Job Description

Reporting to the Senior Curator, with a dotted line to the Executive Director, Onsite Galleries, the incumbent must be a team player who is excited to engage with the scope of programming Onsite Gallery offers. The Curatorial Assistant will provide research and exhibition-related support, as well as project-related administration; production support for curatorial practice and manage daily tasks as they arise. The incumbent works to support the curatorial/gallery staff and will be responsible for coordinating the installation and de-installation of Onsite Gallery\xe2\x80\x99s exhibitions and special projects. Their work will include planning and coordinating focused production meetings with all relevant stakeholders (including artists, AV technicians, guest curators, casual help, student monitors, and staff) to determine the scope of preparation and the implementation of all in-house and off-site projects, including those drawn on the permanent collection and touring exhibitions.

In collaboration with the Curators and staff, the incumbent will prepare and implement all logistics related to projects and exhibitions, including developing the overall schedule (short and long view), disseminating information, coordinating materials for gallery publications and handouts, and implementing exhibitions and special projects accordingly, ensuring adherence to timelines.

They are responsible for drafting and editing loan and artist agreements, sustaining artist and curatorial communications, planning and estimating financial resources required to implement exhibitions and projects, and preparing and sourcing AV equipment, digital assets, project materials, and furnishings in keeping with set exhibition budgets. The Curatorial Assistant also supports the workflow and oversees installation technicians (casual staff), which includes communications, coordination of transportation, in- and outgoing shipments, sourcing and delivering materials, installation and de-installation activities, registration, exhibition documentation, and reporting.

Additionally, the Curatorial Assistant supports the curators with reports on the condition of artworks on display, incoming and outgoing assessments, overall daily care and maintenance of gallery and prep areas, while ensuring safety protocols are in place for the handling of artworks, and for the casual staff. They research and recommend how to improve, supplement, refurbish, and improve work- and exhibition spaces, materials and supplies, tools and equipment, media needs, and preparatory challenges.

They will bring to all their work proactive attention to sustainable exhibition production practices toward reduction of waste and ecological impact, as well as the re-use and sharing of resources.

Responsibilities include :

• Assistance in planning, research, organization, and installation of exhibitions and special projects;
• Manages the exhibition calendar for the gallery including installation, de-installation, and maintenance schedules. Track and share regular progress updates on project and program deliverables and outcomes.
• Serving as liaison with artists, donors, guest curators, and gallerists;
• Administrating curatorial tasks including managing artist contracts and correspondence; organizes meetings, prepares agenda, and drafts and distributes minutes;
• Overall arts administrative support and other tasks as needed to support the work of the gallery;
• Assists with managing and tracking exhibition project budgets
• Assists in long-term planning, scheduling and budgeting of programmes. Assists in preparation of grant requests and summary reports;
• Arranges transport, insurance, customs and security of artworks. Implements the installation of exhibitions. Administers travelling exhibitions and incoming loans, incoming/outgoing condition reports;
• Assists in the development, copyediting, design, documentation and production of exhibition and installation didactic materials and documentation, such as wall text, labels, gallery guides, and other content. Ensures accuracy of information on publications, in print and online, as needed;
• Managing and collecting assets related to the exhibitions publication, including artist images, documents, and texts; Obtains permissions and copyright clearance for images and maintains accurate credit lines;
• Processes all curatorial paperwork related to invoices;
• Assists with coordination of logistical needs for artist/curator visits including arranging honoraria, travel, lodging, meals, and any event-related logistics;
• Assists with hosting visiting artists/curators, including itineraries, and transportation;
• Conducts curatorial research on artists for exhibition related proposals as requested in line with experience and training;
• Gallery and gallery workshop and storage maintenance; participate in inventory audits of tools, equipment, and materials. Replenish supplies, paint etc. Ensure technology is working, up to dat
• Ability to lift objects up to 50 pounds
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• Bachelor\xe2\x80\x99s degree in Art or Art History, Curatorial / Museum Studies preferably with a concentration on visual culture, art history, curatorial or museum studies, arts administration; MA in these fields is an asset or with relevant experience;
• Minimum of 1 to 2-years\xe2\x80\x99 of related experience working in a museum, gallery, or visual arts organization. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and interest in Indigenous and contemporary art and design;
• Experience working with national and international artists and curators in an exhibition setting;
• Experience monitoring exhibition and project budgets
• Demonstrated experience handling artworks in a broad array of media; and with aspects of managing installing art, including identifying evolving and advanced uses of AV, digital applications, and various other construction, technical and material resources.
• Demonstrated experience liaising and coordinating installation work with other staff including AV technicians and art installers as necessary sustaining the coordination of logistics and materials/supplies.. Familiarity with handling materials including variety of tools, construction, and technical processes encountered in contemporary art is recommended
• Excellent planning, organizational, and time management skills are required to manage multiple, simultaneous projects.
• Capacity to work independently and take direction as needed.
• Coordinating incoming and outgoing art shipments (inter)nationally from artists as well as private and public institutions
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to build rapport with artists, students, private and institutional lenders, and guest curators at a local, national and international level
• Attention to detail
• Computer proficiency using Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel and PowerPoint. Familiarity with Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign is considered an asset .
• Experience with media-related technologies, as it applies to supporting artistic practices, would be considered an asset.
• Proven commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, and practices of anti-racism and anti-oppression, to contribute to a healthy workplace environment.
• Must be comfortable working with heights and ladders.
• Willingness and availability to work flexible hours when required for special events including some evenings and weekends

Compensation: Hiring Range - $25.97 to $29.70 per hour commensurate with experience, plus 4% vacation pay and 7% in lieu of benefits; Salary Range - $25.97 to $33.69 per hour

Hours of Work: Total of 28 hours per week. This is a temporary one-year contract.

The incumbent in this role will be expected to report to work on campus.

Please review the for all up-to-date information regarding COVID-19 protocols.

OCAD University\xe2\x80\x99s vaccine mandate will be in abeyance until further notice. However, to ensure continuity of teaching, learning and campus activities throughout the year, the University expects all students, staff and faculty to maintain up-to-date vaccination records.

Application Deadline: Interested applicants are invited to submit an updated resume, with a cover letter by selecting "Apply Now" below. The review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position has been filled.

As an institution committed to art, design, digital media and related scholarship, OCAD University recognizes the profound and essential value that diversity brings to the creation, reception and circulation of creative practices and discourse. OCAD University understands that valuing diverse creative practices and forms of knowledge are essential to and enrich the institution\xe2\x80\x99s core mission and vision as an art and design university with a local and global scope.

As an employer committed to employment equity, we encourage applications from members of equity-seeking communities including women, racialized and Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities/expressions.

We encourage members of designated equity-seeking groups to self-identify within the voluntary Applicant Questionnaire .

In order to alleviate the under-representation of racialized and Indigenous administrators, priority in hiring will be given to qualified racialized and Indigenous persons who self-identify as such in the application process. This initiative is a special program under the Ontario Human Rights Code .

OCAD University is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier free experience to applicants with accessibility needs. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage during the recruitment process. Please People & Culture for more information or refer to .

All qualified persons are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority. While we thank all candidates for their interest, only those short-listed will be contacted.

OCAD University