Position Description
Position title:
Senior Curator
Position status: 3 year employment contract
Reporting to:
Assistant Director, Curatorial and Digital
Date reviewed:
December 2013
Approved by:
Assistant Director, Curatorial and Digital
Overview of the MCA
The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA) is dedicated to exhibiting, collecting and interpreting the work of
today’s artists. Located at Sydney’s Circular Quay, MCA opened to the public in 1991 and has recently undergone a bold,
new and significant expansion, which was unveiled in March 2012. In the year following its reopening, the new MCA
attracted over 1m visitors.
The redevelopment has transformed the MCA, with spacious new galleries, the National Centre for Creative Learning
and a series of public spaces in one of the world’s most beautiful sites. Together, these form a fantastic canvas for
MCA’s vision to be recognised by national and international audiences as a world class leader in presenting
contemporary art and artists. An ambitious MCA program covers the range and diversity of contemporary art – from
major thematic exhibitions and surveys of established artists, solo exhibitions and artist projects, to presentations of
new work by emerging artists. A burgeoning website and set of digital programs signals MCA’s intention to become a
world leader in online content. And a renewed commitment to developing the MCA collection will see a strengthened
asset at the heart of the museum to benefit current and future generations.
The immediate challenges are to take full advantage of the new building; deepen the engagement with audiences onsite
and offsite through excellent programming and interpretative strategies; deepen creative relationships with artists and
communities; and ensure that funding matches aspirations. To meet these challenges, the Board is currently taking
steps to restructure and strengthen the organisation.
Overview of the Division
The newly created Curatorial and Digital division is one of four teams at MCA. The purpose of the Curatorial and Digital
division is to initiate, develop and deliver the presentation and care of artworks and the ideas they generate, respecting
the centrality of artists and art in those processes. Members of the Curatorial and Digital division collaborate to
conceive, research and deliver all of MCA’s exhibitions, offsite projects, commissions, displays and digital programs, as
well as caring for, maintaining and developing the Collection that sits at the heart of MCA’s offer. Within Curatorial and
Digital, there are three clusters: Collection and Exhibitions Management, Curatorial and Digital. This post sits within the
Curatorial cluster.
Overview of the position
Reporting to the new position of Assistant Director, Curatorial and Digital, the Senior Curator will play a critical role in
contributing to the intellectual and creative leadership of MCA. The post-holder will take the lead in development of the
MCA Collection and of the intellectual assets surrounding it.
Specific accountabilities:
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Playing a role in the senior team within the Curatorial and Digital division
Contributing to MCA strategy and Curatorial and Digital program development and planning
Conceiving, researching, developing and curating temporary loan exhibitions and writing and editing
interpretative content related to these projects
Taking a lead in the development of the MCA Collection:
o Working with the Director and the Assistant Director, Curatorial and Digital and other colleagues in
the development of MCA’s collecting strategy; taking responsibility for developing, and ensuring that
MCA follows, policy related to the Collection (acquisition policy, deaccessioning policy, etc.)
o Collections management: overseeing the acquisitions process; ensuring that acquisitions are
appropriately documented; collaborating with the Head of Collection and Exhibitions Management
and other colleagues on the ongoing care and preservation of the works in the MCA Collection
o Conducting research related to the Collection
o Taking a lead role in the development and curation of displays from the Collection, and in the
generation of touring content drawn from the Collection
o Writing, editing and overseeing others in producing interpretative material related to Collection
displays and touring content drawn from the Collection: catalogues, brochures, wall texts and content
produced for MCA’s digital programs and website
o Collaborating with Creative Learning colleagues in the development of public programs related to the
Collection
o Playing a lead role in any future digitization program related to the Collection and its associated
intellectual assets
o Managing relationships with artists, dealers and other museums
o Contributing to the MCA effort to secure support for Collection acquisitions, including by playing a
lead role in the servicing of the MCA Foundation
o Maintaining a senior level expertise in Australian art practice and ensuring the highest level of
scholarship in all activities related to the Collection
Conducting events, tours and talks related to own exhibitions and displays, including briefings for colleagues;
working with colleagues across MCA to deliver content for media, corporate sponsors, private patrons and
other external stakeholders
Managing the Assistant Curator, Collection
Managing budget(s) connected with the Collection
KEY SELECTION CRITERIA
Essential
1.
A demonstrated commitment to the Museum’s objective of promoting the work of living artists to broad
audiences through the imaginative and creative presentation of contemporary work
2. Minimum of 4 years curatorial experience and tertiary qualifications in visual art or fine art/art history
3. A knowledge of Australian and international contemporary art and an understanding of the needs of artists
and of issues surrounding the public presentation of contemporary art
4. Demonstrated ability to research, develop, implement and manage exhibitions
5. Demonstrated ability to develop a contemporary art collection through exhibition and acquisition
6. Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills, both oral and written, including public presentation
skills and the ability to prepare and present reports and proposals
7. Demonstrated experience in publications as a writer of interpretative texts on exhibitions and artworks for a
variety of audiences
8. Excellent project management skills and the ability to manage and prioritise workload, deliver to deadlines and
manage budgets
9. Proven knowledge of and interest in engaging with a diverse range of audiences
10. Ability to develop and foster sustainable relationships and partnerships with individual and galleries, nationally
and internationally.
11. Work in accordance with the principles of equity, access and fairness. Respect WH & S work practices and
procedures; work with due care and consideration to safeguard your own health and safety and the health and
safety of others.
12. A demonstrated commitment to the principles and application of Equal Employment Opportunities,
Anti-discrimination legislation and Occupational Health and Safety legislation in the work place.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
This is a full time 3 year employment contract position (renewable).
Appointment will be conditional on 6 month probationary period; thereafter termination by either party will require
written notice of 1 month. The salary package offered is inclusive of all loadings, leave, superannuation and other
provisions.
Terms and Conditions of Employment
This is a full time 3 year contract position reporting to the Assistant Director, Curatorial and Digital. This position may
be required to work outside of regular hours with time in lieu arrangements available.
Package includes 4 weeks’ annual leave (17.5% annual leave loading), 10 days carers/sick leave and 9.25%
superannuation company contribution. Appointment will be conditional on an initial six month probationary period, after
which termination by either party will require written notice of 6 weeks.
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