Job Opportunities

The Arkansas Arts Center regularly posts opportunities for employment. We invite you to explore the current opportunities that interest you.

Job Vacancies

Curator of Contemporary Craft

Summary Duties:           

The curator of contemporary craft should be a specialist in academic disciplines related to contemporary craft, traditional decorative arts objects, and sculpture. The chief responsibility of the curator of contemporary craft is for the care and scholarly interpretation of all objects in these collections or loans to the Arts Center. The curator will also organize traveling exhibitions derived from AAC holdings and in collaboration with other museums/collections.

Manage contemporary craft, sculpture, and decorative arts collections including attention to proper storage and conservation needs and research of the collection, incorporating new information into exhibitions and publications. * Develop a strategic plan for the expansion of the collection, working closely with the executive director and the art committee. * Plan, design and execute the contemporary craft exhibition program in collaboration with the executive director, exhibitions staff, and deputy director of programs. * Supervise curatorial assistant and coordinate collection and exhibition duties and responsibilities of the registrar, assistant registrar and preparator as they pertain to the contemporary craft and sculpture collections and exhibitions and work in coordination with guest and consulting curators, the facilities manager, departmental managers, and education personnel. * Serve as staff liaison to Friends of Contemporary Craft, a support group that promotes education about contemporary craft media through an ongoing series of artist talks and other programs. * Work closely with the education department and assist the curator of education with docent training as it pertains to contemporary craft and sculpture exhibitions and collections interpretation. * In support of the development department, participate in the cultivation and solicitation of donors of art and funding. * Conceive and research Arts Center generated catalogues, brochures, interpretive labels, and any materials related to contemporary craft, sculpture, and historic decorative arts collections and exhibitions and edit Arts Center publications related to these collections, exhibitions, and programs. * Foster collaborative projects within the Arts Center and with museums and related cultural and educational organizations in the city, state, region, and nation. * Recommend book and periodical acquisitions for the Arts Center’s library; recommend the purchase of CDs, videos, and films for the audio-visual library. * Serve as spokesperson, as appropriate, for the Arts Center, its collection and exhibitions, to the public and in public forums and provide support for appropriate public inquiries as they relate to the contemporary craft and sculpture collections and exhibitions.

Education and/or Experience:

Master's degree (M. A.) in art history or related field, or equivalent; specialized knowledge of contemporary craft and decorative arts and 20th-century and contemporary art; at least five years museum curatorial experience; track record of exhibitions and publications; ability to work in a collaborative environment. Salary and benefits are competitive.

Additionally, the curator of contemporary craft must be a passionate and energetic person with the ability to manage, research, position, exhibit, and develop the growing contemporary craft collection. He/she must have the demonstrated interest and ability to share the collection with diverse audiences and to build a positive image and lasting relationships for the Arts Center. He/She must be an innovative thinker and a great communicator with the ability to present the collection and the Arts Center to all internal and external constituencies and must have a reputation for the highest level of integrity and credibility.

Closing Date:  April 1, 2012

Procedure and Application:

Applicants should submit resume and a one-page narrative describing their interest in the position and the experience that relates to the responsibilities described above as well as the names of three references. Send applications or suggestions of candidates to Denise Woods, Human Resources Manager at personnel@arkarts.com.
       

Curator of Drawings

Summary Duties:
           
The curator of drawings will oversee the Arkansas Arts Center’s nationally recognized collection of drawings. The chief responsibilities of the curator of drawings are the care and scholarly interpretation of all work in the drawings collection or loans to the Arts Center, as well as recommending acquisitions of new work. While drawings, or unique works on paper, will be the focus of curator of drawings' duties, he/she will also oversee collection of prints and photographs. The curator will also organize traveling exhibitions derived from Arts Center holdings and in collaboration with other museums/collections.
  
Manage the works on paper collection including attention to proper storage and conservation needs and to research of the collection, incorporating new information into exhibitions and publications. * Develop a strategic plan for the expansion of the collection, working closely with the executive director and the art committee. * Plan, design, and execute the drawings exhibition program in collaboration with the executive director, exhibitions staff, and deputy director of programs. * Supervise curatorial assistant and coordinate collection and exhibition duties and responsibilities of the registrar and preparator as they pertain to the drawings collection and exhibitions and work in coordination with guest and consulting curators, the facilities manager, departmental managers, and education personnel. * Serve as staff liaison to the Collectors Group, a support group whose members collect drawings for themselves and support the collecting of the AAC. * Work closely with the education department and assist the curator of education with docent training as it pertains to the interpretation of drawings exhibitions and the drawings collection. * In support of the development department participate in the cultivation and solicitation of donors of art and funding. * Conceive and research Arts Center generated catalogues, brochures, interpretive labels, and any materials related to drawings, prints, and photography collections and exhibitions and edit Arts Center publications related to these collections, exhibitions, and programs. * Foster collaborative projects within the Arts Center and with museums and related cultural and educational organizations in the city, state, region, and nation. * Recommend book and periodical acquisitions for the Arts Center’s library; recommend the purchase of CDs, videos, and films for the audio-visual library. * Serve as spokesperson, as appropriate, for the Arts Center, its collection and exhibitions, to the public and in public forums and provide support for appropriate public inquiries as they relate to the drawings collection and exhibitions.

Education and/or Experience:

An advanced degree (PhD preferred) in art history or related field; academic training in Modern and Contemporary art with a solid knowledge of 19th-century French art, the art of other historical periods, and the history of American art; five to ten years museum curatorial experience; track record of exhibitions and publications; ability to work in a collaborative environment.

Additionally, the Curator of Drawings must have working knowledge of prints and photographs and their techniques and methods; be a passionate and energetic person with the ability to manage, research, position, exhibit, and develop an important collection. He/she must have the demonstrated interest and ability to share the collection with diverse audiences and to build a positive image and lasting relationships for the Arts Center. He/she must be an innovative thinker and a great communicator with the ability to present the collection and the Arts Center to all internal and external constituencies and must have a reputation for the highest level of integrity and credibility. Salary and benefits are competitive.

Closing Date:  April 1, 2012

Procedure for Application:

Applicants should submit resume and a one-page narrative describing their interest in the position and the experience that relates to the responsibilities described above as well as the names of three references. Send applications or suggestions of candidates to Denise Woods, Human Resources Manager at personnel@arkarts.com.