Curating.info

Turner Contemporary began in the 1990s with the aspiration of several active members of the community that Margate should celebrate its links with Britain's best known painter, JMW Turner (1775-1851). Subsequent studies and consultations demonstrated that a new art gallery would not only be a significant addition to the cultural provision in Kent, but that it could act as a catalyst for the wider regeneration of Thanet and, in particular, Margate. Led by Kent County Council, the project has the support of many key stakeholders, including Thanet District Council, Arts Council England, South East England Development Agency and the European Union.

Click here to access the download page for application forms for the posts of Curator and Curator of Public Programmes. Please note we do not accept applications by CV.

Before completing your application form, please ensure that you read the job description for the vacancy. If you have any difficulty completing your form, please call the Paul Gray, Head of Operations and Resources on 01843 280268 or email pgray -at- turnercontemporary.org.

The application form plays an important part in the selection process, both as a tool for helping us to shortlist candidates for interview and as a basis for the interview itself. Any decision to shortlist you for interview will be based solely upon the information you supply on your application form.

Once you have completed your application form this should be returned to Paul Gray, Head of Operations and Resources at Turner Contemporary, 17-18 The Parade, Margate, CT9 1EY or you can do this by emailing your application to info -at- turnercontemporary.org. Please note that applications need to be received by 5pm Wednesday 16th December 2009 unless otherwise stated.

Turner Contemporary takes the promoting equality of opportunity seriously and is committed to building a diverse workforce. All our vacancies are advertised to ensure that everyone has access to opportunities within Turner Contemporary. Going through the process of applying for one of our vacancies is the best way to show how your skills and experience meet the requirements of the specific role advertised. We can therefore only accept applications through this process and cannot accept CVs.

Changing Age: The Art of Ageing - Deadline: Friday 27 November

Background

Newcastle University’s new strategic plan, encompassing the Vice-Chancellor’s emphasis on
Newcastle as a Civic University, will focus on a series of societal challenges, the first of
which will be the theme of Ageing. ‘Changing Age’, as this programme is being called, has
three key objectives:

1. To celebrate the University’s achievements in Ageing
2. To create a lasting legacy of increasing involvement in Ageing across the
University and region.
3. To establish Newcastle in the national and international conscious as a leading
centre for Ageing.

A key feature of the Changing Age programme is to develop activities that reflect the
multidisciplinary nature of the challenges and issues associated with Ageing. Various
projects, initiatives and events spanning the full range of research, teaching and
engagement activities of the University will be undertaken during the remainder of 2009 and
throughout 2010 that will contribute directly to the Changing Age programme.
This Job Description relates to a project that will seek to organise a series of events and an
exhibition aimed at exploring dimensions of the Art and Science of Ageing.

The Art and Science of Ageing

The central idea of addressing the Art and Science of Ageing is to recognise that the ageing
process has its roots in the life sciences yet impacts on every dimension of human
experience including the aesthetic. The aim is to build upon the enthusiasm of several
members of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences who have identified possible
contributions to the Changing Age programme, including Fine Art, Music, the International
Centre for Cultural and Heritage Studies, Creative Writing and Culture Lab. This will be
combined wherever possible with contributions from biologists, clinicians, psychologists,
engineers and others, in the spirit of the sci-art collaborations that have been promoted by
organisations such as the Wellcome Trust, Academy of Medical Sciences, and the British
Academy.

One of the key initiatives will be a visual arts exhibition, The Art of Ageing, for which we
now wish to appoint a Curator. Core funding has been secured to pursue this venture. A
number of ideas have been discussed and these are captured below.

It is envisaged that various strands of activity will be brought together in a major exhibition on
The Art of Ageing to be held in the Great North Museum: Hancock in the autumn of 2010.

The core programme might involve:
• Artwork drawing upon biomedical images such as magnetic resonance scans, electron
microscopy images, live cell imaging, etc. Inputs and participation will be drawn from
researchers within the Institute for Ageing and Health and other groups. There will also
be potential material from artists in residence including Susan Aldworth (images of brain
scans and MRI’s) and Valerie Laws.
• Artworks by older people, involving the Friends of the Hatton Gallery and possibly the
annual art competition run for the over 60’s by Age Concern Art Awards.
• Workshops with schools looking at intergenerational issues, working with the Hatton’s
educational programme and Culture Lab’s Social Inclusion through the Digital Economy
(SIDE) project.
• Ageing faces, including work by Carla Broomhead, winner of the 2009 Lee Turner
Publishing Prize.
• Lecture series given by FBAs, linked to the Public Lectures with the support of the British
Academy (arranged through Prof Vicki Bruce).

The Art and the Science of Ageing Steering Group has highlighted the urgent need to
appoint a curator to co-ordinate the development of the exhibition and bring together the
various ideas in a cohesive manner. A job description outlining this curatorial role follows.

Job description: Curator for ‘The Art of Ageing’ programme

Main Purpose

To co-ordinate the development of The Art of Ageing exhibition, exploring various potential
contributions and bringing selected ideas together in a cohesive manner.

To work with members of the Art and Science of Ageing Steering Group to sketch out a
programme of activities and develop a Wellcome Trust application (deadline 29 January
2010). This could provide resources, additional to the core funding already secured, to
support enhancements such as a more extensive engagement programme and artists’
commissions.

To co-ordinate and oversee the installation of the exhibition.

To liaise with relevant partners to contribute to marketing plans and ensure that the
exhibition fits with the broader cultural and Changing Age programmes.

Support and advice will be provided by the Dean of Cultural Affairs, to whom the Curator will
report, and the Cultural Affairs Development Officer, along with members of the Steering
Group. The Curator will also work closely with staff in the Great North Museum.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

1. Liaise with the Dean of Cultural Affairs, the Art and the Science of Ageing Steering
Group, the Great North Museum (GNM) and other partners to ensure key objectives and
expectations relating to the proposed The Art of Ageing exhibition are understood, and
will indeed fit within the broader Changing Age programme.

2. Develop a robust proposal – including a timeline and full budgetary details – to cover both
the core programming costs and an expanded programme for further funding applications
(this would include a more extensive engagement programme, as well as artists’
commissions, etc).

3. Support the development of a Wellcome Trust, Arts Award application by working closely
with the Dean of Cultural Affairs and the Art and Science of Ageing Steering Group.
4. Liaise with other museum, art gallery professionals, artists and outside agencies, to
negotiate the loan of appropriate artworks and exhibition materials.

5. Work with the education teams at GNM and the Hatton Gallery to design a series of
engagement workshops for different community groups – these may involve schools, as
well as those who work with the elderly (Equal Arts, Helix Arts, Age Concern, etc.)

6. Support the promotion and marketing of the exhibition and associated programme by
working with the University Marketing and Publicity Unit, as well as key staff at Tyne and
Wear Archives and Museums. This may include the development of an exhibition
catalogue.

7. Oversee the delivery and installation of art work, working alongside the GNM team.

8. Explore opportunities for student involvement in the development and delivery of the
exhibition. This may involve liaising with key academics from the School of Arts and
Cultures as well as representatives from the Union Society.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• A degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject area such as fine art, history of art or
cultural and/or heritage studies.
• Experience of working in a museum environment, preferably in a curatorial role.
Experience of developing exhibitions and programmes for non-specialist audiences
would also be desirable.
• Some experience of undertaking research, responding to public enquiries, and preparing
and delivering presentations is desirable.
• An understanding of collections’ management issues, particularly collections care and
storage.

Self-motivated and able to demonstrate your ability to plan and organise your workload,
manage projects and build positive relationships within an organisation and external
partners.

Timing and salary

The curator will be expected to commit around 35 days in total to the project, of which
approximately 10 will be before the end of January to shape the exhibition proposal and
develop a Wellcome Trust application. A further 25 days will be delivered during the rest
2010, building towards the exhibition itself in the autumn. A daily rate of between £200 and
£250 is envisaged, depending on experience.

Application and Interview

Interested candidates should send a letter of application together with a CV to
jennifer.allinson -at- ncl.ac.uk (Cultural Affairs Development Officer) by Friday 27 November.
Interviews will be held between 9 and 16 December 2009.

Western Front Society - Exhibitions Curator
Position Type: Full-time contract, 35 hours/week
Application Deadline: December 14, 2009
Years Experience: 2+
Salary: $31,000/year

DESCRIPTION
The Western Front Society seeks an outstanding, highly motivated arts professional to step into the role of Exhibitions Curator.

The Western Front is one of Canada’s pioneering artist-run centres and produces and presents works in five programs: Exhibitions, Performance Art, New Music, Media Arts, and FRONT Magazine. The Western Front was founded in 1973 by a small group of interdisciplinary artists, and has developed into an exemplary multi-disciplinary environment for experimental art practice and research. With a staff of ten plus interns and volunteers, the Society collectively produces over fifty events a year.

The Exhibitions Program has a mandate to present contemporary visual art by local, national and international artists. Intentionally open, this mandate has historically focused on artwork that is conceptual, media-based or otherwise ephemeral in nature. Currently the program promotes experimentation with conceptual models and contexts for visual art that have allowed the program to expand beyond gallery exhibitions to include artist books and posters, cross-disciplinary works, site-specific and Internet projects, and commissions.

RESPONSIBILITIES
The Exhibitions Curator reports to the Executive Director, and is responsible for:

- Developing and communicating a dynamic vision for the Exhibitions Program
- Curating exhibitions and all associated programming
- Editing publications
- Writing grants and seeking opportunities for additional funding or support
- Supervising one part-time staff member, contract workers, as well as volunteers


QUALIFICATIONS

As our ideal candidate, you possess:
- Exemplary knowledge and understanding of contemporary art practices
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Proven financial management experience
- Strong organizational skills
- Ability to provide direction and work with a diverse staff
- High capacity to meet deadlines and work under pressure
- Knowledge of a broad range of issues related to the arts
- A clear understanding of the philosophy and history of the Canadian artist-run centre movement
- Knowledge of the principle funding agencies and prior grant writing experience
- Knowledge of managing publications and print projects
- Experience installing a variety of art exhibitions
- Mac OS, Microsoft Office, electronic mail and Filemaker Pro, an asset

A competitive benefits package is available after the three months probation period is complete. After eight months of employment, four weeks paid vacation may be taken during the period when programs are recessed. An additional ten days paid holiday time may be taken during the December/January holiday period. A part-time Exhibitions Assistant supports this position. Provisions are also made within the program budget for research-based travel.

The Western Front Society is committed to the principles of Employment Equity and encourages applications from Aboriginal persons, members of a visible minority group or persons with a disability.

Applications containing a cover letter, curriculum vitae, three references, and writing samples, must be received by
4:00 p.m. on December 14, 2009.

Please send applications by email only to: admin -at- front.bc.ca

Exhibitions Curator Hiring Committee
Western Front Society
303 East 8th Avenue
Vancouver, BC V5T 1S1
Canada

Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

La Galerie, a Contemporary Art Centre located in the suburbs of Paris, hosts each year a foreign curator in residence for a period of three months. First organised in 2006, the aim of the residency is to put on an exhibition at La Galerie within the context of an art centre, and to meet artists and professionals working in the contemporary art field in France.

Residency dates: 6 April – 5 July 2010
Exhibition dates: 25 September – 28 November 2010 (tbc)
Deadline: application to be postmarked or emailed at the latest Wednesday 16 December 2009.

In 2010, exhibition proposals will have to deal with the city as an image. The selected exhibition proposal will be part of the “Art Grandeur Nature” biennial in Seine-Saint-Denis department. (1)

Free accommodation is provided (including costs of electricity, gas, internet, phone and transport) in a 65 m2 flat in the centre of Noisy-le-Sec (10 minutes by train from Paris + 15 minutes walk). The flat includes a bedroom, a living room/kitchen and a workspace. In addition there is a cellar connected to the flat.

A total budget of 25,000 € is provided by the art centre to cover artists' and curator’s travel costs, the curator’s fee (3000 €), transport of art works, insurance costs, production costs, publicity (invitations, flyers, poster, etc), the publication of a 16 page bilingual French/ English leaflet and of a 12 page leaflet for children.

In addition to the residency period, a one-week stay will be paid to the curator in order to supervise the installation of the works in the exhibition space and to attend the opening of the exhibition.

INFORMATION ABOUT LA GALERIE
La Galerie is one of the 46 Contemporary Art Centres in France, publicly funded by the City of Noisy-le-Sec, the DRAC Ile-de-France - Ministry of Culture and Communication, the Seine-Saint-Denis département and the Ile-de-France region. Founded in 1999, La Galerie offers a programme based on the notion of art as a sensory experience and a reflection of our relation to the world through a conceptual approach. Four exhibitions a year (two monographic, two thematic) offer hitherto unseen works by internationally recognized artists together with those of emerging French artists.

The centre's main activities are to produce art works, publish bilingual reference publications, host artists and curators in residence and develop educational activities in relation to the artistic programme.

EXHIBITION SPACE
The exhibition space is 140 m2 on street level.

MORE INFORMATION
www.noisylesec.net (no specific website yet)

APPLICATION CRITERIA
Each candidate must submit an exhibition proposal which he/she would be able to implement with the help of La Galerie's team. In addition, the curator would be required to:

- Take into consideration the general artistic programme of La Galerie
- Propose an exhibition that deals in some ways with the city as an image (1)
- Have an interest in the French art scene
- Engage as much as possible with the context of the art centre and participate actively in public talks and events organised by La Galerie
- Write an introductory text and accompanying texts on the works for the press release and the exhibition leaflet.

To facilitate communication with the La Galerie team and the public, the curator should speak French or English.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES
The application should contain:
- The curator’s CV/résumé with his/her name, address, phone and e-mail
- An exhibition proposal (2 pages maximum, excluding images), explaining the idea behind the exhibition. In addition it should provide a list of artists with a short text about each artist (5 lines max) and one picture for each artist.

Applications can be e-mailed to lagalerie -at- noisylesec.fr or mailed to:
Marianne Lanavère, Director
La Galerie, Contemporary Art Centre
1 rue Jean-Jaurès
F-93130 Noisy-le-Sec, France

Deadline: application to be postmarked or emailed at the latest Wed. 16 December 2009.

After an initial evaluation, 4 to 5 pre-selected curators will be invited to present their projects to a selection panel during a conference call at the beginning of January 2010.

1.) Additional information on the 10th Art Grandeur Nature Biennial in Seine-Saint-Denis September – November 2010, various locations in Noisy-le-Sec, Les Lilas and Pantin The city is without any doubt the most filmed subject and decor in the history of cinema. The birth of cinema coincides furthermore with the emergence of the modern metropolis. Television, video and more recently different kinds of digital tools for image & sound recording, processing and broadcasting have since then accompanied significant phases of the urbanization of the world throughout the second half of the 20th century and up till now.

All these means of expression that help us to grasp the world “at live”, whether they are appearing in complementary or conflicting ways, have shaped and will continue to shape our relationships to the city. The cinematographic, video- and media-related visions possess an imaginary potentiality which has an impact on our ways of apprehending the urban space. An urban aesthetics takes shape and transforms the metropolis and its rhythms into a flow of images, which is structured by travellings, sequence shots, depths of field, sound and luminous intensities, etc.

The 2010 edition of the international Art Grandeur Nature biennial will take this evolution of the urban imagination into an artistic and sociological consideration and thus questioning the capacity of our contemporary media tools to affect our perception of (sub)urban everyday life. The Art Grandeur Nature biennial is organized by the Department of the Seine-Saint-Denis since 1993.

Call for Submissions

Vidéographe: 2010-2011 Programming

Deadline: Monday January 11, 2010 – 17h

Vidéographe invites Canadian and Quebec artists, curators, art centres and galleries to submit proposals for video art programs and media arts exhibitions.

Since its founding in 1998, the programming sector of Vidéographe has been devoted to promoting and exhibiting video art in its various forms and through its relationships with other artistic disciplines. Six activities per year are organized in different venues and in partnership with other cultural organizations.

Projects selected by a committee of peers will be presented in Vidéographe's annual programming. Proposals that provoke thought on the language of video and its modes of representation, encourage debate, and promote exchanges between different media arts practices are encouraged.

Note that Vidéographe pays fees to curators and to artists for screenings and exhibitions.

You can obtain the detailed description of this call by contacting Katherine Jerkovic at espace -at- videographe.qc.ca, or by calling 1 514 866 4720.

Welcome to this month's Pick 'N Mix.

- "Everyone's a Curator" is the theme of a recent item over at Bad at Sports. As they say: "Even Umberto Eco. I love what the Louvre is doing by signing him on as guest curator (as they have previously done with writer Toni Morrison and composer Pierre Boulez)". I've blogged about this exact thing at this exact place happening before, where I speak in a sombre fashion about the "rather serious role of cultural arbiter" that curators play.

- Everyone's a curator, which I suppose makes everyone stressed? File this under "slightly strange finds": an article on CNN Money ranking curator as one of the most stressful jobs around.

- Ah, no, I've got it wrong, the stress comes from all the ways there are out there to be ranked and turned into list-fodder! There's been lots of buzz (both positive and negative) about the ArtReview Power 100 list and Hans Ulrich Obrist, superstar curator, takes the number one spot. Meanwhile, Hyperallergic blog did a spoof list of the Top 20 Most Powerless People in the Art World, wryly listing "assistant curators living off $27,000 salaries, with $80,000 in grad school debt from a fancy curatorial studies program" in 7th place.

- The issue of private collector's exhibitions, especially in these uncertain financial times, won't go away. I read about it first on Tyler Green's blog. He quotes the position of AAMD executive director Janet Landay: "We assume that our members bring the same curatorial purpose to these exhibitions as they do to any other, ultimately to answer the question: 'Does this presentation support our mission and benefit our audiences?' Moreover, these exhibitions often have works of art not frequently seen by the public. So, the museum is providing an opportunity for audiences to experience and enjoy new objects that they otherwise wouldn't have the chance to see." Green says that: "Landay's comments miss the point. It is virtually impossible for shows from single private collections to have the same art historical or scholarly purpose as curator-generated exhibitions because they rely on a single, narrow source. Fluff shows are the opposite of curatorial purpose because by narrowly restricting a curator's view they limit curatorial freedom, investigation and inquiry. They are the primary means through which art museums devalue their curatorial departments." I have to say that I agree with Green, however the question is why are these exhibitions becoming more and more the norm rather than ostracised because of the impact they have on curatorial freedom that Green notes?

- There is a new issue of On Curating, check it out! The whole issue is terrific but my highlights were the essays "Avant-garde Institute" by Joanna Mytkowska and "Kinoapparatom presents: Other Spaces of Cinema" by Simone Schardt and Wolf Schmelter.

- I was also absorbed by "Curatorial Responsibility and the Exhibition of Israeli and Palestinian Political Art in Europe" an essay that was written for the catalogue of "Overlapping Voices, Israeli and Palestinian Artists", by curators Karin Schneider, Friedemann Derschmidt, Tal Adler, and Amal Murkus. I find their working difficulties sobering, and in the end their questions put top 100 lists and the opinion of CNN Money very much in perspective.

Curator
Fashion Space Gallery
University Of The Arts London - London College of Fashion, W1

£34,030 - £40,858

University of the Arts London is a vibrant world centre for innovation, drawing together six Colleges with international reputations in art, design, fashion, communication and performing arts.

The Fashion Space Gallery at London College of Fashion is a contemporary exhibition space, hosting displays of fashion-related arts. As Curator, you will be responsible for creating a critical and experimental exhibition programme that encourages diversity and reflects our growing reputation as a global leader in fashion education and research.

As well as promoting the Gallery through events, print, the web and the media, you will work with artists, designers and technicians to ensure that exhibitions are delivered on time and to budget. You will also develop the Gallery's commercial activities, while searching for additional funding, together with colleagues.

As a senior member of the team, you will be expected to contribute to strategic planning. For this, you will need managerial and curatorial experience, plus a relevant postgraduate qualification (or equivalent). We are also looking for enthusiasm and an awareness of developments in your field. With these talents, you will be capable of bringing innovative thinking to gallery management and introducing a new approach to our exhibition programme.

In return, we offer a competitive employment package, including a salary that reflects working in London; generous annual leave; a final salary pension scheme; and a commitment to your continuing personal and career development in an environment that encourages creativity, diversity and excellence. Relocation assistance is also available.

Closing date: 12th November 2009

Please visit http://jobs.arts.ac.uk to download an application form or alternatively please contact Alaina McGhee, London College of Fashion, telephone: 020 7514 7466. Email: vacancies -at- fashion.arts.ac.uk

University of the Arts London aims to be an equal opportunities employer embracing diversity in all areas of activity.

apexart Franchise Two - 'considering the same boundary between art and business. again'

Accepting submissions from anyplace, now through December 15, 2009

As the art world adopts strategies from the world of business, cultural organizations have set up franchises around the globe. For the second year, apexart is joining this trend and setting up its own franchise in a new city.

This competition is an opportunity for anyone from anywhere to create their own temporary apexart in your city, town or village. For a four-week exhibition from March 13 - April 17, 2010, you will be the director, curator and/or staff of your own apexart franchise with a budget, a modest salary, and almost complete control. apexart will provide the funding (up to 10,000 USD), along with the necessary guidance to make your curated exhibition happen. This includes an apexart brochure in an edition of 10,000 and its distribution around the world to more than 108 countries and a visit or two from us

In addition, prior to your show, we'll arrange to bring you to NYC for three days, to visit apexart.

The Franchise is an opportunity to help bring an idea to fruition in a new place and to give someone an interesting opportunity. This year we will exclude people in large cities like New York, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo from applying, and invite submissions from locations with less than 500,000 people. Places such as Moshupa or Priboj. Baton Rouge or Lübeck, Cadiz or Az-Zawiyah, Heidelberg or Zinder.

To participate, please submit a reason in the form of a 250 word essay, along with four images, to tell the jurors why apexart should come to you. We encourage applicants to use the 250 words in any way they see fit. Applications will be accepted until December 15, 2009.

Visit apexart.org/exhibitions/franchisetwo.htm for information on how to apply.