NW Art Center Exhibition Coordinator

Exhibition Coordinator

The Northwest Arts Center seeks a part-time Exhibition Coordinator that will fulfill central exhibition programing responsibilities and will support the Executive Director in exhibition administrative operations.

The Exhibition Coordinator is responsible for the booking, contracts, and planning of all temporary exhibitions. The Exhibition Coordinator will at times be responsible for training and managing student employees and volunteers and may also supervise student interns.

Responsibilities

Oversees all aspects of temporary exhibitions in partnership with outside organizations and artists, including scheduling, installation, content development, and maintaining mission focused temporary exhibitions.

• In coordination with the Director, identify artists and exhibitions of merit for inclusion in the gallery schedule alongside annual and recuring exhibitions.
• Project management: create and implement internal gallery calendar, exhibition schedules and gallery tasks. Coordinate exhibition schedules and tasks with the Director, Gallery Assistants and Volunteers.
• Coordinate and communicate with artists and institutions for exhibition scheduling, contracting and implementation. Create and send exhibition and University contracts and submit exhibition related contracts, invoices, and vouchers to MSU Business Office.
• Plan layout, install, and uninstall exhibitions in a timely manner according to exhibition schedule, tasks including un-packing and packing of artwork, art handling, condition reporting, hanging, and presenting artwork, lighting, installing signage, labels and didactics, gallery maintenance and painting.
• Identify, curate, and propose exhibitions from the Minot State University Collections internally and externally to regional institutions and organizations.
• Conduct reviews and enact exhibition evaluation strategies with the Director to ensure excellence in programming.
• In coordination with Director, train and manage gallery assistants in all gallery tasks.
• Work with and educate student employees, interns and volunteers on display methods and art handling best practices.
• Collaborate with MSU departments and organizations along with local and regional institutions and organizations for partnership, programming, and educational opportunities.
• Attend local, regional, and national conferences when budget allows.

Knowledge and Experience

• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in Museum Studies, Art History, Arts Administration, Studio Arts, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience in an administrative and project management not-for-profit or commercial setting, preferably a museum or gallery, or equivalent education and experience.
• Experience overseeing and training volunteers and other untrained staff in a museum, gallery, or library setting.
• Knowledge of professional standards in gallery best practices including art and object handling, display, and packing.

Desired Skills and Qualifications

• Possesses strong knowledge of or the ability to learn project management software and methods, Microsoft Office, and other software programs.
• Excellent organizational and forward planning skills.
• Ability to adjust and thrive in a changing and shifting environment.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, patient personality, and able to work well with others in a team setting.
• Self-motivated and can work independently; thoughtful, willing to offer and receive constructive criticism on new and existing systems and programs.
• Comfortable using and climbing 6 ft and 8 ft ladders.

Working Conditions

Work will generally take place in an indoor gallery and office environment. Moderate physical activity required; art and equipment handling of up to 50 lbs. and moving between gallery spaces on a regular basis.

The Exhibition Coordinator is a non-exempt employee with a flexible part-time schedule, reporting to the Northwest Arts Center Director. This is an hourly position with an expectation of at least 20 hours per week starting at $16-18 per hour commensurate on experience. Working hours will vary depending on need, including occasional weekend, or evening work.

About Us

The Northwest Arts Center is a non-profit arts center operating on the campus of Minot State University. The Center houses the Walter Piehl Gallery, a public reception area, and climate-controlled collections storage for Minot State University’s Permanent Art Collection and Native American Collections. Over the years the Center has enriched the artistic life of northwest North Dakota with year-round art exhibitions, a performing arts series, a public lecture series, and numerous workshops and artists-in-residence activities. Programming of the Northwest Arts Center is supported by entry fees from its juried competitions, grants, student activity fees, memberships, and private donations. All exhibits are free and open to the public.

To apply, please submit cover letter and resume through the position listing on www.minotstateu.edu/hr/jobs. Applications accepted starting March 18. Position is open until filled.

Questions? For questions about this position please contact (nac@minotstateu.edu) or visit us at the Northwest Arts Center (lower level of the Gordon B. Olson Library, south side entrance).