Shackelford Family Assistant/Associate Curator of American Art Job at Columbus M

Job Title: Shackelford Family Assistant/Associate Curator of American Art

Department: Curatorial

Reports To: Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs

FLSA Status: Exempt (full-time)

Supervises: Interns, Volunteers, as assigned

Work schedule: Monday – Friday, 9:00AM – 5:00PM, additional hours as needed

Salary: $65,000 - $75,000

Prepared/Revised Date: 10/2024 ______________________________________________________________________

About the Columbus Museum of Art:

The Columbus Museum of Art’s mission is to create great experiences with great art for everyone. Guided by a vision to connect people and art, CMA nurtures that relationship, and attempts to remove barriers between our community and its museum.

CMA’s collection includes outstanding examples of late nineteenth and early twentieth-century American and European works of modern art, represented primarily by the collections of Ferdinand Howald and Howard D. and Babette L. Sirak. These important collections are joined by significant holdings of the New York Photo League, as well as the Philip and Suzanne Schiller Collection of American Social Commentary Art and the Scantland Collection of contemporary art. In October 2015, the museum unveiled an extensive 50,000 square foot renovation. This major overhaul featured construction of the Margaret M. Walter Wing, the upper galleries of which showcase the museum’s postwar and contemporary collections.

Since 2019, the museum has organized an off-site program of contemporary exhibitions at The Pizzuti, an 18,000 square foot facility located in the Short North neighborhood, which was gifted by Ann and Ron Pizzuti in late 2018. CMA also operates the Aminah Robinson Legacy Project which encompasses an artist residency program for U.S.-based visual artists and writers located in the former home of artist Aminah Robinson. Through its Art in Public Spaces (APS) program, the museum actively lends works from its permanent collection to city and state governmental institutions, including the Ohio Statehouse and Franklin County Courthouse, among others.

Position Summary:

The Shackelford Assistant/Associate Curator of American Art will lead the museum’s efforts to steward, expand, and reinterpret its American collection, while building a rigorous and dynamic program of exhibitions relating to American art. Spanning the colonial era to the present, and bordering a host of related collections (including art of the ancient Americas and indigenous American art), the museum’s American holdings form a key part of its overall collection, with a particular strength in the early 20th century.

Reporting to the Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs, the Shackelford Assistant/Associate Curator of American Art will take responsibility for all facets related to American art, bringing to this work connoisseurship skills, scholarly expertise, experience in collections development, and a strong ability to develop major exhibition projects and publications. Candidates with expertise in Asian American, African American, Native American, and/or Latinx art (or, other specializations) are encouraged to apply. The Assistant/Associate Curator of American Art will work effectively with colleagues in overlapping areas of interest and expertise, especially modern art and photography.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• With the Executive Director and Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs and in alignment with CMA’s mission and strategic goals, propose and implement dynamic and scholarly gallery rotations and special exhibitions in the field of American art.
• Identify and recommend works to be acquired for the collection and provide supporting documentation to justify their acquisition by gift or purchase.
• In accordance with CMA’s collection policy, and under the direction of the department head, make recommendations for the deaccession of artworks as necessary.
• Conduct and publish scholarly research of the collection and the field of American art, including essays, catalogues, gallery didactics, guided tours, etc.
• Assist members of the registrarial team in maintaining accurate information on works in the permanent collection.
• Conceptualize, develop, and organize a broad range of engaging and ambitious exhibitions related to American art and adjacent fields.
• Actively seek tour venues and partners for CMA organized exhibitions.
• In collaboration with the curatorial department, oversee exhibition budgets, installation design and publications; coordinate exhibition details including correspondence, checklists, documentary materials, text panels and extended label copy as well as facilitating marketing and communications materials.
• Serve as the museum’s primary liaison for exhibitions related to American art organized by guest curators or outside exhibition partners.
• Work with members of the learning and engagement department on various methods for interpreting works in the permanent collection and exhibitions.
• Provide training for docents and select staff.
• Lecture and lead formal and informal tours of the museum’s collections.
• Cultivate and steward collectors, artists, members, potential donors, and members of the community to help grow the collection.
• Represent the museum in professional organizations, conferences and other public forums.
• Create and maintain professional relationships with colleagues in the field; attend conferences and symposia within areas of professional expertise.
• Keep abreast of trends within the art market as well as exhibitions and major acquisitions made nationally and internationally as they relate to the museum’s collection and exhibitions.

• Attend meetings related to the museum’s American collection and exhibition program including board of trustee meetings, committee and staff meetings as needed.

• Serve as courier to oversee works of art loaned to national and international exhibitions, as needed.

• Master’s Degree required, PhD preferred, and/or commensurate experience.
• 3-5 years previous museum or comparable arts organization experience.
• Proven scholarly achievement in the field of American art, including original research and critical inquiry in publications, exhibitions, and public speaking.
• Strong commitment to values of diversity, equity, access, and inclusion.
• Must be willing to travel by land or air for collections and exhibition development, to courier works of art and to attend museum and/or professional conferences.
• A valid driver’s license is required.
• Must be willing to work evenings and weekends as needed.

Other Qualities:

The Shackelford Assistant/Associate Curator of American Art is expected to be:

• professional and discreet in the performance of their duties
• self-starting, well-organized, tactful, innovative, and capable of multitasking to meet deadlines.
• efficient and accurate in their work.
• a team player and collaborator who works well with a variety of staff and volunteers.
• a skilled communicator.
• comfortable working with collectors, donors, artists, and the academic community.
• willing to take on additional responsibilities as needed.