Assistant Curator for Jewish Arts Initiatives

Job Description

Job Description

The Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA) seeks an Assistant Curator to support activities and research related to the museum’s Jewish Arts Initiative. This project seeks to highlight the global diversity of Jewish artistic expression and heritage from antiquity to the present, commensurate with the quality and breadth of the museum’s collection. The scope of the initiative includes research, interpretation, acquisition and loan activity, gallery installations, special exhibitions, publications, scholarly and public programs, conservation, and digital initiatives that reach worldwide audiences.

The full-time, limited term (3-year) position is intended for candidates wishing to pursue a museum career; it provides comprehensive experience working at a major encyclopedic museum across the full range of museum activities. The successful candidate will be responsible for assisting in the care, research, gallery display, digital presentation, and development of the museum’s holdings of Jewish ceremonial art and objects related to the Jewish faith.

The Assistant Curator will support and collaborate with the Curator of Decorative Arts in fulfilling the vision for the museum’s Jewish Arts Initiative. Responsibilities will include, but not be limited to, writing didactic materials, assisting with and conducting independent research, supporting permanent collection gallery rotations and exhibitions, managing loans, and assisting with acquisitions. The Assistant Curator will act as a liaison for the Initiative between curators and museum professionals in the Director’s Office, Conservation, Ingalls Library and Archives, Interpretation, Exhibitions, and Design departments. An important aspect of the role will be provenance research, particularly in the context of WWII, to support multiple curatorial departments.

As a member of the curatorial staff, the Assistant Curator is expected to work closely and collegially with others to fulfill the mission of the museum and to maintain the highest professional standards of scholarship, connoisseurship, and professional practices in the field.

Responsibilities

• Works under the direction of the Curator, in cooperation with other members of staff, to achieve the mission of the institution and to implement its strategic objectives.

• Works in collaboration with staff in Conservation, Collections Management, and Design to ensure that works of art are properly conserved, documented, stored, and displayed for the enjoyment and education of the public.

• Conducts research to develop exhibitions and public programs, enrich the collection database, and create didactic materials.

• Assists with the organization and/or coordination of special exhibitions. The Assistant Curator is involved all stages of exhibition planning and execution from conception to research, strategizing loans, writing, and collaborating with other departments on fundraising, design and installation, audience research, marketing, interpretive programming, etc.

• Works with the Curator to identify and recommend works of art for acquisition; helps to assemble all required supporting documentation, including provenance, historical and aesthetic significance of the object, context within the collection, discussion of price, and state of conservation.

• Works with Interpretation staff to develop gallery didactics, both print and digital, and receives feedback from Interpretation in a collaborative manner to ensure that didactics are accessible to general audiences. Collaborates with Public and Academic Engagement staff on the development of public programs.

• In collaboration with the Curator, installs or reinstalls aspects of the collection after developing and presenting a rationale that accords with the Strategic Plan and current procedures; works closely with Conservation, Interpretation, Design, and others to realize the reinstallation.

• In collaboration with the Curator, works with Philanthropy to identify and cultivate individual and institutional funders for diverse projects related to the permanent collection, exhibitions, and others, as needed.

• Participates in events organized for the museum’s members, constituent groups such as the Board of Trustees, Women’s Council, Donors’ Circle, and affinity groups.

• Performs other duties as assigned by the Curator.

Requirements and Key Competencies

M.A. in art history or history required, with a minimum of two years of relevant experience. Ph.D. preferred.

Possess a broad familiarity with the history of Judaism and Jewish cultures, rituals, and ceremonial arts.

Have demonstrated experience with provenance research and knowledge of relevant databases and resources.

Have a demonstrated ability to work successfully and collaborate with others, including (but not limited to) museum staff, volunteers, and diverse public constituencies.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential. Proficiency in at least one foreign language (ideally, Hebrew, German, or French) is desired.

Possess excellent organizational skills and strong attention to detail, and the ability to work with databases and other routine software applications.

To apply: Submit a cover letter; C. V.; contact information for three references; and an example of a maximum 100-word gallery label for an example of Jewish ceremonial art.

Full time 35 hours per week (Monday - Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm)

• Limited term; 3 years

Salary range: $60,000 -$63,000

Full-time Benefits include:

• Partner level membership to CMA
• Free, unlimited admission to select Cleveland Museum of Art ticketed exhibitions (two adult member tickets per visit, subject to availability)
• 50% off admission to select ticketed exhibitions for members' guests
• Free admission to select ticketed exhibitions for unlimited children, 17 and younger, when accompanied by a member
• Priority registration and discounts for museum art classes for adults and children
• 20% discount in the museum store
• 25% discount in the museum restaurant and café
• Annual subscription to Cleveland Art members magazine
• Free Garage Parking
• Your employment relationship with the museum qualifies you for free or discounted admissions to other cultural institutions such as the Natural History Museum, Botanical Gardens, The Cleveland Zoo, etc.
• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance
• Voluntary Life
• Short Term Disability
• Long Term Disability
• HSA
• FSA
• 401(k) with company match
• Accident Insurance
• Critical Illness Insurance
• ID Theft
• Legal Services
• Pet Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Paid Time Off