Job Title:        Curator of American Art
Department:   Curatorial Affairs
Reports to:     Senior Director of Collections & Curatorial Affairs
FLSA Status:  Exempt
Employment Status:  Full-Time

Apply on the Toledo Museum of Art's website http://www.toledomuseum.org/jobs-internships.

Since our founding in 1901, the Toledo Museum of Art has earned a global reputation for the quality of our collection, our innovative and extensive education programs, and our architecturally significant campus.

And thanks to the benevolence of its founders, as well as the continued support of its members, TMA remains a privately endowed, non-profit institution and opens its collection to the public, free of charge.

SUMMARY
The Toledo Museum of Art is seeking a dynamic Curator of American Art to bring new focus to this significant area of the Museum’s collection. The Museum is strongly committed to a curatorial program that blends scholarship and connoisseurship with equity and inclusion in paradigm-shifting ways.

The new position of Curator of American Art will cover a period spanning initial contact between indigenous Americans and Europeans (ca. 1500) to the early 20th century.  Additionally, this position will be expected to work collaboratively with the Curator of Modern & Contemporary Art to support the Museum’s ambitious exhibitions and innovative gallery presentations of works into the 20th century.

TMA’s collection of masterworks includes paintings by John Singleton Copley, Raphaelle Peale, Thomas Cole, Winslow Homer, William Merritt Chase and Henry Ossawa Tanner (among others); and significant holdings in works on paper including examples by James Abbott McNeill Whistler and Childe Hassam; and a notable decorative arts collection. The Curator of American Art will also be expected to broaden the canon of American art and share the story of American history in new and innovative ways as TMA gears up for a complete reinstallation of the collection as the culmination of the current five-year plan. Highlights of this position will include the opportunity to make significant acquisitions and to organize substantial exhibitions, especially those that elevate historically marginalized voices.

The role is best-suited to a candidate with strong research skills, an understanding of the American art market, and both generalist and specialist knowledge in American art across media with particular emphasis on the 19th century. The ideal candidate will have the ability and desire to thoughtfully integrate ideas about American works into the framework of the larger TMA collection and possess a genuine desire to engage a broad range of audiences.

The candidate should seek to include a diverse array of narratives and perspectives; actively pursue engagement internally with colleagues and externally with visitors, Museum support groups and donors; be energized by involvement with the community of Toledo; be eager to take on a public-facing role; be innovative, reliable, communicate well with others and be deadline driven.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Works to support the Museum’s ambitious program of American art acquisitions, exhibitions and innovative gallery displays and presentations.
• Conducts quality art historical research primarily focused on the collection, acquisitions for the collection and exhibitions.
• Provides project management support for American curatorial projects and assists in the creation, tracking and execution of interpretive plans related to American art curatorial initiatives, large and small.
• Coordinates and oversees arrangements related to visiting scholars/artists/curators, including, but not limited to, Museum-hosted symposiums and curatorial-driven events.
• Liaises with other Museum departments to communicate updates and key information about curatorial projects in a timely manner.
• Provides tours of the American art collection and speaks with visitors, donors and Museum support groups about curatorial initiatives and activities as needed.
• Engages regularly with local and national press.
• Performs other duties as assigned or required.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• A Ph.D. or M.A. in art history is required. A specialization in American art or related field is strongly preferred.
• Experience working in a museum and a proven track record of realizing complex projects.

RELATIONSHIPS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT
Reports to the Senior Director of Collections & Curatorial Affairs and works collaboratively across all departments. Standard office environment requiring regular use of phone, computer, and copy machines. The person in this position frequently communicates with public membership and staff who have inquiries and must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations. This person will attend events inside and outside of TMA, including evenings and weekends with overnight travel.

The Toledo Museum of Art provides equal opportunity for employment and promotion to all qualified employees and applicants. No person shall be discriminated against in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other status or condition protected by applicable federal or state statutes. The Museum is committed to maintaining an environment in which all employees are treated equitably and given the opportunity to achieve their full potential in the workplace. If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to access job openings or apply for a job on this site as a result of your disability. You can request reasonable accommodations by contacting Human Resources at jobs@toledomuseum.org or (567)-666-0387.