Job Posting: Curator and Public Programs Manager

Mission

The Arts Center inspires creativity and contributes to community well-being through equitable access to and engagement with the visual arts in the Greater Corvallis area. We collaborate to offer exhibitions, learning opportunities, artist development, and cultural events centered on art, artists and art enthusiasts.

Commitment to Justice, Equity, and Transparency

In the 1960s, the innovative, grassroots effort of artists, civic leaders, and multiple Oregon State University departments were quite radical: they set out to establish the Corvallis Arts Council as the first community-based arts organization in the State of Oregon, and 27th in the United States. In 2008, we changed our name to The Arts Center with the goal of becoming inclusive of all people and groups seeking connection with the arts. We believe that art is a welcoming portal for cross-cultural participation that connects people and creates community. 

In 2020, The Arts Center began an organization-wide process of learning and change to examine and address discriminatory policies, dominant cultural practices, and decision-making systems, with the goal of becoming a just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive arts organization. We are actively working to embed justice, equity, and transparency into every level of our organization. We invite individuals who share our commitment to this goal to join our team and to help shape a more just and equitable future for our organization as well as for the communities we serve.  

Position summary: 

The person in this role places equity at the center of curatorial practices and is someone passionate about building community through the arts and culture. Public exhibitions promote access to the arts as the most visible and impactful program of the organization. Successful exhibitions are dynamic, collaborative projects that connect people through a diversity of voices to new ways of thinking about or experiencing our world and each other.

Oversee public programming through a schedule of timely and relevant arts exhibitions and community learning opportunities in two gallery spaces, an offsite temporary exhibit space and by administering artworks within the Emily Steele Sculpture Collection. Collaborate with members of a standing volunteer Exhibition Committee, an Arts Integration Manager, regular and volunteer staff, and the general public. Report to and work with the Executive Director of The Arts Center to develop inclusive engagement opportunities, equitable access and resources for this community connector and highly visible program of the organization.

Applicant Required Skills and Experience:  (If you do not meet all requirements but think you would be a good fit for this position, we welcome your application.)

Formal or experiential arts training and curatorial management:

• Experience coordinating public exhibition spaces as described under skills needed for public arts engagement organization (below).
• Experience with visual arts media and technologies through an applied understanding of how visual arts / works of art are made, properly handled, curated, and exhibited for viewing, as well as engaging and communicating visual arts value and significance to public and community well-being. 
• Demonstrated ability to plan and manage public learning experiences that create ​space for interactions such as artist talks and receptions, panel discussions, and integrated activities that support programming.

Demonstrable curatorial practice committed to social justice: 

Ensure equitable and inclusive access, engagement, and learning opportunities for diverse audiences with practices that effectively advance inclusion: 

• Calls to artists free of biased language and practices that preserve a status quo, real or perceived.
• Interest in cross cultural outreach practices. 
• Administrative decision practices that ensure objective, measurable and transparent outcomes.

Experience with resource development and engagement: 

Evidence of success in grant writing, procurement, and project implementation, and/or experience in coordinating effective marketing and fundraising campaigns to support program activities. 

Experience with organizing, managing, and administering programs and people: 

Ability to effectively and systematically track a variety of people, calendars, projects, and data sets to ensure successful project completion.

Desired Skills and Experience: 

• Degree (Bachelors or Masters) in visual arts, or two-three years professional work or studio experience in an applicable area that has created programs and engaged the public with visual arts media. 
• Experience with Visual Thinking Strategies or other visual learning modalities that can better support arts literacy and engagement in diverse learner communities. 

Application Process

• Cover letter that shares why you wish to work with The Arts Center.
• Resume or personal history documenting your education, training, and/or experiences.
• Please send ONE of the following work samples that demonstrates your experience, as a digital PDF, MP3 or MP4 video short.
  • Sample of past or newly created visual arts works and visual arts displays. 
  • Sample press release or article about an upcoming event or arts exhibit that conveys its value for the public. 
  • Sample final project report that includes goals, activities, outcomes, and evaluation methods.
  • Sample writing about how visual arts contribute to community well-being. 
• Send these three items electronically to Employment@TheArtsCenter.net.  
• Applications will be accepted through:  January 7, 2022
• Notification target date:  February 15, 2022
• NOTE:  The current part-time curator is scheduled to retire in October 2022. 
• If you require any accommodation to complete this application, please contact employment@theartscenter.net, or 541-754-1551, Ext 654.

Compensation

• Salary Range $20-$25/hour depending on experience.
• Flexible work hours, pro-rated sick leave, pro-rated paid holidays, a Simple IRA retirement plan, 20% discount on art purchases from The Arts Center. 
• Health insurance plan coverage for regular work schedules of 32 hours/week. (TAC contributes 85%, employees contribute 15%). 

Equal opportunity statement

Our goal is to create a diverse organization that is representative, at all levels, of the communities we serve. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, age, veteran status, HIV status, marital status, family medical history or genetic information, status as an individual with a disability, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law. We strongly encourage people from historically excluded communities to apply, including those who have been formerly incarcerated.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Position conditions/terms:

The part-time curator/public programs manager will focus on exhibition planning through a community engagement model. Approximately 30% of the manager’s time will be spent on curation/exhibition management, 70% on community engagement and program administration connected to The Arts Center (TAC) exhibition and other public programs. These include (but are not limited to) participation in the monthly Corvallis Arts Walk (CAW), public arts services, and selection processes on behalf of the City of Corvallis, and collaborations with other arts, professional and community organizations.    

Responsibilities and Duties

Mission-centered Public Art Exhibitions:

Coordinate all aspects of TAC’s public exhibition spaces (Main Gallery, Corrine Woodman Gallery, and OSU Austin Hall Temporary Exhibits) to ensure equitable and inclusive access, engagement, and learning opportunities for diverse audiences.

• Maintain a schedule of art exhibitions and events for both in-house galleries, based on a mix of calls to artists, guest curators, and dynamic community collaborations, with 3-5 year program and resource plans for major exhibition projects that can be characterized as mission-driven “signature” or “landmark” events.
• Work toward W.A.G.E. Certified compensation for all program activities. 
• Manage associated public learning activities that create ​space for interactions such as artist talks and receptions, panel discussions, and experiences that support programming.

Exhibition Committee Management

Manage policies, composition, and activities of this community volunteer-engaged committee to ensure policies and practices are just, equitable, transparent, and include diversity reflecting our Greater Corvallis area community. Activities include artist selection, exhibition installation/tear-down, regular meeting coordination.

Public Arts Engagement

Provide support for City of Corvallis arts services and selection processes (currently through ad hoc meetings). Work with the ArtShop manager to participate with CAW, the monthly Third Thursday Art Walk in Corvallis. Coordinate ongoing and competent communications with current and new collaborators to ensure a cross-cultural diversity of voices in program planning and engagement.

Demonstrate a range of curatorial organizational skills and abilities such as: 

• Maintain and manage the physical space of two galleries and show installations.
• Create, access, and maintain data, physical and digital media, and contact lists of artists and media for Calls to Artists and program publicity.
• Schedule and manage multi-year, multi-level calendars with regular, seasonal, and ad hoc events and meetings.
• Coordinate exhibiting artist contracts, and receipt, inventory, return of artwork.
• Convey programs and their impacts internally and externally through copy for mailings, press releases, website, media, and community outreach.
• Manage the Emily Steele Sculpture Collection and off-site exhibit spaces as needed.
• Work evening and weekend hours on a limited but regular basis.
• Perform duties as needed in order to fulfill the mission of TAC on a day-to-day basis.

Demonstrate intercultural competence: 

A core organizational value is being a community connector, thus intercultural competence and communication are needed for a mutual exchange of ideas, cultural norms, and development of meaningful relationships. Thus activities support a practice of collaborative project work between artists, volunteer and regular staff, organizational partners, and shareholders from different socio-economic and ethnicity-identifying backgrounds, media disciplines, and levels of experience with the arts. Sample applicable practices may include (but are not limited to) identifying/eliminating bias in selection processes, communications, and methods of outreach to ensure a diversity of voices are included in program planning and exhibition. 

Miscellaneous abilities and competencies:

• Create, use and navigate between spreadsheets and word processing platforms such as MSOffice, Apple or Google Suites. 
• Develop, track and evaluate impact data for the program. 
• Manage a program budget using Quickbooks financial reports.
• Use, update data in a customer records management (CRM) database. 
• Manipulate, perform simple digital media edits, and create presentations using digital media to share and export for viewing.    
• Work onsite with a shared workstation in a space-challenged historic building that is not in full ADA compliance, with ramp access rear exterior and some interior spaces accessible by stairs (no lift) only with accommodation assistance.