Exhibitions Preparator at Hyde Park Art Center
Please send a resume and cover letter to Tran Tran, Exhibitions and Residency Manager, at jobs@hydeparkart.org with the subject line: "Exhibitions Preparator - (Your Name)" by 11:59 pm on August 25, 2025.
Reports to: Director of Exhibitions and Residency
Supervises: independent contractor(s) for exhibitions and intern(s)
Hyde Park Art Center seeks full-time Exhibitions Preparator to execute the production of the Art Center’s exhibitions program, including both gallery exhibitions and the public-art digital gallery on the building’s façade. Hyde Park Art Center is a leading visual-art institution that uniquely combines the qualities of a community-based organization with those of a nationally recognized exhibitions program and international residency program.
About the Exhibitions Program:
The Art Center’s exhibitions program is focused on showcasing the work of Chicago artists at key points in their careers, supporting their ability to explore new processes and ideas, and connecting them to a broader audience. The Art Center supports more than 150 artists annually through a combination of major solo exhibitions, socially relevant curated group shows, and programs that fill specific needs in the community. With six formal galleries, including an 80-foot-long digital projection façade, the Art Center produces and presents 10-12 exhibitions each year.
Qualifications:
Hyde Park Art Center’s Exhibitions Preparator is a diligent, supportive, and skilled builder who works well independently as well as in a team environment. Flexibility is both a benefit and a requirement of the job: The Exhibitions Preparator is a full-time, on-site position that requires some flexing evening and weekend hours due to installation schedules. The position includes the management and regular upkeep of Hyde Park Art Center’s woodshop, art storage areas, and galleries, ensuring that they are polished, clean, properly lit, professionally installed, and presented by a deadline. This person will also work closely with internal and guest curators, exhibiting artists, and artists-in-residence in consulting, managing, and/or assisting artists in the creation of new artwork in all media.
The ideal candidate will have an emerging or established practice of producing exhibitions. S/he/they are
- Proficient with power tools
- General construction skills required, including wall framing and patching
- Confident in problem-solving technology using both PC and MAC computers
- Proven knowledge of best practices for art handling and shipping.
- Must be detail-oriented, keep a clean workspace, reliable, and proactive
- Exercise good communication skills.
- Able to manage several projects and timelines simultaneously.
- Willing to work within anti-racist and anti-oppressive frameworks and actively engage in organization-wide ongoing learning about these frameworks
Specific Responsibilities:
- Manage all art handling, art installation, and fabrication for 10-12 exhibitions annually
- In collaboration with the Exhibitions Team, artists, and contractors, develop installation schedules for exhibitions
- Contribute to the exhibition design process in collaboration with artists and curators
- Audiovisual equipment installation, repairs, purchase, and maintenance
- Maintain and manage a basic wood shop
- Manage installation budget for large projects
- Support staff with tech needs at openings, talks, and events, when needed
- Coordinate exhibitions from the installation planning process and delivery, to the mounting and breakdown of exhibitions
- Coordinate shipment or delivery of artwork to the Art Center, and ship or deliver artworks to lenders after exhibitions
- Build and maintain all exhibition display materials
- Contract and oversee independent contractors assisting with installations
- Maintain all current exhibitions, including replacing light bulbs, maintaining artworks that require upkeep, troubleshooting AV equipment, and occasional mopping.
- Instruct interns to learn and assist in exhibition installation and maintenance tasks
- Oversee material budgets for exhibitions and the woodshop
Our Hiring Process and Timeline:
Application deadline: August 25, 2025
Anticipated Start Date: October 15, 2025
We will conduct phone interviews on a rolling basis with qualified candidates and expect to host first-round interviews in person beginning September 8.
Finalists will be invited to second-round interviews and may be asked to submit references.
We will make every effort to accommodate candidates’ schedules and needs in all parts of the process.
Working Conditions & Physical Demands:
The Exhibitions Preparator is required to be on-site at the Art Center. The physical demands described here are representative of those the employee must meet to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to lift objects weighing up to 100 lbs., stand; walk; climb stairs and ladders; sit; use hands-to-finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, or crouch, and work 20 feet above the ground on an electronic lift. The Exhibitions Preparator should have a driver’s license and be able to drive small trucks and vans for pick up and delivery of artworks.
Organizational Culture:
Hyde Park Art Center promotes and develops a culture within its staff that reflects the values and core principles of equity, inclusion, and access. We understand that these have become buzzwords, but we believe deeply in the responsibility we have to change the inequitable landscape of the arts, and we’re committed to the hard work it takes to make it better. We believe in intentional risk-taking and experimentation for good and thoughtful reasons, and work collaboratively with one another to ensure alignment and dynamism throughout all we do.
Compensation and Benefits:
The Exhibitions Preparator is a full-time position, with a starting salary of $55k. Benefits include: health and life insurance, retirement matching, dental insurance, and paid vacation time.
No applicant for employment with Hyde Park Art Center shall be subjected to discrimination because of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, disability, age, reprisal for engaging in anti-discrimination activities, sexual orientation, or parental status.
