Marilyn and Larry Fields Curator

We have an opening for a Marilyn and Larry Fields Curator who will create, plan, organize, and implement original and special exhibition content with the goal of maintaining a reputation of international distinction within the museum field; oversee special curatorial initiatives; support collection-building and the development of relationships with donors, collectors, and the cultural community of Chicago; maintain a fundraising profile to solicit support for projects and grants as needed; and maintain networks of artists, gallerists, collectors, museum professionals, and donors outside Chicago with shared interests in art from outside North America. To be successful in this role, you will:

• Cultivate relationships with the broader cultural community of Chicago, the collector and donor base, both within and without the city, and strive to make exhibitions and programs with multiple levels of access and interpretation.
• Conceptualize and organize exhibitions both at the scale of major monographs and group shows and also smaller, more spontaneous projects that position the MCA as a leading institution with a transcultural presentation of art.
• Periodically serve as Curator-in-Charge for traveling exhibitions hosted at the MCA, including the supervision of touring arrangements, publications, and budgets.
• Supervise the preparation of exhibition installations (original and/or hosted shows), work with technical staff to ensure thorough implementation of the exhibition’s vision and oversee established budgets.
• Oversee departmental curatorial initiatives.
• Participate in the MCA’s ongoing effort to build, present, and interpret its permanent collection by identifying works to acquire, undertaking new scholarship, and organizing exhibitions, especially in the realm of art and artists from Latin America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, and/or South Asia (dependent on research focus).Undertake research and travel, maintain contacts with colleagues in the field, and develop knowledge of international, national, and local artists by making studio visits, seeing exhibitions and performances, and visiting galleries in alignment with other deadlines and responsibilities.
• Supervise, mentor, train, and oversee direct reports on a day-to-day basis, including oversight of special projects and staff management to ensure the effective and efficient operation of all assigned activities and responsibilities and accountability for results, including deadlines and budgets; facilitate strong performance and achievement of key metrics; and provide on-going feedback to assigned direct reports to address, resolve, and/or encourage performance and/or engagement-related matters.
• Collaborate with the Development department to find sustained financial support for exhibitions and assist with grant applications for exhibitions; participate in other Development-related aspects of exhibitions.
• Hold a portfolio of potential funders and private foundations and maintain direct, ongoing communications to solicit for support, in partnership with Development department colleagues.
• Give tours to public or specific groups; speak to the MCA-affiliated groups; participate in and/or organize exhibition-related hospitality; and serve on panels and juries, as an effective ambassador of the museum.

To apply, please visit our Career Center website.