TD ASSOCIATE CURATOR

REPORTS TO: Artistic Director/Curator

POSITION TYPE: Two-year full-time contract, 5 days a week, typical workweek Monday to Friday with some evenings and weekends mandatory.

COMPENSATION: Annual salary of $56,000 with benefits/OMERS pension plan, free onsite parking, and time for ceremony participation.

LOCATION: Hybrid, with on-site, remote, and research travel components

As a key member of the programming team, the TD Associate Curator is responsible for creating, planning, executing, and evaluating exhibitions, projects, and public programs that highlight First Nations, Inuit, and Mètis art and culture and supports Indigenous relations. The position focuses on Indigenous-led and centered research and projects complementary to or situated within exhibitions and other programming initiatives, working collaboratively with artists, relation-makers, and curators to engage communities. The TD Associate Curator will work in a collaborative manner with gallery staff to deliver dynamic, engaging, and innovative programs. This role requires a commitment to fostering an inclusive and respectful environment for all, particularly with Indigenous communities, artists, and relation-makers.

Their work will be informed by the AGB’s support of the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the standards recommended by the Canadian Museum Association Move to Action Report in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada

Primary Responsibilities:

• Conceptualize and curate public programs focusing on Indigenous artists and communities, including ceremonial and educational events, cultural activities, and/or exhibitions.
• Develop and manage budgets for exhibitions and projects.
• Work alongside the Artistic Director to oversee artist residencies, site-specific installations, and collection commissions.
• Work closely with artists in developing and realizing exhibitions, projects, and new work/commissions. • Negotiate loans and agreements with galleries, collectors, artists, and other institutions.
• Engage in research and author interpretive text and scholarly contributions for the AGB's audience and assist with education guides, publications, press releases, exhibition announcements, signage, and website content.
• Perform general administrative duties associated with the exhibitions department, including coordinating contracts, shipping, travel, schedules, and correspondence for exhibitions and public programs.
• Build relationships with Indigenous community leaders, artists, relation-makers, curators, institutions, and other collaborators to foster cooperative community engagement.
• Advise on best practices for access and display of Indigenous cultural works, belongings, and living vessels.
• Assist the Executive Director and Artistic Director on grant writing initiatives, supporting the preparation of operational and project grants, and providing reports on key programming outputs to core funders.
• Liaison with the AGB's education department to develop ideas and conduct tours for exhibition related education and more expansive public programs for Indigenous and non-Indigenous audiences.
• Work closely with the AGB's communications department to aid in the marketing and publicity of programs.
• Visit communities, galleries, museums, and artists' studios to maintain current knowledge of the cultural practices, contemporary art production, and curatorial practices. • Consult with Indigenous individuals, leaders, nations, and organizations.
• Publicly act as an AGB ambassador in community participating in cultural events, juries, conferences and symposia.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Supervise and manage preparatory teams for exhibitions and events specific to the TD Associate Curator’s programs.
• Participate in mentorship role to volunteers, interns, and student placements as required.

Other Responsibilities:

• Work to further the goals and objectives of the AGB and participate actively in the institution’s life. Act in a respectful, accountable, and generous manner towards other staff, volunteers, and the public.
• Demonstrate a positive professional presence, inspiring and building confidence both within the AGB and outside the institution among a broad range of constituencies.
• Demonstrate a commitment to the AGB’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion priorities, ensuring that diverse audiences are represented, promoted, and engaged.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Skills:

• The TD Associate Curator is an ambitious, collaborative thinker, organized, and well-versed in cultural practices, contemporary art, and craft practices. A strong knowledge in exhibition production and project management is necessary for the position. Must possess solid writing skills, be detail-oriented, and able to multitask on overlapping projects.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and training in museum studies, Indigenous studies and/or visual arts acquired through a University Degree or relevant Diploma in Museum Studies, Cultural Heritage Conservation & Management or an equivalent combination of education, Traditional Knowledge, and relevant work experience.
• Experience working in and with Indigenous communities and knowledge of Indigenous cultural practices. • Demonstrated track record of creating and mounting exhibitions and projects and overseeing the production of new work and commissions.
• Strong relationships with artists.

Requirements and Qualifications:

• Strong knowledge of contemporary art.
• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills, working with staff as well as artists, curators, lenders, donors, and the public.

Working Environment:

• Office working environment.
• Most of the work is performed in a Gallery environment with an attendant noise level.
• Must be able to work some nights and weekends.

How to Apply (position closing April 14 at 5pm.)

Please submit a resume that clearly indicates your relevant work experiences, a cover letter that describes your interest in the position at the AGB and your qualifications in one pdf. Send to jobs@agb.life. The email subject line should read <title of position applied for> <followed by applicant's last name>. We thank all applicants for their interest but advise that only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Interviews will be scheduled with selected applicants at mutually agreed upon times.

About the Art Gallery of Burlington:

As a charitable non-profit cultural and educational organization, we focus on the exhibition, collection, conservation, and research of Canadian ceramics and the production of inclusive programs that foster awareness of contemporary art, craft, and related thought. As a gathering place for experiences, ideas, and learning, we commit to delivering programs that engage critically with contemporary art and craft practices. Our learning opportunities push the boundaries of traditional arts education and support artists, youth, and the broader community in their personal, professional, and artistic development. Boasting the world's most extensive collection of contemporary Canadian ceramics, we lead Canadian clay production's study, preservation, and circulation. As a hub of creative activity, our studios are open to artists and makers at all levels of skill and achievement.

The Art Gallery of Burlington is located on the ancestral territory of many Indigenous Nations including the Anishinaabeg, Haudenosaunee, and Métis peoples. The territory is mutually covered by the Dish with One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement between the Iroquois Confederacy, the Ojibway, and other allied Nations to peaceably share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes. We acknowledge that the land upon which we gather, to create and learn, is part of the Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit.

The AGB is committed to fostering an organizational culture embodying an equitable, diverse, and inclusive environment where every one of its board directors, staff, volunteers, and members feel respected and valued regardless of gender, age, race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation or identity, disability, education, or any other bias. We welcome applications from interested and qualified candidates who self-identify as Indigenous (First Nations, Métis or Inuit), status or non-status and who represent our diverse community, including those from across the spectrum of sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as persons with disabilities. Please let us know if you require accommodation at any stage of the process.

Hiring this position is supported by TD Ready Commitment

Learn more about the TD Ready Commitment at td.com/tdreadycommitment.