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Curator of American Art, Worcester Art Museum,
Deadline: March 1, 2013

The Worcester Art Museum seeks an exceptional Curator of American Art to lead a distinctive program in American art which is centered upon the museum's significant holdings, especially in the areas of Colonial and Federal American portraiture, Colonial and Federal silver designed by Paul Revere, mid-to-late nineteenth century American sculpture, and Gilded Age American painting, with a particular focus on American Impressionism. This position is supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Guided by the Museum's global perspective, mission, and strategic plan, the Curator of American Art will develop a dynamic range of exhibitions, along with publications and related programs that will increase WAM's audiences for American art, contribute original scholarship to the field, and enhance patronage for the program and the museum generally. The Curator of American Art will have opportunities to participate with colleagues in new installation initiatives conceived to create meaningful connections by integrating collections across departments/cultures/periods/media. Activities will include shaping the growth of the American collection by recommending acquisitions, overseeing strategic deaccessioning, soliciting gifts, and cultivating patronage.

The Curator of American Art will oversee exhibition project teams, will collaborate with all the curators as well as the education, design, and marketing staffs to ensure that the American art program meets the highest professional standards of innovation, relevance, and audience engagement, and will work closely with the development department to acquire the resources necessary to sustain and enhance exhibitions, publications, and acquisitions, as well as support the museum's broader cultivation efforts and campaigns. The Curator of American Art also will create opportunities for interdisciplinary collaborations with the area's many cultural and educational institutions, including the American Antiquarian Society.

The candidate must be experienced in project planning, management and implementation, possess strong interpersonal skills, be an excellent communicator, and be willing to work flexibly as a part of a larger, senior-level curatorial team. A PhD is strongly preferred, as are a broad knowledge of art history, five or more years of curatorial experience, and expertise in 17th- to 20th-century American art.

Centrally located in New England, Worcester is an hour from Boston, Providence and Hartford, an hour and a half from the Berkshires, three hours from New York City, and is convenient to Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

Qualified applicants, please send CV and cover letter to Director of Human Resources, Worcester Art Museum, 55 Salisbury Street, Worcester, MA 01609-3196 or email documents to [email protected] by March 1, 2013. Early applications are encouraged. We pledge to conduct a confidential search. The Worcester Art Museum is an equal opportunity employer.

Further information: http://www.worcesterart.org/Information/Jobs/american.html