and hosting group visits and managing the Education Newsletter.
This role would suit an enthusiastic individual with an interest in the visual arts who will thrive working in a busy public-facing environment and enjoy supporting a wide range of activities. You will be part of a team of nine who work across Jerwood Arts’ funded programmes, awards, fellowships and collaborations, with your role sitting within a dedicated visual arts team.
More information about Jerwood Arts is available at jerwoodarts.org
Main Responsibilities
Gallery and Exhibitions
- Provide outstanding visitor service, in response to in-person, telephone and email enquiries from artists, organisations and the general public
- Staff the gallery desk a minimum of four days per week and operate gallery routines during opening hours including: opening and closing gallery, handling catalogue sales and collecting audience surveys
- Create an accessible and inclusive welcome to all visitors, supporting the Gallery Manager in fulfilling Jerwood Arts’ Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy
- Provide gallery welcomes and deliver exhibition tours, staying up to date on Jerwood Arts’ exhibitions, events and wider work
- Invigilate the gallery spaces to ensure the maintenance and safety of exhibited artworks and visitors
- Support excellent day to day working relationships with Jerwood Space and The Gentlemen Baristas team
- Work as part of a small team on exhibition changeovers: installation and de- installation; completing condition reports; assisting artists with installation; maintenance, painting and quality monitoring of the gallery spaces; and any other related tasks as required
- Work at all times in accordance with Jerwood Space’s Health & Safety Policy and Fire Policy, including taking appropriate action in event of any hazards or concerns and evacuating visitors in the event of an emergency
Administration and Communications
- Support the Gallery Manager and Head of Visual Arts in the administration of Jerwood Arts’ exhibitions and events programme as required
- Coordinate artists’ travel and accommodation for installs, previews, events and touring exhibitions
- Manage upkeep and crediting of press and installationimages
- Support delivery of the Audience Development Strategy for exhibitions and events in London as required
- Support the delivery of Jerwood Arts’ Social Media and PR Strategy as required
- Contribute to maintaining and developing gallery contacts and mailing lists
Learning Programme
- Develop the aims and objectives of the Learning Programme with the Gallery Manager and Jerwood Space
- Manage the budget for the Learning Programme in consultation with Jerwood Space
- Coordinate artist-led workshops liaising with partners, freelance facilitators and artists as required
- Coordinate with Jerwood Space and the Gallery Manager to ensure smooth running and staffing of Learning Programme events
- Ensure required risk assessments and Health and Safety documentation is completed by freelance facilitators
- Develop and maintain Jerwood Arts’ network of contacts with higher education art courses and alternative education groups including booking and hosting exhibition visits
- Manage the bi-monthly Education Newsletter
Events
- Where required, assist in the delivery and staffing of Jerwood Arts events including exhibition previews, late-night openings, and the public programme
- Assist with events listings, promotion and RSVP processes
Other
- Develop a sound knowledge of Jerwood Arts’ work, attending funded projects, performances and exhibitions where appropriate
- Maintain a commitment to Jerwood Arts’ values and contribute to the delivery of our Strategic Plan 2020-2022
- Pro-actively support Jerwood Arts commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion across all our work
- Demonstrate a pro-active approach to Jerwood Arts commitment to developing more sustainable and environmentally friendly practices across all our work
- Undertake any other duties as may be reasonably required from time to time
The above list of duties is not intended to be exhaustive and will not form part of the contract of employment.
Person Specification
Experience and Knowledge
- Working in a gallery or creative learning environment
- Knowledge and appreciation of visual arts practice in the UK
- Performing a range of general administrative tasks for an organisation
- Face to face visitor or customer service experience
- Some experience and understanding of Health and Safety practices
Skills and Abilities
- Effective spoken and written communication skills with a wide range of people, including members of the public, partners, freelancers andcolleagues
- Confident visitor service skills and ability to manage a range of different internal relationships
- Well organised and systematic with an ability to manage multiple tasks and maintain effective data and record keeping systems
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a team
- Ability to stay focused in a busy, public environment
