INTRODUCTION

The University of Connecticut (UConn) is pleased to invite applications for a Curator and Director of the Contemporary Art Galleries in the Department of Art & Art History at the rank of Assistant Professor in Residence. The Department of Art & Art History is among the top art departments in the nation. It has 23 faculty members, over 200 undergraduate majors, and 15 graduate students.

We seek an experienced, innovative, and visionary curator to direct the Contemporary Art Galleries (CAG) and to introduce diverse national and international artists, designers, and creatives to the university community. The Director/Curator could also collaborate with the UConn regional campuses on programming and exhibitions. Teaching requirements include two courses per academic year in either the undergraduate or graduate programs, as well as mentoring students in the Studio Art MFA program. This is a ten-month, non-tenure-track position with an anticipated start date of August 23, 2022.

The successful candidate will be expected to contribute to research and scholarship through extramural funding, high-quality publications, impact as measured through citations, performances and exhibits, and national recognition such as honorific awards. The successful candidate will share a deep commitment to effective instruction at the undergraduate and graduate levels, innovative courses and instruction methods, and mentoring of students in research, outreach, and professional development. Successful candidates will also be expected to broaden participation among members of under-represented groups; demonstrate through research, teaching, and/or public engagement the commitment to, and support of, diversity in the learning experience; integrate multicultural experiences into instructional methods and research tools; and provide leadership in developing pedagogical techniques designed to meet the needs of diverse learning styles and intellectual interests.

The Department of Art & Art History at the University of Connecticut is a dynamic community of artists and scholars that offers students a rich mix of resources, courses, events, and experiences designed to reflect and expand the creative and productive potential that the visual arts hold in contemporary society. Our dedication to excellence is found embedded within our undergraduate and graduate programs of study, throughout which we share a deep commitment to both creative and scholarly work. We offer sustained engagement in studio practice, exhibitions, community outreach, and other cultural practices. The Department offers the BA, BFA, and MFA degrees in Art as well as the BA in Art History.

The Department is committed to creating an environment in which creative and intellectual investigation, and its various critical applications, can develop and prosper alongside and through the benefits and resources of a major liberal arts research university. The Department’s programs are designed to allow students to deepen their understanding of the art of the present and the past, as either scholars or makers, or both, and to find their own voice in their work. The department is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

Founded in 1881, the UConn is a Land Grant and Sea Grant institution and member of the Space Grant Consortium. It is the state’s flagship institution of higher education and includes a main campus in Storrs, CT, four regional campuses throughout the state, and 13 Schools and Colleges, including a Law School in Hartford, and Medical and Dental Schools at the UConn Health campus in Farmington. The University has approximately 10,000 faculty and staff and 32,000 students, including nearly 24,000 undergraduates and over 8,000 graduate and professional students. UConn is a Carnegie Foundation R1 (highest research activity) institution, among the top 25 public universities in the nation. Through research, teaching, service, and outreach, UConn embraces diversity and cultivates leadership, integrity, and engaged citizenship in its students, faculty, staff, and alumni. UConn promotes the health and well-being of citizens by enhancing the social, economic, cultural, and natural environments of the state and beyond. The University serves as a beacon of academic and research excellence as well as a center for innovation and social service to communities. UConn is a leader in many scholarly, research, and innovation areas. Today, the path forward includes exciting opportunities and notable challenges. Record numbers of undergraduate applications and support for student success have enabled the University to become extraordinarily selective.

The UConn Storrs campus is in a beautiful area of New England, with a moderate cost of living and proximity to major cultural, recreational, and urban centers of the Northeast. The University community provides residents with a rich diversity of cultural, artistic, athletic, and historic experiences. UConn is ranked as the top public university in New England, and among the top 25 public universities nationwide.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Collaborate with the Department of Art & Art History and School of Fine Arts faculty, staff, and students to develop a dynamic vision for CAG
• Generate and organize exhibitions and other programs that demonstrate a strong commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility
• Collaborate with faculty on gallery programming that can be integrated with studio and academic coursework within the Department of Art & Art History, the School of Fine Arts, and the greater university
• Coordinate and nurture beneficial partnerships and interdisciplinary collaborations with SFA and across the university, including regional campuses and outside communities
• Oversee gallery budgets and related functions, including managing loans, art shipping/receiving, art installation, and coordinating honorariums and travel for visiting artists and speakers
• Secure additional support from university institutes, organizations, and outside funding sources
• Enhance visibility on-campus and off-campus; promote and publicize CAG through active engagement with traditional and social media
• Supervise graduate assistants and work-study students who are assigned to CAG
• Teach two courses per academic year in either the undergraduate or graduate programs; mentor MFA Studio Art students and serve on graduate committees

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• MFA in Art or Design, MA in Curatorial Studies or Art History, or equivalent or greater degree
• Two years of experience with curating and installing art/design exhibitions in a variety of spaces and contexts
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, and demonstrable past programming that focuses on DEIA
• Dedication to collaboration and outreach, with demonstrable past programming that is intradisciplinary within art/design and interdisciplinary across academic fields
• Experience with budgeting and all related business functions associated with gallery work (shipping/receiving, honorariums, travel, etc.)
• Ability to communicate at a high level in writing and in public speaking; ability to mobilize critical thinking and writing for catalogs, grant writing, and press releases
• Knowledge and experience in public relations and marketing
• Other related skills and experiences relevant to overseeing a gallery

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Two years of university teaching experience beyond graduate school
• Three years of experience with curating and installing art/design exhibitions in a variety of spaces and contexts
• Experience working with local and regional community partners
• Experience with programming progressive and experiential learning spaces
• Experience working with graduate students
• Established network of relationships with other arts organizations, gallerists, and contemporary artists

APPOINTMENT TERMS

This is a full-time, 10-month, non-tenure-track position with an anticipated start date of August 23, 2022. The position may be renewed annually. The successful candidate’s academic appointment will be at the Storrs campus. Faculty may also be asked to teach at one of UConn’s regional campuses as part of their ordinary workload. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Employment at the University of Connecticut is contingent upon the successful candidate’s compliance with the University’s Mandatory Workforce COVID-19 Vaccination Policy.  This Policy states that all workforce members are required to have or obtain a Covid-19 vaccination as a term and condition of employment at UConn, unless an exemption or deferral has been approved. 

Employment of the successful candidate is contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment criminal background check.

TO APPLY

Please apply online to Academic Jobs Online https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/21031 and submit the following application materials:

• A cover letter specifically addressing your credentials relative to the minimum and preferred qualifications listed above
• Curriculum vitae
• Curatorial statement (one page)
• Research and scholarship statement (innovative concepts that will form the basis of academic career, experience in proposal development, mentorship of graduate students, etc.);
• Teaching statement (one page, including teaching experience, commitment to effective learning, and mentorship of students);
• Commitment to diversity statement (including broadening participation, integrating multicultural experiences in instruction and research and pedagogical techniques to meet the needs of diverse learning styles, etc.);
• Sample journal articles or books
• Creative practice portfolio as PDF or website link (optional)
• 3 letters of reference.

Evaluation of applicants will begin on February 15, 2022. For more information regarding the Department of Art & Art History please visit the department website at art.uconn.edu.

At the University of Connecticut, our commitment to excellence is complemented by our commitment to building a culturally diverse community.

We acknowledge that the land on which we gather is the territory of the Mohegan, Mashantucket Pequot, Eastern Pequot, Schaghticoke, Golden Hill Paugussett, Nipmuc, and Lenape Peoples, who have stewarded this land throughout the generations. We thank them for their strength and resilience in protecting this land, and aspire to uphold our responsibilities according to their example.

Pronunciations

Mohegan (Mo-he-gan)

Mashantucket Pequot (Mash-un-tuck-it Pea-kwaht) Eastern Pequot (Pea-kwaht)

Schaghticoke (ska-teh-COKE) Golden Hill Paugussett (paw-GUS-it) Nipmuc (Nip-muck)

Lenape (Leh-NAH-pay)

This position will be filled subject the budgetary approval.

All employees are subject to adherence to the State Code of Ethics which may be found at http://www.ct.gov/ethics/site/default.asp.

The University of Connecticut is committed to building and supporting a multicultural and diverse community of students, faculty and staff. The diversity of students, faculty and staff continues to increase, as does the number of honors students, valedictorians and salutatorians who consistently make UConn their top choice. More than 100 research centers and institutes serve the University’s teaching, research, diversity, and outreach missions, leading to UConn’s ranking as one of the nation’s top research universities. UConn’s faculty and staff are the critical link to fostering and expanding our vibrant, multicultural and diverse University community. As an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity employer, UConn encourages applications from women, veterans, people with disabilities and members of traditionally underrepresented populations.