Gallery Manager

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Application Deadline: 
October 30

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POSITION OVERVIEW

The Center for Craft is seeking a Gallery Manager to plan, produce, elevate, and champion the exhibitions, exhibition programs, and educational gallery experience at the Center for Craft headquarters in downtown Asheville, North Carolina. The Center’s gallery is a platform for investigating contemporary practices of making in the shifting creative landscape of the 21st century. Exhibitions and related programming (virtual and in person) are one of the key ways the Center connects its field building initiatives, which seek to increase the value and relevance of craft to society, with national and local audiences.

The Gallery Manager manages the planning, installation, curatorial support, and evaluation of exhibitions in the Center’s gallery, such as loan agreements, label writing, checklist management, object packing and logistics, exhibition installation, exhibition tour support, gallery surveys, and exhibition reports. Additionally, this position manages the creative planning, implementation, and evaluation of the Center’s exhibition and gallery programming and audience development. The Gallery Manager is a passionate educator and a key member of the Programs and Operations Teams.

This position is full-time and exempt with occasional evenings/weekends and reports to the Assistant Director and Curator. The position will supervise contractual support and/or interns. Starting salary is $42,000 with full benefits to include Medical/Dental, Life Insurance, LTD and STD, and 401K as well as 3 weeks paid leave and recognized federal holidays.

QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate will have an MA in Art History, Design History, Decorative Arts, Material Culture, American Studies, or an equivalent combination of training and experience and at least two years of progressive experience in a museum, gallery, or related setting. A working knowledge of the American craft field is highly preferred. The following skills, qualities and experiences are also a priority:

  • Organized, self-motivated planner with attention to detail that may work independently or in a team environment
  • Strong communication, customer service, and interpersonal skills (written and verbal) with the intent to develop and maintain effective working relationships with staff, artists, program participants, volunteers, and the public.
  • Proven expertise in written communication and content knowledge, including texts developed for both general and specialist/scholarly audiences (catalogs, exhibition text, social media, blogs, articles, reports, etc). 
  • Aptitude for public speaking, ability to produce and lead public programs both virtually and in person
  • Public visibility requires maintaining a professional appearance and providing a positive company image to the staff, volunteers, and community public.
  • Excellent ability to think logically in order to troubleshoot, analyze situations, and make sound business decisions
  • Ability to be on time and work a flexible schedule, including weekends, holidays and some evenings
  • Solid understanding of exhibitions management including art handling, registrarial duties, contract and agreement management (loan, consignment, independent contractors, designers). 
  • Advanced computer knowledge to include Google Drive, Microsoft Office, Zoom, and Adobe Suite. Ability to learn platforms, including Airtable, Survey Monkey, Adobe Sign, Sketch Up.

JOB DUTIES INCLUDE:

  • Project management for all exhibitions and exhibition programs, from inception to conclusion, ensuring the smooth running of all content development, logistics, agreements, contractors, and adherence to defined budgets;
  • Curatorial support with occasional curation of exhibitions from start to finish, including research for exhibitions and publications, assist in creating, and/or editing exhibition descriptions and didactic materials; Originates one or more exhibitions of varying scales each year with the possibility of an accompanying publication.
  • Manage shipping of artwork to and from the gallery; Safely receive, unpack, store, condition report objects in and out, pack, and ship all artwork. Undertake courier duties, as required. Design exhibitions to meet ADA standards. Install and deinstall all exhibitions. Ensure the safety of all artwork, including compliance with the Center’s Fine Arts Insurance policy.
  • Plan and execute all gallery and exhibition programs, from inception to conclusion. Ensure the delivery of thoughtful, relevant, and mission-driven audience development and engagement opportunities, virtual and in person, that extend the Center’s reach and effectiveness. Programs might include exhibit education and interpretation, gallery tours, virtual programming, panel discussions, festivals, Curatorial Fellowships, ongoing or on-demand learning activities, hands-on “kits,” among others. Introduce speakers, moderate panels and programs to include public speaking, both on and off site and virtually as needed.
  • Work with community members, partners, lenders, artists, sponsors, advisory committees and other key stakeholders to develop and implement exhibitions and  programs.
  • Manage retail operations, coordinate merchandise and sales activities in gallery and online shop, including POS system(s), and cash flow processes, in order to meet earned and contributed income goals.
  • Develop appropriate evaluation metrics for each exhibition and program. Implement tools for data collection, track and report findings.
  • Contribute to the development of communications, marketing, and development strategies and materials to serve exhibition and gallery audiences and to enhance the Center’s image, identity, and donor prospects; Assist with grant concepts and writing to secure income for exhibitions and gallery programs as needed.
  • Undertake any other duty which may reasonably be allocated by the Assistant Director and Curator.

 

The Center for Craft is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate against any individual or  group of individuals on the basis of age, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, sexual  orientation or veteran status. The Center encourages applications from historically under-represented  and minority populations. Submitting an application does not constitute a promise or guarantee of  employment. 

SCHEDULE AND REQUIREMENTS: 

This is a full-time 37.5 hr/week position. Weekend, evening, and holiday work may be required. This is not a remote position and does require in-person office hours. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to work in the following conditions:

  • Stand for long periods of time
  • Travel for long periods of time
  • Walk, stand, sit, bend, lift, balance, squat, kneel and crouch.
  • Use hands to finger, handle or feel, reach with hands and arm, and reach above shoulder height
  • Lift 50 lbs unassisted
  • Climb ladders, getting in and out of a vehicle or truck bed
  • Special vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
  • Must have valid driver’s license
  • Ability to physically carry out the work required in lifting/moving/installing artworks.