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Manager of Galleries and Outreach – NKU School of the Arts
Quick Link: https://jobs.nku.edu/postings/10428

Work Schedule: NKU work hours are 8:15 – 4:30, however the nature of this position will require flexibility due to gallery and outreach events that occur outside of normal operating hours.

Northern Kentucky University is seeking a Manager of Galleries and Outreach. The Visual Arts Program in the School of the Arts (SOTA) at Northern Kentucky University invites applications for a full-time staff position managing galleries and outreach for Visual Arts, beginning Fall 2021. The Manager of Galleries and Outreach provides curatorial leadership, management and outreach of the gallery spaces and operations at Northern Kentucky University. Current spaces include two main Visual Arts Galleries as well as the SOTA Community Outreach Atrium. Operations in these spaces serve as important outreach to the community, valuable educational opportunities for campus, and vital instruction for the Visual Arts program.

This position is the primary public relations presence of the Visual Art Program at the University and in the community. The Manager of Galleries and Outreach provides an innovative consultative role to the Visual Art Program Head and the School of the Arts Director/Associate Director with a focus on the Visual Arts Program growth strategy through student success, career & community engagement and entrepreneurship & innovation. The role also includes exhibition related curricula, teaching the BFA Senior Exhibition and Gallery Internship courses, management of the University’s permanent art collection and installation of artwork across campus.

The Visual Arts, Music, and Theatre and Dance programs make up the School of the Arts that sit in the College of Arts and Sciences at Northern Kentucky University. The Visual Arts Program offers an innovative and engaged opportunity for aspiring artists and designers who seek professional training in the arts. The Visual Arts Program has 19 full-time faculty and 5 full-time staff that embrace a comprehensive hands-on approach of working with materials and techniques while developing critical thinking skills related to the various art disciplines and studio training. The NKU Art Galleries serve as a premier venue for the exhibition of high-quality artworks from regional, national, and international artists as well as a creative forum for students, the campus community and region.

Established in 1968, NKU is a 15,000-student, nationally recognized, growing metropolitan university located seven miles from downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. Greater Cincinnati has one of the most vibrant and multifaceted cultural scenes in the Midwest, with the Cincinnati Art Museum, Contemporary Arts Center, 21c Museum Hotel and a plethora of galleries such as The Weston, Carl Solway and Manifest Gallery. Cincinnati offers an outstanding quality of life, a dynamic arts community, and an affordable cost of living. NKU is committed to active engagement with the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati region of over two million people. We encourage applications from all qualified candidates, but especially from individuals who contribute to the diversity of our academic community.

Primary Responsibilities             

• Management of planning, organization, installation, and publicity for gallery exhibitions and outreach activities
• Consultation with Visual Arts Program Head and Art Faculty, in management of planning, organization, installation, and publicity for gallery exhibitions in the NKU Main Gallery and the Third Floor Gallery
• Organize and manage the BFA Senior Exhibition at the end of every fall and spring semester with input from the Visual Arts Program Head and Art Faculty
• Contribute and teach capstone BFA Senior Exhibition and Gallery/Museum Studies courses
• Engage with internal and external stakeholders for events and promotion of the arts on campus and across the region
• Approximately 8 exhibitions a year in the NKU Art Galleries and 4 exhibitions in the SOTA Community Showcase Atrium
• In consultation with SOTA Administration, management of planning, organization, installation, and publicity for gallery exhibitions in SOTA Community Showcase Atrium
• In consultation with SOTA Budget Officer, plan and allocate budget for galleries and Atrium
• Oversee gallery assistants, student gallery assistants and interns for galleries and Atrium
• Maintain contact and relationships with art community, area K-12 school art programs, area museums/galleries and act as a liaison for SOTA/Visual Arts with artists, curators, and arts councils
• Maintain University art collection, gallery inventory, and maintenance of gallery equipment
• Serve as chair of the Visual Arts gallery committee in the selection of suitable exhibitions for the galleries and develop and explore emerging trends in exhibitions, including digital and virtual galleries on social media to expand audiences beyond our region and expose students to these skillsets
• Work with SOTA Publicity and Art Events Manager to market and publicize the art galleries, maintain gallery mailing lists, digital archives, and gallery communications
• Explore grant and funding opportunities, and compile data related to the galleries as requested

Qualifications  

Minimum qualifications include a master’s degree in arts administration, museum studies, studio art or related fields. An active professional curatorial practice including demonstrated knowledge of gallery programming, installation of exhibitions and outreach.

• Well versed in contemporary and historical art + design practice
• Minimum 3 years of curatorial experience
• Programming and facilitating community outreach with diverse communities
• College-level teaching experience preferred

The position includes opportunities to shape curricula and be part of a team of committed colleagues and dedicated students.

Please highlight any of the following materials in your application:

• Exhibition coordination, installation and curation
• Management of staff, including part-time employees and student workers
• Writing examples of museum education, curatorial studies, fundraising, budget management, grant writing, or community outreach
• Experience teaching at the University level – ability to write and teach courses in gallery management, museum education, arts administration, curatorial studies, grant writing and community outreach
• Collaboration across disciplines
• Experience developing interdisciplinary programming
• Development of diverse educational programming and outreach materials
• Installation, collection maintenance and cataloging,
• K-12 programming
• Expertise in digital, new media and interdisciplinary experiences

Applicants should clearly demonstrate strengths and technical experience in the afore-mentioned areas of expertise. To apply, submit the following items electronically to https://jobs.nku.edu (may either include a link to a URL or submit PDF attachments 7MB maximum for each item.

• Cover Letter (outlining qualifications)
• CV
• Names and Contact Information of 3 references
• *Diversity Statement
• Artist Statement / Curatorial Interests
• Documentation of Professional Work (writing examples of exhibition brochures, curatorial essays, catalogs and or 10 – 20 images of previously organized exhibitions)
• (optional) Student Work Examples – can include writing examples and or images of student work with image list)

*The diversity statement should provide the candidate’s unique perspective on their past and present contributions to and future aspirations for promoting diversity, inclusion, and social justice in their professional career. (In line with the University’s Affirmative Action Policy, candidates are not expected to disclose their identity or membership either in the diversity statement or in other application documents submitted to the search committee. Demographic information is solicited through the application process; however, those data are confidential and are not provided to members of the search committee.)

Any candidate who is offered a position at NKU will be required to go through a pre-employment criminal background check as mandated by state law.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position has been filled. (For full consideration we encourage applications before or on July 11.)

Questions regarding the use of the website should be directed to the Human Resources Department at jobs@nku.edu.

Questions regarding the nature of the position should be directed to the search committee chair, Brad McCombs, Visual Arts Program Head, via email: mccombsr1@nku.edu.

For additional information on NKU and the Visual Arts Program, visit nku.edu and art.nku.edu

• Minimum Education: Master’s Degree
• Minimum Experience: 3 years