Contemporary Calgary seeks Chief Curator

The Chief Curator will oversee all programming at Contemporary Calgary and report directly to the Chief Executive Officer. As the leader of the Exhibitions and Programming department, the Chief Curator is a passionate advocate for the visual arts, capable of provoking thought and engaging a diverse public, while playing a key role in securing the next generation of support for Contemporary Calgary.

The Chief Curator will advance the gallery’s vision by embracing a wide range of styles, genres, themes, and discourses, creating meaningful connections with diverse communities. Their vision, dynamism, and leadership are essential to shaping the future and achieving the aspirations of Contemporary Calgary.

Role and Responsibilities

Curation, Programming, and Publication

• Develop a multi-year curatorial strategy that includes exhibitions, academic lectures, public programs, tours, and publications, reflecting local, national, and international histories, geographies, current events, and notable art histories, while incorporating mindful curatorial practices and new technologies.
• Collaborate with interpretive staff, curatorial colleagues, and community stakeholders to create relevant and engaging content for gallery programs, rotations, and special exhibitions, aiming to attract and engage a broad audience.
• Curate innovative, visitor-focused, and interdisciplinary galleries and exhibition projects that showcase modern and contemporary art, highlighting local, national, and international artists.
• Explore and implement digital initiatives and outreach activities that support Contemporary Calgary’s mission and expand audience engagement.
• Foster diverse perspectives by building strong relationships with national and international artists, facilitating global dialogues and practices within the Calgary community.
• Expand opportunities for curatorial travel and research through local, national, and international studio visits, exhibitions, biennials, and fairs.
• Conduct original scholarly research, and produce catalog essays, publications, and other texts to support Contemporary Calgary’s curated exhibitions, programs, and related events.
• Oversee special exhibitions and projects, including focused displays, multiple-venue exhibitions, ambitious loan-based projects, and book-length publications.
• Take on additional curation, programming, and publication responsibilities as needed to fulfill the goals of Contemporary Calgary.

Artistic Collaboration and Development

• Forge collaborative partnerships with scholarly and museum organizations, art and educational institutions, professional societies, and relevant committees at regional, national, and international levels.
• Strengthen curatorial networks and advance partnerships with local, national, and international cultural organizations to foster meaningful discourse within and for the community.
• Develop and maintain relationships with Canadian artists, curators, visual arts professionals, and organizations to position Canadian artists for successful local, national, and international careers.
• Promote equity by engaging with local artists, cultural groups, disability organizations, and Indigenous communities, providing a platform for marginalized voices.
• Enhance relevance by supporting artists who embrace new technologies, offering immersive art experiences, and exploring innovation through technology, training, and critical assessment.
• Take on additional artistic collaboration and development responsibilities as needed.

Professional and Community Engagement

• Act as a dynamic spokesperson for Contemporary Calgary in the press, media, and on social media, promoting a vision of modern and contemporary art that reflects the community.
• Develop and deliver keynote addresses, lectures, and presentations to the public, while actively participating in cultural and visual arts events in Alberta and across Canada.
• Represent Contemporary Calgary at national and international curatorial forums, symposia, and events, while also negotiating partnerships and agreements with international collaborators.
• Collaborate with organizational, curatorial, and development staff to identify, cultivate, and solicit financial contributions, while building strong relationships with current and prospective donors.
• Take on additional professional and community engagement responsibilities as needed.

Administrative and Financial Resiliency

• Collaborate with the CEO, Board of Directors, and staff to ensure Contemporary Calgary’s policies and procedures align with and support best practices in the field.
• Hire, train, develop, supervise, and empower programming staff and contractors, fostering teamwork and mentoring the curatorial team, researchers, students, and interns.
• Develop, oversee, and manage the annual programming budget, ensuring successful program delivery while containing costs and achieving efficiencies throughout the fiscal year.
• Contribute to Contemporary Calgary’s planning and programming efforts related to the capital renovation and expansion project.
• Take on additional administrative and financial responsibilities to support the organization's resilience as needed.

Traits and Characteristics

The Chief Curator will be a visionary and dynamic leader, creative, curious, and charismatic. With a deep passion for art and artists, they will be flexible, collaborative, and an approachable, open-minded leader, eager to embrace and grow with emerging trends in the curatorial field. The ideal candidate will have the ability to explore the unconventional, welcoming the whimsical, while bringing extensive experience and expertise at the forefront of contemporary art.

The Chief Curator should possess a spirit of independence, balanced with a strong connection to Alberta’s culturally rich community. They must be adept at managing multiple projects, tasks, and priorities across the organization, with a demonstrated commitment to collaboration and building partnerships.

Exceptional communication skills are essential, as the Chief Curator will be responsible for articulating a clear vision aligned with the mission and values of Contemporary Calgary.

Other key competencies include:

• Leadership and Personal Accountability – The ability to organize and influence people to believe in a vision by creating a sense of purpose and direction while also being answerable for their own personal actions.
• Project Management, Planning, and Organizing – The flexibility to identify and oversee all resources, tasks, systems, and people to obtain demonstrable results.
• Time and Priority Management – The capacity to prioritize and complete tasks to deliver desired outcomes within allotted time frames while establishing courses of action to ensure that work is completed effectively.
• Diplomacy and Conflict Management – The sensitivity to effectively and tactfully handling difficult or sensitive issues with the ability to also understand, address, and resolve conflict constructively.

Qualifications

A minimum of five (5) years of leadership-level experience in an art gallery or museum and a substantial record of achievement and delivery of contemporary art in a public gallery or exhibition space. A strong understanding of Canadian art practice is expected.

The ability to work effectively in a small team in the context of a growing organization with demonstrated experience driving ambitious programming is needed. Knowledge of museum standards, curatorial best practices, and identifying new artistic talent are required. Superior presentation and writing skills with the ability to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences are needed. A PHD or Master’s degree in art history, curatorial practice, and museology or equivalent professional experience is preferred.

Compensation and Benefits

Contemporary Calgary offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package, including a base salary estimated to be in a range between $100,000 and $140,000 commensurate with experience.

The health, dental, and medical benefits program is delivered by Manulife Financial and is completive with the gallery and museum sector. The employee in this position will benefit from three weeks of annual paid holidays plus time off between Christmas and New Year’s Day, along with one flex day per month—a total of between 30 and 32 days of paid time off per year.

Applications and Inquiries

To submit a cover letter and resume with a summary of demonstrable accomplishments (electronic submissions preferred), please visit artsconsulting.com/opensearches/contemporary-calgary-seeks-chief....

For questions or general inquiries about this job opportunity, please contact:

Bruce D. Thibodeau, DBA, President
Jeff Erbach, Associate Vice President
1811 4th Street SW, Suite 523
Calgary, Alberta T2S 1W2
Tel: (888) 234.4236 Ext. 241
Email: ContemporaryCalgary@ArtsConsulting.com

Contemporary Calgary is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer that celebrates diversity and inclusiveness. Inclusion in the context of our own network of communities warrants work for, and with, Indigenous populations, and in particular, an effort to support the positions set forth in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada