Now as a twenty-first-century institution, the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal has been bringing contemporary art alive in the heart of Montréal and Québec life for almost sixty years. Above all, it is visionary and open, focused on convincing an ever-growing public how important contemporary art is to the confirmation and development of our culture and how valuable it is to our society. The MAC demonstrates its leadership role through its involvement in and diversified links with all aspects of the Montréal artistic and cultural community, and through its participation in promoting contemporary art in Québec, Canada, and abroad. With its exhibitions, art performances, and festive events, the MAC offers a wide-open window on a myriad of avant-garde forms of expression that make art shine in the city and around the world.

To play its role to the fullest, the MAC is seeking a Director of Curation and Art Programming, who will be an active participant in defining the institution at an important point in its history, reaffirming its role in the Montréal ecology and on national and international stages, and building a diversified, impactful, and relevant art program that brings local and international artists together.

At the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, we believe in equity, diversity, accessibility, representativeness, and inclusion. We are committed to offering equal employment opportunities and fostering an inclusive, fair, and accessible environment in which all employees feel valued and respected and can fulfil their potential without regard for ethnic origin, nationality, religious beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, family situation, or disability situation.

If we can make the recruitment process more accessible for you, please don’t hesitate to mention this to us when we contact you.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE POSITION

Reporting to the Director and Chief Curator, the Director of Curation and Art Programming defines, jointly with the Director and Chief Curator, the orientations, objectives, programming, tools, and policies for exhibitions of the collection (including temporary exhibitions), touring and virtual exhibitions, special projects, cultural actions, publications, and digital projects.

This person oversees the development, planning, production, monitoring, and evaluation of activities and programs that he or she directs, with the support of the teams for which he or she is responsible, and manages the related financial, material, and human resources. He or she participates in the formulation of museum policies, particularly those related to programming, and the related acquisitions. He or she contributes to the production of temporary exhibitions. He or she supervises scientific research on the artworks and on the content of the exhibitions. He or she works closely with the Director, Education and Audience Engagement and the Director, Collections Management and Documentary Resources to develop exhibitions, publications, and public programs, and, more broadly, to promote the museum.

YOUR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

As a person who is passionate about contemporary art, an experienced manager, and able to work flexibly with collaborators and teams with diverse profiles, you demonstrate high integrity and strong team spirit and are recognized for your creativity, openness to change, and ability to manage stress. Your duties will include:
Programming
• Formulate a programming policy for which you will oversee implementation, evaluation, and review, aiming to position the Musée as a gold standard venue.
• Oversee the design, planning, production, and management of the programming of temporary exhibitions, exhibitions of the collection, travelling exhibitions, and special projects.
• Oversee the development, planning, and management of cultural actions by implementing symposiums, conferences, and other activities related to the dissemination of knowledge of contemporary art.
• Oversee the development, planning, and management of a publications program, including exhibition catalogues, publications on works in the collection, the Magazine du MAC, booklets, etc.
• Oversee the development, planning, and management of digital projects, including virtual exhibitions, microsites, and display of digital artworks, in close collaboration with the different stakeholders.
• Assess the interest and aesthetics of each project for advancing knowledge on developments in contemporary art.
• Determine the financial, human, and materials resources needed to produce the activities for which you are responsible.
• Formulate, plan, supervise, and monitor the operating budgets required and identify opportunities for public and private funding for the sector, direct grant applications and funding searches to ensure development of the service.
• Negotiate and follow up on contracts, service agreements, and partnerships related to your sectors of activity.
• May design and organize exhibitions as curator.
• In collaboration with the Director and Chief Curator, define curation priorities in the cultural context of Montréal and Québec in relation to Québec, Canadian, and international art activity.
• Position and promote the Musée as a key player in contemporary art through the activities that you direct.
• Develop and maintain relations with the museum-related and art fields.
• Actively participate in the executive committee and in other committees for which your contribution is required, such as the collection advisory committee.
• When necessary, represent and convey the vision of the Musée’s directors to other museum institutions and associations, national or international, and to certain public and private bodies.
• Contribute to promotion of the Musée by working within professional organizations in Québec, Canada, and abroad.

Operations
• Oversee management of human and financial resources of the teams in the technical and audiovisual services.
• In collaboration with your teams, plan the work required for exhibitions and be responsible for the related budgets.
• With service managers, oversee production of the work required for implementation of exhibitions and various events.

ABOUT YOU

You have the following qualifications:
• Hold a master’s degree in art history or museology and a bachelor’s degree in art history or museology, combined with relevant experience.
• Have ten (10) years of experience during which you have acquired the knowledge and skills required for the position, including five (5) years in a management position.
• Have varied and multifaceted experience during which you have acquired knowledge of museology, museography, and art fields, notably in the area of contemporary art.
• Have relevant achievements in the design and production of exhibitions, publications, and cultural actions.
• Have in-depth knowledge of contemporary art, the art field, and museology.
• Have the ability to recognize contemporary art masterpieces and artists who will make art history.
• Have an in-depth knowledge of the collection with a view to its exploitation, which is the basis of the Musée’s activities.
• Be knowledgeable about the numerous and rapid developments in contemporary museology.
• Be a good communicator, have published in-depth articles, and be capable of popularizing theoretical knowledge.
• Hold key skills and proven abilities with regard to human resources management and financial management.
• Have excellent mastery of French (written and spoken) and very good knowledge of English (written and spoken).
• Have good knowledge of the Microsoft OS 365 environment and the software in the Microsoft Office suite.

You have the following skills:
• Demonstrate a sense of organization, must be capable of long-term planning, respecting plans, and working under pressure.
• Show creativity, curiosity, and a sense of innovation.
• Demonstrate diplomacy, have relational skills, and be able to work in a team.
• Consider critical reception and impact among audiences.
• Show leadership.
• Be decisive and show initiative.

EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS

This competition is intended to fill the permanent full-time position of Director of Curation and Art Programming.

Le Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal is a state corporation of the Gouvernement du Québec that offers excellent working conditions and generous social benefits.

And:
• An environment that fosters a work-life balance with a flexible schedule
• Many professional development workshops on a variety of subjects available throughout the year
• Free entry to the exhibitions and to many cultural activities at the MAC and organized by our partners
• Easy sustainable mobility (seasonal BIXI discount, proximity to the metro and commuter train, future REM, reimbursement up to 20% on annual subscription to bicycle parking at PVM, subsidy for Opus + and Opus & Cie, free Communauto membership for professional travel)
• As of hiring, eligibility for the Pension Plan of Management Personnel
• Access to group insurance starting 30 days after hiring and an EAP
• 4 weeks of vacation and 5 personal days per year
• Social events
• And more

If the Musée inspires you, contact us! Send your curriculum vitae and a letter of introduction by email (rh@macm.org) to the attention of the Human Resources Department of the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal with the subject line “Director of Curation and Art Programming.” Only people whose applications are accepted will be contacted.