The Muskegon Museum of Art (MMA) is seeking a full-time qualified professional to serve in the newly created position of Bennett-Schmidt Curator of Women’s Art and Director of The Bennett Prize for Women Figurative Realist Painters.
The creation of this position coincides with the construction of The Bennett-Schmidt Pavilion, an addition to the current museum which will feature exhibitions dedicated to the work of women artists. The Bennett-Schmidt Curator will; 1) be responsible for the women-focused programming of the MMA, including the selection, design and logistics of the various exhibitions of the work of women artists sponsored by the museum; 2) curate the work of women artists in the MMA permanent collection (including those contained in The Bennett Collection, a gift of over 150 contemporary and historic paintings of women by women being given to the museum by the Texas-based collectors, Steven Alan Bennett and Dr. Elaine Melotti Schmidt); 3) function as Director of The Bennett Prize for Women Figurative Realist Painters, a biennial, juried art competition that awards $50,000 to one woman artist to create her own solo exhibition and awards an additional prize of $10,000 to a woman painter for achievement in figurative realism. The incumbent will also oversee the associated exhibition, which travels the country for two years following the award. The Prize is intended to encourage women artists who have historically been underrepresented in the art world and to showcase and promote figurative realism.
In their capacity as Director of The Bennett Prize, the incumbent will be responsible for the organization, coordination, and management of all Bennett Prize activities, including overseeing the logistics of the competition and the call for entries, gathering the information for the exhibition and associated catalogue, overseeing the design of the catalogue and, in conjunction with MMA staff, overseeing the installation of the exhibition at the MMA and the logistics of the traveling exhibition. Given the national scope of The Prize, the incumbent must have significant skill in coordinating with other institutions and individuals, including museums, art galleries, consultants, and awardees.
The ideal candidate will have significant experience, preferably 5 or more years, in and with museums, art exhibitions, and arts management and will have an understanding of and experience with managing a collection of art objects, mounting museum exhibitions that include all types of art, and the creation of promotional materials related to such exhibitions, including accompanying scholarly catalogues. A Master of Arts degree in museum studies or administration, museum science, museology, or art history is preferred. Alternatively, the appropriate candidate might have a Master of Fine Arts degree in an artistic discipline with accompanying experience in a museum setting. Lesser education, but not less than a bachelor’s degree, with offsetting experience may be considered for the right candidate.
A complete detailed job description can be found at: www.muskegonartmuseum.org/Bennett-Schmidt-Curator
Full-Time Position with Benefits
Salary Range: $60,000 -$70,000
Application materials can be emailed to khepler@muskegonartmuseum.org by Friday, October 6, 2023.
Small Museum Association