Associate Director/Curator position

The Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery at University of British Columbia (UBC) invites applications for the position of Associate Director/Curator, with an anticipated start date of December 1, 2021. This is an ongoing appointment (Management & Professional, AAPS), UBC Job ID JR4301.

The Belkin has an international reputation for its innovative work in the field of contemporary art. The Belkin promotes understanding and discussion of contemporary art and issues in art history, criticism and curating, with a focus on our region in an international context. Through research, acquisitions, exhibitions, publications, loans, travelling exhibitions, commissions, special projects, education and outreach programs, the gallery participates in the national and international community of institutions concerned with contemporary art. Founded as the UBC Fine Arts Gallery in 1948, the Belkin’s history has a deep interconnection with the development of art practice in Vancouver.

As a collecting institution, the Belkin is designated as a Category A institution, and houses the University Art Collection of over 5,000 objects—one of the largest public collections of art in British Columbia—and a substantial archive. Operating as a unit of the Faculty of Arts, the gallery is closely tied to the Department of Art History, Visual and Theory and participates in the training of student curators in the Critical and Curatorial Studies Program. The gallery plays a key role in an ambitious outdoor art plan for the Vancouver campus.

Position summary
Reporting to and working closely with the Director/Curator of the Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, the Associate Director/Curator works with the gallery’s curatorial team developing a program of contemporary art exhibitions and programming. The incumbent, in consultation with the Director/Curator, assists in developing the university art collection, including outdoor art. The Associate Director/Curator researches, develops and organizes exhibitions and works with the gallery’s staff and external contacts to ensure the successful sequencing, management and integration of exhibition production, publications, touring and collections care. This position prepares and assists in managing budgets, schedules, contracts and grants, loan agreements and participates in fundraising and long range curatorial and strategic planning. The incumbent assists faculty in the delivery of aspects of the Critical and Curatorial Studies Program (CCST) and serves as an advisor to students in CCST. The Associate Director/Curator oversees the presentation of the annual MFA graduation exhibition at the gallery, working with students and their advisors. The position is expected to participate in the intellectual life of the creative and performing arts at UBC. The incumbent liaises with a variety of university offices and units, represents the Director at meetings as required, and assumes Directorship responsibilities in the absence of the Director.

Qualifications
Candidates should hold a Master’s degree in a relevant discipline such as fine arts, art history, curatorial studies or museum studies and a minimum of seven years experience in arts administration and curating, including exhibition coordination, loans and collections management, project management, team leadership, budget development and administration.

The successful candidate will have a strong record in scholarly and curatorial practices in contemporary art, be experienced in museum and collections management, have a commitment to and proven ability in fundraising and grant writing, critical writing skills, and experience in effectively leading, managing and working with a team of professional staff. The ideal candidate will have knowledge of post-war art in Vancouver, an understanding of the Belkin’s collection and how it has evolved, and experience working in a university art gallery/museum environment.

Salary range: 7,278–11,372 CAD monthly.

The priority application deadline is October 12, 2021. However, applications will be accepted until the position is filled. The desired start date for the position is December 1, 2021.

How to apply
To apply for this position please submit a cover letter and CV to:
Annette Wooff, Administrator
Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery
The University of British Columbia
1825 Main Mall
Vancouver, BC  Canada V6T 1Z2
T +1 604 822 1666 / annette.wooff [​at​] ubc.ca

Use this link to view this posting and apply online (search JR4301).

Commitment to equity and diversity
Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the BC Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit or Indigenous person.