At Waverly Street: 2016 Invitational

Wanted: Associate Curator of Academic Programs and Latin American Art

Position Announcement



Title: Associate Curator of Academic Programs and Latin American Art 


Department: Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art


Reports to: Senior Curator of Western Art
Term: 1.0 FTE for 12 months (renewable annually)
Annual salary: $40,000–$50,000, commensurate with experience
Expected starting date: Flexible



The University of Oregon, founded in 1876, is the state’s flagship institution.  With a student body of almost 25,000 undergraduate and graduate students and over 260 academic programs, the university offers an energetic and robust academic environment in the welcoming college town of Eugene, Oregon.  The UO is a world-class teaching and research institution, and a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU).  The AAU is an organization made up of the 61 leading public and private research institutions in the United States and Canada, and the UO is one of only two members in the Pacific Northwest.



The University of Oregon's Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art (JSMA) is a premier Pacific Northwest museum for exhibitions and collections of historic and contemporary art based in a major university setting. The mission of the museum is to enhance the University of Oregon’s academic mission and to further the appreciation and enjoyment of the visual arts for the general public.  The JSMA features significant collections galleries devoted to art from China, Japan, Korea, America and elsewhere as well as changing special exhibition galleries.  The JSMA is one of six museums in Oregon and the only academic museum accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.



General Description Reporting to the Senior Curator of Western Art, the Assistant or Associate Curator of Academic Programs and Latin American Art supports the museum’s mission by 1) strengthening the museum’s teaching role, working with faculty and students across campus; 2) building engagement among Latino constituents on and off campus; and 3) developing the collections and special exhibitions in support of faculty research and teaching, with a focus on modern and contemporary Latin American art. The position manages the JSMA Academic Support budget of $30,000, recommends acquisitions, and organizes special events (including Día de los Muertos) and exhibitions that have budgets ranging from $10,000–$150,000, including international loans.



Description of Duties


JSMA Academic Support (50%)
* Identify faculty and center directors whose work/interests align with JSMA exhibitions, programs, and other goals, and conduct outreach to encourage use of the JSMA’s collections and exhibitions for teaching and research. Outreach can include a quarterly faculty e-newsletter, individual meetings, and departmental presentations.
* Schedule and facilitate class visits and work with faculty to create tour agendas and curricula. 
* Lead tours and class visits in the galleries and study room. 
* Manage Academic Support Grant program, including marketing of program to faculty, intake of applications, oversight of budgets, and evaluation.
* Work with faculty to curate curricular rotations or larger exhibitions that tie in to curricular needs, with a focus on Latin American art.
* Serve with the director of education as JSMA’s point person for the museum’s Latino Engagement Plan. Tasks include building relationships with faculty, students, staff, administrators, and community members, development of seminars and courses, and program management, including the annual Día de los Muertos program.
* Create and implement workshops for faculty and graduate students to strengthen their use of the museum for teaching and research, working with colleges, schools, centers, departments, programs, and teaching-resource areas on campus.  
* Gather statistics on class visits and faculty feedback (via survey or other instruments) at the end of each term.
* Create and schedule academic programs (lectures, symposia, performances, etc.) that support faculty engagement. Includes managing program budget, developing effective outreach to academics, and liaising with artists, lecturers, and other guests to arrange travel, honoraria, and other needs.  
* Manage museum facility and technology use for courses and programs, including scheduling, budgeting, and collections access.
* Write and manage grants that further academic use and innovative practices for academic collaboration. 
* Publish and present at conferences to create greater visibility for the JSMA’s academic and Latino engagement initiatives.
* Occasionally, teach courses for the university.
* Other duties as assigned.
JSMA Collections Support (25%)
* Research and interpret a growing collection of modern and contemporary Latin American art.
* Supervise student interns and faculty members in research and exhibition of Latin American art and Academic Support grants, as appropriate.
* Serve as a curatorial representative on the Collections Committee.
* Refine Latin American collections development plan and identify acquisitions, organize exhibitions, secure loans, and develop collaborative programs with Latin American studies faculty. 
* Develop relationships with collectors, artists, and gallerists who can advance collections goals, with a focus on Latin American art.
* Other duties as assigned.
JSMA Exhibitions Support (25%)
* Develop and present exhibitions of modern and contemporary Latin American art (on loan and from collection), including contemporary artists in the Artist Project Space. 
* Work collaboratively with curatorial team on all aspects of exhibitions organization, as needed, both for collection rotations and special exhibitions, including curation, research, logistical planning, preparation of checklists and interpretative materials, and documentation.
* Serve as in-house curator or manager, as appropriate, for special exhibitions organized by faculty or guest curators focusing on Latin American art and JSMA Academic Support Grants.
* Support education of staff and volunteers regarding curatorial activities and exhibition content.
* Draft exhibition materials for collateral and PR. 
* Write grants and other fundraising proposals in support of exhibitions.
* Other duties as assigned.

Minimum and Preferred Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications
* MA in art history, with a focus on modern or contemporary Latin American art.
* Minimum 2 years’ experience working in an academic museum on curatorial projects.
* 1-2 years’ experience writing grants.
* 1-2 years’ experience supervising student workers and/or volunteers.
* Bilingual (Spanish/English): essential for communicating with artists, galleries, museums, and collectors in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Spain to support collections research development, exhibitions,  programs, and fundraising and to further the JSMA’s Latin American strategic plan.
* Demonstrated ability to work collegially and collaboratively with diverse internal and external constituents.
* Minimum 1 year experience working with faculty and students on curricular projects in the museum.
Professional Competencies
* Experience creating and conducting workshops.
* Experience researching and presenting Latin American art for museum acquisition and exhibition.
* Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
* Excellent computer skills, including MS Office and Outlook Exchange.
Preferred Qualification:
* PhD in art history, with a focus on modern or contemporary Latin American art.
* Experience working with community organizations, especially those serving Latino audiences.



The successful candidate will have the ability to work effectively with faculty, staff and students from a variety of diverse backgrounds. 
 
Position is subject to criminal background check.



Application Procedure
To apply, applicants should submit a cover letter, summarizing your qualifications and interest in the position; current résumé or curriculum vitae that includes dates of employment; and the names, phone numbers, and addresses of three professional references. University Advancement prefers email submissions with all materials packaged as a single PDF attachment and “Search 16007” in the subject line. Please submit applications to: Email:            advancementjobs@uoregon.edu

USPS:  Search Committee, Curator of Academic Programs JSMA                         University Advancement

University of Oregon

1720 E. 13th Avenue, Suite 312

Eugene, OR  97403

The University of Oregon is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution committed to cultural diversity and compliance with the ADA. The University encourages all qualified individuals to apply, and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected status, including veteran and disability status.

Uh?

This morning I was in Annapolis and went to the bathroom to pump bilges when two Milennials walked in to do the same.


As they were peeing, the discussion between them came to the Iowa results.


Milennial One: Can you believe that Cruz beat Trump?


Milennial Two: Yep... what if Cruz or Rubio end up being nominated?


Milennial One: They'd lose to Hillary dude; She'd get all the women vote, all the African American vote and all the Hispanic; the Republicans are anti-Hispanic.


Pause


Milennial Two (who may have been Hispanic): How can you say that? They have two Hispanic candidates!


Milennial One: They're not Hispanic! They're Cuban and they're white!


Milennial Two: True.

VFMA Fellowship winners announced

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts’ Fellowship Program continues its 76-year tradition supporting Virginia’s art community by giving grants to students and professional artists. With this year’s awards, fellowship grants will reach nearly $5.5 million with more than 1,275 awards to Virginia artists since the program’s inception in 1940. VMFA awarded 27 fellowships to Virginia art students and professional artists in 2016-17 for a total of $162,000.


“None of this would be possible without the generous endowment established by the late John Lee Pratt and all the supporters of this mission-based objective throughout the past 76 years.” Director Alex Nyerges said. “The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts’ Fellowship Program is committed to about nurturing artists throughout the Commonwealth.”
  
Twelve professional fellowships, each worth $8,000, were awarded. The recipients are (in alphabetical order by hometown): Moaz Elemam, film/video, Alexandria; Tyrone Turner, photography, Arlington; Lee Anne Chambers, painting, Courtland; Kristin Skees, mixed media, Hampton; Matthew Parker, drawing, Portsmouth; Cynthia Henebry, photography, Richmond; Valerie Molnar, mixed media (collab. with Matt Spahr), Richmond; Matt Spahr, mixed media (collab. with Valerie Molnar), Richmond; Stephen Vitiello, new/emerging media, Richmond; Jack Wax, crafts, Richmond; Paul Ryan, painting, Staunton; Martha Jones, painting, Williamsburg; Charlie Brouwer, sculpture, Willis.   


The juror for the professional awards was  Valerie Cassel Oliver, senior curator at the Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston.


Four graduate students won awards worth $6,000 each. They are: Paul Norton, film/video, Arlington; Kathryn Mayes, photography, Mechanicsville; Corey Piper, art history, Richmond; Abbesi Akhamie, film/video, Woodbridge. 


Ten undergraduate students won awards worth $4,000 each. They are: Natalie Abernethy, new/emerging media, Ashburn; Isabel Lee, sculpture, Charlottesville; Donald Boose, new/emerging media, Falls Church; Madeleine Hardy, painting, Falls Church; Emily White, photography, Fork Union; James Heyes, new/emerging media, Newport News; Cassie Williamson, mixed media, Powhatan; John DiJulio, photography, Richmond; Monica Escamilla, photography, Richmond; Kyle Falzone, mixed media, Richmond.
  
In addition, undergraduate student Rachel McGovern, crafts, of McLean was awarded a fellowship worth $2,000 for her final semester.


The juror for the undergraduate and graduate awards was Amy Moorefield, museum deputy director of exhibitions at the Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke, Va.


Of this year’s winners, seven artists have received fellowships in the past:
Jack Wax – 2007 Professional fellowship winner
Valerie Molnar – 2007 Graduate fellowship winnerStephen Vitiello – 2010 Professional fellowship winner
Martha Jones – 2011 Professional fellowship winner
Paul Ryan – 2010 Professional fellowship winner
Corey Piper – two-time art history winner
Paul Norton – 2014 Professional fellowship winner


The fellowship funds come from a privately-endowed fund administered by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. The Fellowship Program was established in 1940 through a generous contribution made by the late John Lee Pratt of Fredericksburg (the husband of Lillian Pratt, donor of the museum’s Fabergé collection). Offered through the VMFA Art and Education Division, fellowships are still largely funded through the Pratt endowment and supplemented by gifts from the Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation and the J. Warwick McClintic Jr. Scholarship Fund.