Museum Curator (Art)
What you'd do
The National Gallery of Art welcomes all people to explore art, creativity, and our shared humanity. Millions of people come through our doors each year, with even more online, making us one of the most visited art museums in the world. Our renowned collection includes over 160,000 works of art, from the ancient world to today. Admission to the West and East Buildings, Sculpture Garden, special exhibitions, and public programs is always free.
Major duties
The Department of American Art, at the National Gallery of Art, is responsible for the care, presentation, research and interpretation of a collection of over 1,500 American and British paintings, c.1700-1945, as well as its collection of American sculpture and decorative arts from that period. This European and American Art (CEA-AB) position is a recognized specialist in the history of American art before around 1920, is conversant in all periods of American and European art, organizes both collection-based and major loan exhibitions and writes important scholarly publications. Duties for this position include; Function as acting head of the department in the supervisory curator's absence. Represent CEA-AB on committees as assigned. Manages all curatorial aspects of projects he or she undertakes, assigns work to subordinate curatorial staff, provides direction, monitors progress, and evaluates the results. Serve as CEA-AB's point of contact for installations of American art, as well as for CEA-AB's active program of loans to other institutions. Consider merits of loan requests, makes recommendations for approval or denial; leads CEA-AB meetings to discuss loan decisions; coordinates with Loan Officers and Registrars on official review process and correspondence; determine and update insurance values for loans; acts as principal liaison between borrowing institutions, the department of loan services, conservation, framing, and the registrar for collections in his/her charge. Write/review texts for brochures, leaflets, the National Gallery's website, and other National Gallery publications or scholarly programs. Originate and organize temporary exhibitions of American art for the National Gallery. Assume responsibility for all elements of exhibition planning apart from timing and budget. Conduct lectures, tours, and other public programs for audiences of all levels. Is interviewed in films, podcasts, TV, and radio, and participates in social media initiatives. Seeks out new donors and collectors of American art in collaboration with the National Gallery's Associate Curator of Latinx Art and its Curator of Native American and Global Indigenous Art.
What you need to qualify
Basic Requirements: Degree: museum work; or in an applicable subject-matter field. OR Combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major, as shown in 1. above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. OR Four years of experience that provided knowledge comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of the 4-year course of study as shown in 1. above. Specialized Experience Statement: Candidates must possess at least one year of specialized experience, equivalent in responsibility to the GS-13 level in the Federal service demonstrating a broad knowledge of American and European Art, by acting as museum curator for American and British paintings from 1750 for a large art museum. OPM Qualifications Standard: Individual Occupational Requirements Museum Curator Series 1015 Associated Group standard; General Schedule Qualification Standards Other Relevant Eligibility Criteria: None Merit promotion applicants must meet the time-in-grade requirement as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: Applicants who are referred to the hiring office for selection consideration may be required to submit writing and/or work samples as part of the interview/selection process. If the hiring office decides to request a writing and/or work sample as part of its selection process, the vacancy contact will reach out to you by email to: (1) inform you of this requirement; and (2) provide further instructions.
Before you apply
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