BAMPFA

Curatorial Assistant

The mission of the UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA) is to inspire the imagination and ignite critical dialogue through art, film, and other forms of creative expression. BAMPFA has developed an international reputation for its active and ambitious exhibition programs, as well as for the quality of its art and film collections and research resources. BAMPFA is an institution with a stellar history and an exciting future.

UC Berkeley is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

Responsibilities:

The Curatorial Assistant provides behind-the-scenes support in the Art Curatorial Department at BAMPFA. This position is responsible for exhibition and collection research, preparation, and implementation support and upholds professional museum standards.

  • Provides administrative support to curatorial projects and initiatives, including collection support.
  • Gathers and synthesizes scholarly, art historical, visual, budgetary, and object location information to assist in the development of exhibition presentations, press and marketing materials, individual and corporate funding requests, and other documents.
  • Coordinates arrangements with artists, art institutions, collectors, and potential lenders for exhibitions. Keeps track of additions and changes throughout the development process. Prepares loan forms and master checklists.
  • Adopts existing written materials for various internal and external needs, such as brief exhibition listings for publications and website, and exhibition highlights for solicitation materials.
  • Assists with exhibition invitation and catalog publication, including all front and back matter, bibliographic and caption information. Drafts invitation copy, wall labels, artist invitation packages, and exhibition fact sheets. Assists with editing of press releases.
  • Communicates with the artists, their dealers, and collectors (both private and public), with regard to schedules, biographic and bibliography publication material, and travel.
  • Drafts correspondence to artists, dealers, and other museum curators. Replies to unsolicited letters from artists.
  • Assists with general research on artworks and artists and potential topics for exhibition publications, and potential artists for programs. Researches vendors to procure necessary goods and services for exhibitions.
  • Maintains database, prepares packets, and tracks responses for touring exhibitions. Consults with BAMPFA registrars, artists, and other museum curators or exhibition coordinators at each tour venue on all aspects of traveling exhibitions, including installation design, technical equipment, and publications.
  • Processes purchasing orders, honorariums, wire transfers, and payment for non-U.S. natives. Processes expense reimbursements and receipts, and creates invoices.
  • Locates or commissions photographic materials, provides captions and credit lines, and secures reproduction permission.
  • Schedules complex domestic and international travel itineraries and composes itineraries for each artist.
  • Requests, dupes, labels, mails, and archives installation images.
  • Updates and maintains shared exhibition calendar.
  • Assists as needed in development of exhibition layout plans and maquettes.
  • Participates as requested in social media marketing of exhibitions and programs. Posts photographs and texts and may write short entries for the website.
  • Draft wall labels, give exhibition tours to public and private audiences, and schedule artist travel.
  • May organize exhibitions as assigned.


Requirements

  • Highly developed writing skills including editing and document preparation
  • Strong oral communication skills
  • Demonstrated strong attention to detail accuracy
  • Ability to work effectively with staff, trustees, artists, scholars, arts professionals, and the public by demonstrating collaboration, sensitivity, and diplomacy
  • Macintosh computer skills including MS Office, Google Drive, and project management systems
  • Skills in establishing priorities, coordinating multiple complex projects simultaneously, and meeting deadlines


This position has been designated as sensitive and may require a criminal background check. We reserve the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background check.


Education/training

Formal education in art history or equivalent, with considerable knowledge of a broad range of art historical areas, familiarity with standard museum and curatorial practices, and knowledge of the international art world (galleries, institutions, periodicals, etc.).

Deadline

The date of first review of applications is May 10, 2019.

Salary and Benefits

The hourly salary for this position is $20.81.

For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University visit:
http://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/compensation-and-benefits/benefits-of-belonging.html

To Apply

Visit the UC Berkeley Jobs posting (Job ID 22778), and follow the application process detailed on the website. To be considered, applications must be completed through the campus online website.