Curatorial Assistant DIA (Detroit, MI)

Revised: April 23, 2015

The Detroit Institute of Arts

Job Description

Job Title: Curatorial Program Coordinator for 30 Americans Exhibition

Division: Curatorial

Reports To: G.M. Center Curator of African

American Art and Manager of Curatorial Affairs

General Summary

The DIA seeks a Curatorial Program Coordinator to serve part-time in the General Motors (G.M.) Center for African American Art. The candidate must have knowledge of contemporary art practice and prevailing scholarship in contemporary African American Art. The G.M. Center for African American Art oversees the DIA’s collection and galleries dedicated to African American Art, as well as related exhibitions.

Under the supervision of the Curator of the GM Center and Manager of Curatorial Affairs, the candidate will assist the Department Head and Curator of the G.M. Center for African American Art with research and the organization and implementation of a scholarly symposium related to the exhibition 30 Americans: Rubell Family Collection, at the DIA from October 17, 2015 to January 18, 2016. The candidate will carry out supervised research; communicate with scholars, collectors, and donors; and provide general administrative support to ensure the successful implementation of the project.

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Essential Functions

 Assists the curator of the G.M. Center of African American Art in identifying and engaging local and national scholars with expertise in contemporary African American art

 Assists with developing and organizing a scholarly program that will include a symposium, panel discussions, and other exhibition-related programs and events

 Conducts research, drafts correspondence, and facilitates necessary paperwork (such as contracts, travel accommodations, itineraries) relating to the programs. Attends and facilitates all events.

 Organizes and prepares all hard copy and digital media needed for the program

 Performs other duties related to this program, as needed or assigned

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Knowledge, Skills and Abilities to Perform Essential Functions

 Familiarity with the art and African American communities of Greater Detroit;

 Excellent research, organizational, and oral and written communication skills;

Revised: April 23, 2015

 B.A. required; advanced study in African American and contemporary art preferred;

 Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced work environment;

 Ability to work effectively with volunteers and patrons, and cross-disciplinary staff;

 Experience providing administrative support in event planning required;

 Knowledge of MS Office suite of programs, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint required;

 Basic knowledge of Photoshop and ability to create (scan and edit) and manage, as well as download/upload, electronic files from email, Cloud-based applications, and other storage devices;

 Ability to work with various computer systems and web applications to schedule/expedite meetings, manage contracts and payments, track spending, and develop budgets;

 Provide content to the DIA’s Marketing and PR Department for print materials, as well as the museum’s website and various social media outlets;

 Ability to work effectively and positively with other professional staff in a highly collaborative environment.

This job description describes the general nature of the duties and requirements of this job. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list or to limit the supervisor’s ability to modify work assignments as appropriate.