Chief Curator & Director of Exhibitions
The Ohio State University, Wexner Center for the Arts
Columbus, OH

The Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus, Ohio seeks a Chief Curator and Director of Exhibitions to join our team. International in scope and reputation, “the Wex” is among the United States’ premier multidisciplinary, international laboratories for the exploration and advancement of contemporary art. The institution’s mission to support art, artists, and audiences as they develop and advance new art forms and ideas is singularly supported by our location on the campus of The Ohio State University, a leading research university. The Wexner Center for the Arts prioritizes diversity, equity, access, and inclusion; and actively strives to produce the most supportive, open, inclusive, and responsive culture possible.

The Chief Curator and Director of Exhibitions will play a key role in the continuing evolution of the center, as the institution responds and adapts to the rapidly shifting spheres of contemporary art and culture. She/he/they will strategize, articulate, and execute a vision for the overall exhibitions program, leading the exhibitions team in tandem with the center’s Director to conceive, research, plan, and produce approximately seven to ten gallery exhibitions per year, spanning all visual arts disciplines, and featuring artists in all phases of their respective careers. The Wex prioritizes the conception, process, and production of new work through research initiatives, residencies, and collaborations with other institutions. In addition to making exhibitions, the Chief Curator and Director of Exhibitions will actively seek out and produce new frameworks and contexts through which to engage them. As part of this practice, they will also work to align meaningfully with and motivate other areas of this interdisciplinary center, including departments for Performing Arts, Film/Video, and Learning & Public Practice.

Duties:
40%  The Chief Curator and Director of Exhibitions will be expected to develop group exhibitions that pursue original ideas, themes, or areas of research; focus deeply on individual artists (rising, mid-career, and renowned); explore emergent artistic and cultural practices; and bring fresh insights to already established historical figures and/or practices. They will also review proposals from curators in the department, helping to evolve these exhibitions, situating them within the overall arc and conception of the exhibitions cycle, and supervising their installation. The Chief Curator and Director of Exhibitions will also work with the center’s Director and Exhibitions curatorial team to commission new work in conjunction with select exhibitions, and to select Wexner Center artists-in-residence. The Chief Curator and Director of Exhibitions must have excellent writing skills and place a high value on interpretive materials including brochures, exhibition catalogues, and public programs; they will be expected, as well, to assist in the production of promotional and advancement materials. With administrative and other assistance, they will oversee all aspects of the exhibition program (budgets, schedules, and other logistical and production matters) for originally conceived shows, those borrowed from other institutions, and those organized by the Wexner Center that will travel to other venues.

40% Duties of the Chief Curator and Director of Exhibitions extend to overseeing the exhibitions department, facilitating and ensuring effective communication and collaboration within the department among curators at all levels, administrative staff, registrars, exhibition designers/preparators, and technical support staff. As part of such oversight, the successful candidate will seek to mentor and provide guidance for more junior curatorial staff members, promoting their professional growth while creating opportunities for them within the development of exhibitions and programming. The Chief Curator and Director of Exhibitions will also collaborate with other programmatic departments (Performing Arts, Film/Video, and Learning and Public Practice) to leverage and reinforce the overall multidisciplinary profile and potential of the center; and the position will help ensure effective communication across all departments at the center. Among critical areas here are collaborating with editorial and design staff on exhibition-related publications (catalogues, gallery guides, calendars, invitations, and similar program materials); with Learning and Public Practice staff in the development of interpretive programs and materials to expand, complement, and enhance exhibitions; with marketing and communications staff on promotional, outreach, and advertising efforts; and with security staff on issues pertaining to safeguarding the works of art and the public in the galleries. Among these interdepartmental efforts, a key role for the Chief Curator and Director of Exhibitions is in the collaboration with advancement staff on funding proposals, donor stewardship, and other development efforts.

20% The Chief Curator and Director of Exhibitions will maintain and strengthen the center’s regional, national, and international network of artists, institutional peers, supporting foundations and organizations, collectors, writers, critics, cultural commentators, and patrons to continually advance the center’s overall reputation. In this vein, the successful candidate will anticipate co-organizing, importing, and exporting exhibitions with peer museums and art centers when key opportunities arise. The Chief Curator and Director of Exhibitions will also engage with the museum field and with academic colleagues at OSU and elsewhere, both initiating and responding to cross-campus opportunities for meaningful collaboration. Occupying an important position within the Wex staff and on the OSU campus, the successful candidate will represent the Wexner Center on various campus and community initiatives and committees, as requested by the Director; participate in regular Cabinet, Senior Staff, Program, and Exhibitions meetings as scheduled; and expand initiatives for community, student, and faculty engagement at all levels of program development and once an exhibition is on view.

Additional Information
Hours vary and include evenings, weekends, and possible holidays. Travel will be required when it is safe again to do so.  Salary $100,000 - $125,000

Required Qualifications
For the position of Chief Curator and Director of Exhibitions, a master’s degree in Art History or equivalent combination of education and experience is required, with a working knowledge of 20th and 21st century art, and a specialty in contemporary art being essential. A minimum of five to seven years of experience in organizing exhibitions that demonstrate rigorous and original thinking, explore emerging artists and/or culture, and/or unearth/reframe historical figures or practices is required. Candidates should possess both excellent research and communication skills, including public speaking, writing, and a strong publication record; also significant will be a strong network of contacts in the field, including artists, fellow curators, collectors, patrons, and academic colleagues.

We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to WCA-HR@osu.edu by Sunday, December 20th, 2020.

The Ohio State University is an Equal Employment Opportunity & Affirmative Action employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, national origin, disability status, or protected veteran status. The Ohio State University is committed to establishing a culturally and intellectually diverse environment, encouraging all members of our learning community to reach their full potential. We are responsive to dual-career families and strongly promote work-life balance to support our community members through a suite of institutionalized policies. We are an NSF Advance Institution and a member of the Ohio/Western Pennsylvania/West Virginia Higher Education Recruitment Consortium.