McNay Art Museum, Curator of Latinx Art
Salary Range: $75,000-$80,000
The McNay Art Museum, a museum of modern and contemporary art located in San Antonio, Texas, is seeking to add a dynamic, creative, and engaging museum curator as the first Curator of Latinx Art. The curator will be responsible for developing, expanding, and maintaining the Museum’s growing collection of Latinx artworks, and making this collection available to a broad audience through exhibitions, publications, educational programs, and through other platforms.
As an addition to the McNay’s robust curatorial team, the Curator of Latinx Art will promote equity and inclusion of the Latinx community in the Museum’s exhibitions and programs. This position will also help implement portions of the Museum’s strategic plan by maintaining community partnerships with cultural organizations to collaboratively celebrate Latinx culture and contributions to San Antonio and beyond.
Funded by four national partners—Alice L. Walton Foundation, Ford Foundation, Mellon Foundation, and Pilot House Philanthropy—this new position is created through an initiative of Leadership in Art Museums (LAM). The LAM recipients are diverse institutions with local and national impact spanning geography, size, and cultural focus. As a shared goal, they are fully committed to developing and nurturing museums’ leadership roles that will demonstrate and create a more inclusive art world.
Position Overview
To develop, collect, and maintain the Latinx art collection and to make this collection available to a broad audience through exhibitions, publications, educational programs, and other platforms.
Essential Job Functions
Develops Latinx art collection through gifts, purchases, and bequests. Prepares and presents proposals of gifts and purchases for the Head of Curatorial Affairs and the Director to put forth to the Art Committee.
Plans all Latinx art conservation activities, including surveys, preventative measures, and treatments, in concert with the Collections Manager and other curatorial staff.
Plans Latinx art exhibition program and coordinates overall schedule in concert with the Head of Curatorial Affairs and other curatorial staff.
Coordinates all Latinx art preparation activities, including the installation of exhibitions and the permanent collection, preventative maintenance, matting/framing, storage, and packing/shipping, in concert with the Head of Curatorial Affairs, Collections Manager, and other curatorial staff.
Prepares publications and digital materials relating to the Latinx art collection and exhibitions.
Coordinates activities of the Latinx art collection with the Head of Education to assure good joint planning of permanent collection installations and temporary exhibitions, with related educational programs.
Coordinates all Latinx art management activities with the Collections Manager, including policies, storage, photography, forms, and records.
Works with Collections Manager and Lead Preparator to ensure proper light, temperature, and humidity levels in galleries.
Prepares and oversees operating budget for the Latinx art collection, including conservation, publications, exhibitions, photography, etc., working closely with Head of Curatorial Affairs.
Identifies and helps develop funding and sponsorship opportunities with Director, Head of Development, and development staff as appropriate.
Acts as museum ambassador to Latinx artist community on a regional, national, and international basis. Expands visibility of the Latinx collection, exhibitions, and programs through networking opportunities.
Performs other duties as required.
Requirements
Candidates should have at least 5 years of experience in museum administration and curatorial oversight; established and robust networks in the global art community; excellent communication skills with strong speaking and writing abilities; and fluency in Spanish, both oral and written.
Other Skills
Must have flexible work hours; evening and weekend duty are required. Computer skills, especially with database programs, Adobe suite, and InDesign a plus.
Education:
Master’s degree in art history, studio art, museum studies, Latinx studies, or American studies; PhD preferred.