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Curate a Hayward Touring exhibition. Submit an innovative exhibition proposal.

Hayward Touring: Curatorial Open 2009 is the inaugural exhibition of a series of three annual Hayward Touring curatorial open calls. Hayward Touring in association with a number of regional museums and galleries invites proposals for an innovative exhibition, touring to four UK venues in 2009.

For 40 years, The Hayward has played a key role in creating imaginative, high profile exhibitions in London and throughout the UK with Hayward Touring exhibitions. Hayward Touring annually presents around 22 shows to 650,000 people in approximately 86 venues throughout the UK. Exhibitions range in scale from the British Art Show, the largest survey of contemporary British art organised in the UK, to small graphics and photography shows.

The successful applicant of the Hayward Touring: Curatorial Open will work in collaboration with the Hayward and four regional museums and galleries in organising their touring exhibition commencing July 2009. Hayward Touring: Curatorial Open provides a honorarium of £3,000 plus £1,000 for research and travel expenses. The curator will be expected to work within a modest exhibition budget that will allow for a small publication.

The selection panel includes Ralph Rugoff, Director, The Hayward, Roger Malbert, Senior Curator, Hayward Touring, representatives of the participating museums and galleries and an artist (to be announced).

Application deadline: 5pm Monday 8 September 2008

Short-listing: end of September 2008

Interviews: 14 October 2008

For more information, and to download the application form and guidelines, please visit the Southbank Centre website.

English Heritage protects and provides advice on England’s unique legacy of historic buildings, landscapes and archaeological sites. EH also manages over 400 sites and welcomes in excess of 11 million visitors to these each year.

EH is looking for a curatorial assistant to join the London Collections team to support the Senior Curator in the management of English Heritage’s portfolio of historic houses. This includes eight significant sites, with a wide range of paintings, furniture and decorative arts. Your role will be to help ensure that the collection documentation database is maintained to Museum Registration standards, and support conservation, presentation and display projects throughout the London Region.

You will have a relevant degree with a proven track record of working in a museum or historic house environment. Good knowledge of museum inventory database packages and of collection care standards and procedures, with the ability to research and work to project deadlines, will be essential.

English Heritage values diversity and aims to employ people who reflect this.

Closing Date: 10 August 2008
Interview date: 19 August 2008

To discover more and apply, please visit www.english-heritage.org.uk/jobs

The British Film Institute (BFI) operates a world-renowned archive, cinemas, festivals, films, publications and learning resources.

BFI is looking for a Curator to manage and develop the special collections and the provision of services relating to them and to take a leading role in the development and implementation of policy regarding these collections, placing them at the heart of BFI activities.

Duties will include appraising and acquiring production records and other materials that document British film and television production, setting cataloguing and conservation priorities and objectives and promoting the Special Collections.

You will need to be educated to degree level, or equivalent, with a recognised archive or information library qualification. You will also require knowledge and understanding of all aspects of British film and TV history, as well as knowledge of curating collections for use in publications, exhibitions and group presentations.

Based in central London, you’ll enjoy benefits such as a final salary pension scheme, 28-33 days annual leave, free tickets to the BFI Southbank plus many other discounts and benefits.

Qualification Level: Degree level
Salary range: c£33,000 – £39,000

Further details about the post and the BFI can be obtained by visiting www.bfi.org.uk/jobs or by email: jobs -at- bfi.org.uk. Closing date for applications is 11 July 2008, and interviews will be held in the week commencing 21 July 2008.

Curator, The Hayward
33,000 GBP per annum

Southbank Centre is the UK's largest arts centre, occupying a 21-acre site that sits in the midst of London's most vibrant cultural quarter on the South Bank of the Thames. The site has an extraordinary creative and architectural history stretching back to the 1951 Festival of Britain.

As the hub of visual arts activity at Southbank Centre, The Hayward plays a vital role in the UK and internationally by presenting a wide range of ground-breaking art exhibitions, project exhibitions and outdoor installations. Boasting one of the largest and most versatile exhibition
spaces in the UK, The Hayward aims to place artists at the heart of its every activity and to offer visitors adventurous encounters that defy expectations.

As Curator, you will work with the Director and Chief Curator of The Hayward to deliver a series of exhibitions and installations in The Hayward Project Space, outdoor spaces around Southbank Centre's site and in the gallery. You will be responsible for curating and writing about each project as well as supervising design and installation and managing project budgets.

With demonstrable knowledge of and interest in international modern and contemporary art, you will have significant experience of working in an art gallery or museum at all stages of curating an exhibition from conceptualising, planning, and administering exhibitions to their installation. Outstanding interpersonal skills and the ability to manage relationships at all levels are also essential.

You will be available to start in November 2008.

For further information and details about how to apply, please visit http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/jobs or phone 02079210641. Application forms should be submitted to recruit -at- southbankcentre.co.uk or posted to HR, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX by 5pm on the closing date.

Closing date: 17th July 2008

Goldsmiths' Department of Art is a world-leading centre for research in contemporary art. Research and teaching focuses on three areas: fine art practice, art writing and curating, each led by internationally recognised scholars and artists. The Department attracts exceptional students from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures from the UK and overseas.

The Department has vacancies in the following areas for high-achieving, dynamic people who can contribute to the future development of this important centre for research and teaching in contemporary art:

Lecturer in Curating
From £29,372 to £43,286 p.a. incl pro rata
Part time (0.2 fte)
ref: 08/80AE
New Cross, London

For further information please visit: www.goldsmiths.ac.uk/hr/employment
Or email: hr -at- gold.ac.uk

Closing date: Tuesday 24 June 2008 by 5.00pm

176 is looking for a motivated and dedicated curatorial intern to work on exhibitions, publications, gallery management and the interaction programme. Applicants should have some curatorial experience, and be interested in the range of skills involved in working in a small public gallery with an ambitious programme. The internship will begin mid-June 2008 and is carried out 3 days per week for a duration of three months. CV and covering letter to Ellen Mara De Wachter: ellen -at- zabart.org. Deadline 6 June 2008.

Associate Curator (Contemporary and 20th Century), National Portrait Gallery

The National Portrait Gallery houses a unique collection of all forms of portraiture of the people who have made or who are currently contributing to British history and culture. With more than 1.5 million visitors each year, the Gallery is one of England's most important and popular galleries. The Gallery seeks an Associate Curator to work on a range of contemporary and 20th Century projects, including acquisitions, displays and commissions. One year fixed term contract. Circa £27,000 per annum.

Full details of this and all other employment opportunities at the Gallery can be viewed at http://www.npg.org.uk/jobs or requested by e-mailing: personnel -at- npg.org.uk

Closing date for returned applications is Monday 16 June 2008. The Gallery is committed to equality and is a member of the Employers' Forum on Disability, Race for Opportunity and the Equality Exchange.

Programme Director / Curator
Stanley Kubrick Archive, London College of Communication

University of the Arts London is a vibrant world centre for innovation, drawing together six Colleges with international reputations in art, design, fashion, communication and performing arts.

£38,912 - £46,911 (potential for contribution pay up to £52,282) | Elephant & Castle, SE1
(2 year fixed term contract)

The archives of the internationally acclaimed and legendary film maker Stanley Kubrick arrived at London College of Communication in March 2007. This unique legacy comprises of scripts, treatments, drafts, working and research documents, costumes, props, books and film equipment. Its potential for the advancement of research and teaching in filmmaking is immense.

Working closely with the Manager of the archive, your duties will include organising a bi-annual Stanley Kubrick programme, arranging the curation of regular exhibitions and leading cross-university research and academic programming. Everything will be geared towards maximising the potential of the archives and inspiring further generations of film makers.

You will be an enthusiast of Kubrick's work and bring a broad knowledge of film production alongside a record of academic or film research and publication. Added to that, you'll have a good knowledge of film and media curatorial practice, an inspiring approach to management and communication and be backed by a qualification at Masters Level or an equivalent depth of academic experience.

In return, the University offers a competitive employment package including a salary that reflects working in London; generous annual leave; a final salary pension scheme; and a commitment to your continuing personal and career development in an environment that encourages creativity, diversity and excellence. Relocation assistance is also available.

This post is subject to a criminal records check by the CRB.

Closing date: 23rd June 2008

To receive your application pack (CVs alone will not be accepted) please contact,
Sandra Borley, School of Media, University of the Arts London, Elephant and Castle, London SE1 6SB. Telephone 020 7514 6806 or email: s.borley -at- lcc.arts.ac.uk

University of the Arts London aims to be an equal opportunities employer embracing diversity in all areas of activity.

As an independent thinker and an experienced curator of photography and modern and contemporary international art, you’ll focus your creative energies on the acquisition and research of works for the Tate Collection. As well as researching and proposing acquisitions, this creative and challenging role will place you at the heart of our acquisitions strategy, championing photography and further developing its scope within Tate. You’ll collaborate with the Head of Collections (International art) to inform others of developments and events within modern and contemporary photography. You’ll also engage in scholarly debates and actively contribute to the conception of displays and exhibitions.

Required Skills:
Your degree/postgraduate degree in the history of art or photography (or a related field) will be complemented by demonstrable knowledge of – and practical involvement in – photography and modern and contemporary international art. You’ll also have an established (and enviable) network of contacts in the field of photography. It is also important that you have extensive experience of staging photography displays and exhibitions. The nature of the role will mean regular overseas travel and attending functions outside normal hours.

Application Instructions:
For further information and to download an application pack, please visit the Tate's website.
Salary: c. £35,000 p.a.
Closing date: 27 May 2008. Interviews: 9 June 2008.
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Tate’s mission is to increase the public’s knowledge, understanding and appreciation of art, by displaying a collection of some of the best modern and contemporary art the world has to offer.

The Collections team within the Curatorial Department is responsible for Tate’s acquisition programme and plays a leading role within Tate in researching the Collection. This post will assist and support the work of the Collections team relating to Modern and Contemporary British Art from 1950, dealing with acquisitions, research and publishing on the collection, displays and specialist enquiries.

You will need a degree or post-graduate degree in a relevant subject in art history or a related field, along with a broad knowledge of twentieth-century art, and proven relevant work experience. You will also need specialist knowledge of one or more aspects of the area that the post covers i.e. Modern and Contemporary British art from 1950.

In addition you will need excellent writing, research, and organisational skills. Your well-developed interpersonal skills will enable you to work effectively as part of a team and collaboratively across Tate. You will also be able to prioritise your work to meet deadlines, and maintain your attention to detail under pressure.

For further information and to download an application pack, please visit www.tate.org.uk .
Full-time, 12 month contract at £21,000 p.a. Closing date: 28 April 2008. Interviews to be held on 21 May 2008.

Title: Head of Curatorial
Salary: c.£51k

The BFI is the national body charged with the care of one of the world's foremost collections of moving image and related materials, the BFI National Archive. The BFI is seeking an individual to take forward the plans for developing and interpreting these collections. In this high-profile and demanding role you will be closely involved in the detailed management of the acquisition process and care of our moving image collections. You will also develop your team to deliver a programme of world class interpretation and documentation, ensuring the highest standards of scholarship in promoting the collections, and working to create a collection which can be accessed by all.

Further details about the post and the BFI can be obtained by visiting http://www.bfi.org.uk/jobs. Closing date for applications is 24 March 2008. Interviews will be held on 28 March 2008.

First of the month again... even with an extra day, February seemed short! Here's the March '08 edition of Pick 'N Mix, my monthly annotated list of little news items in the realm of curating.

• A fascinating article on the state of museums and galleries in China on ARTnews notes that a concern in the face of explosive growth "...has been the absence of training programs for museum professionals in China, a country where the term "curator" did not exist ten years ago. Even now, there is only one program in curatorial studies, run by the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, which is graduating its first class this year. "In China, we didn't have degrees such as arts management or curatorial studies, so most of the museum directors were originally artists," says Fan Di'an, who like many directors in China got his position through political appointment." The artist/curator model is well-established, particularly in North America, and so the reaction to a similar model emerging (albeit under quite different circumstances) is one to keep an eye on.


• If new media, Internet art and networked art are your thing, there's lots of good reading at this page at the BAM website, with several downloadable documents detailing conversations and interviews with curators, artists and directors by Karen Annemie Verschooren. The interview with Christiane Paul, Adjunct Curator of New Media Arts at the Whitney, is particularly fascinating and candid in its description of the early days of exhibiting new media artwork in a prominent museum.


• Thomas Krens is leaving the Guggenheim, and this act has sparked a lot of reflection on his years at the helm. Charlie Finch on artnet.com characterizes the influence of Krens on curatorial practice as "...turning everything into an art that was at once contemporary and exchangeable in ever increasing increments of value." It's a very critical standpoint that also claims that "...the land of Krens evoked the carnival and the circus. Whether showing Spanish painting gems, Aztec war toys, garments or bikes, Krens' vision included the kitchen sink, the golden bidet and everything in between." From that statement out of the USA, let's jump (gently) across the pond for a moment. The new Director of the National Gallery, Nicholas Penny, made a statement saying that as far as he was concerned, the era of the big, sexy blockbuster is over, and Guardian writer Jonathan Jones discusses how the blockbuster itself is not to blame, but that one should blame "sloppy curating - curating that is addicted to short cuts, allergic to the years of research and negotiations it takes to put on a really good exhibition." Food for thought.


• Finally, the New York Times reports that "nine months after taking over, Jeffrey Weiss has resigned as director of the Dia Art Foundation, saying he had realized he was not cut out for the job." Mr Weiss says: "It took me too far away from curatorial and scholarly work [...] I had an idea that being director of Dia would be different because it is such a small place. [...] My hope is to return to curatorial and scholarly work, but right now I'm taking a breath." It'll be interesting to see both who Dia hires next and what Mr Weiss does next, and serves as a point of reflection on where a curatorial career can be said to "terminate" -- does a curator need to stay in jobs expressly about curating, and leave museum/gallery direction to those with deeper interests in business/administration?

Located within a 21-acre site, Southbank Centre is the one of the largest arts centres in the world. The site includes three iconic buildings - the Royal Festival Hall, the Queen Elizabeth Hall and The Hayward and attracts more than three million visitors every year. You will work with the Director and Chief Curator of the Hayward to deliver a series of Project Space Exhibitions over a six-month period: you will be responsible for curating and writing about each project as well as supervising design and installation and managing project budgets. With demonstrable knowledge of and interest in international modern and contemporary art, you will have significant experience of working in an art gallery or museum at all stages of curating an exhibition from conceptualising, planning, and administering exhibitions to their installation. Outstanding interpersonal skills and the ability to manage relationships at all levels are also essential. You will be available for an immediate start.

Salary: c. £30,000 per annum
Temporary 6 month contract from March 2008
Closing date: 6 March 2008

For more information and to apply, visit the Southbank Centre's website.

Tate Britain's programme of exhibitions and collection displays provide public access to some of the most interesting and ground-breaking British contemporary art being made today. To ensure the highest standard of content and delivery of this programme Tate is currently seeking an experienced Curator to play a leading role in our team.

Your substantial curatorial experience and demonstrable knowledge of modern and contemporary British art will be enhanced by specialist expertise and a demonstrable interest in interdisciplinary arts practice. Collaborating with other Tate team members you will take a lead in devising, developing and delivering exhibitions and collection displays, as well as contributing to the Tate Britain programme and its vision. Your first-class writing and research skills will enable you to contribute to learning and scholarship within Tate. You'll have proven excellent organisational, planning and project management skills. While the emphasis is on curatorial work on the programme (exhibition delivery) you'll also contribute your expertise to Tate's acquisitions process.

Temporary for up to 12 months (maternity cover). Part time over 4 days (28.8 hours per week). Up to £24,000 pa (pro rata to £30,000 pa).

For further information and to download an application pack, please visit the Tate website. Closing date: 28 January 2008. Interviews will be held in the week commencing 11 February 2008.

The internationally acclaimed Serpentine Gallery is seeking two key curators to join its dynamic and ambitious Programming team.

Education Project Curator: £30,000 per annum
Public Programmes Curator: £30,000 per annum

The Education Project Curator is responsible for the development and delivery of innovative projects and artists' commissions in public and community contexts as well as at the Gallery. You will be a leader in the field with substantial experience of working with artists to realise complex and ambitious projects.

The Public Programmes Curator develops and delivers the Gallery's wide-reaching public programmes including talks, conferences, screenings and events. You will be passionate about modern and contemporary art and architecture and have substantial experience of delivering public programmes for a wide range of audiences.

For further information, please visit the Serpentine Gallery website. Closing date for applications: 8 February 2008. The Serpentine Gallery is committed to equal opportunities. Applications are welcome from all sections of the community, particularly people with disabilities and those from the black and minority ethnic communities, all of whom are currently under-represented at senior levels. Registered charity number 298809.