Current Opportunities
Hannah and Russel Kully Director of the Art Collections
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens seeks an innovative, dynamic, and collaborative individual for the position of Hannah and Russel Kully Director of the Art Collections.
The Art Collections sit within a unique institution composed of three separate collecting areas. Working in synergy with the directors of the Library and Botanical Gardens, the director of the Art Collections oversees a world-renowned collection of European and American Art, a robust acquisitions and permanent exhibitions program, and a well-respected temporary exhibitions program. As a direct report to the President of The Huntington, the Director of the Art Collections has a unique opportunity to initiate and develop educational, research, and community engagement programs on the basis of its world-renowned art collection and its temporary exhibitions. An important feature of the position is its responsibility for shaping the future of the art collections through strategic gifts and purchases, particularly with a view toward filling in significant gaps. Few other institutions in Southern California have the physical space to expand the capacity of their collections given the right combination of objects and funding.
In recent years, there has been much positive momentum for the Art Division at the Huntington, particularly in the acquisition of American art. As an active team player and good listener, the next director will use an appropriately ambitious approach to connect the art collections meaningfully with current and new audiences, assuring that they remain a valued resource to the community in the Los Angeles area and beyond. Given the unique nature of The Huntington as one of the region’s foremost cultural institutions as well as the unique cultural geography and institutional context of Los Angeles in particular, and southern California in general, the Director of the Art Collections will play a critical role in advocating for diversity and inclusion.
The Director of the Art Collections directly or indirectly supervises 17 on-call, full- and part-time staff members. S/he works at the senior leadership level with Senior Staff, the Board of Trustees, and the Board of Overseers in support of The Huntington’s mission as a collections-based educational and research institution serving scholars and the general public. Within this framework, the director champions a vision of making The Huntington a nationwide leader in education, and of supporting and fostering a robust program of advanced research in art history and related disciplines.
The Huntington has retained the executive search firm of Korn Ferry to assist in the search. Please email nominations and applications (resume/CV and cover letter) to: Naree W.S. Viner, Nonprofit Practice, at: HuntingtonDirector@kornferry.com
The Huntington considers applicants for employment without regard to, and does not discriminate on the basis of an individual’s sex, race, color, religion, age, disability,status as a veteran, or national or ethnic origin; nor does it discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identityor expression.