Director, Gray Gallery
Vacancy #: 930510
Salary Range: Commensurate with Qualifications
Closing Date: Open Until Filled
Organizational Unit Overview
The School of Art and Design provides a multidisciplinary approach to art and design that provides opportunities for students to develop their creative and critical thinking abilities by thinking through making. The School currently enrolls more than 500 students in twelve areas across four degrees. The School of Art and Design is the most comprehensive and largest BFA Art program in University of North Carolina system, and has been continuously accredited by NASAD since 1962. The School has over 40 full-time faculty and is located in the Jenkins Fine Arts Center, a 142,000-square foot facility with specialized equipment, tools, and technology for the School’s 14 disciplines—animation/interactive design, art education, art history, film and video production, ceramics, glass, graphic design, illustration, metal design, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, textile design. From computer labs, a digital loom, CNC routers, and laser cutters to a wood shop, foundry, letterpress shop, black and white dark room and beyond, the School’s facilities are comprehensive and available to faculty and students think, make, and work across the School’s disciplines.
East Carolina University (ECU) enjoys a proud heritage and record of contribution since its founding in 1907. Within the University of North Carolina system, ECU is the third largest of the state’s 16 degree-granting public institutions. Based on the quality of its academic programs, ECU has been named one of the best colleges in the Southeast region by the Princeton Review. ECU’s is committed to maximizing student success, serving the public, and leading regional transformation in the East.
The University is located in the city Greenville, NC, on the Tar River, a community of over 90,000. A former tobacco town, Greenville has developed as a cultural center in eastern North Carolina. In addition to extensive arts offerings by the School of Theater and Dance, School of Music, and School of Art and Design and its Gray Gallery, the city boasts the Pitt County Arts Council at Emerge, Greenville Museum of Art, Magnolia Arts Center, Whirligig Theater, numerous community schools of music and dance, and more. Outdoor amenities include access to the Tar River for boating and kayaking, the expansive River Park North, a greenway system, a superb Little League stadium and programs, and BMX/skateboarding parks. ECU is located adjacent to the city’s historic downtown—Uptown. Restaurants, coffee shops, brew pubs, retail businesses, and art galleries comprise this thriving district, which regularly hosts community events such as Umbrella Markets, Freeboot Fridays (before home football games), a BMX fest, and First Fridays (art walks).
Job Duties
The School of Art and Design at East Carolina University invites applications for a full-time, annually-renewable, twelve-month non-faculty Director of the Gray Gallery beginning July 1, 2018. This position will address the Gallery’s, School’s, and ECU’s broad mission of public engagement to expand the impact and visibility of the Gallery, its exhibitions, and collections on campus and beyond. This position is expected to grow the regional and national reputation of the Gray Gallery by supporting the work of the School and bring national-caliber exhibitions to the Gray Gallery and Greenville. The Director is expected to partner with regional cultural institutions (e.g. Greenville Museum of Art, Emerge Gallery, NC Museum of Art, CAM Raleigh, etc.) to support cultural development in the east and North Carolina, raise the profile of the Gallery, School, and ECU, and connect programming, students (including K-12), faculty, and staff to cultural resources in the region.
This position will collaborate with School of Art and Design faculty and administration to develop new strategies and curricula to integrate professional museum/curatorial studies in the School of Art and Design’s degrees (undergraduate and graduate); this may include developing and teaching 1 course (3 sh) per semester in the area of museum studies/curatorial studies.
The Director is responsible for maintaining inventories and accurate records of all artwork under the purview of the School and Gallery. This position will coordinate with campus partners regarding the care, maintenance, and display of the Gallery’s permanent collections, maintenance and care of art on campus, and other art/curatorial needs as appropriate. The Director plans and installs/removes exhibitions in the Gallery and other ad-hoc galleries on campus, manages the care and stewardship of the Gallery’s collections including the African Art collection, as well as other art/collections on campus as needed, and supervises the Gallery’s staff, student interns, and volunteers. The Director also manages the Gallery’s budget, including fundraising (grants) and donor development to enhance the collections, facilities, and programming of the Gallery and coordinates and develops marketing and communications, including social media.
Physical demands include exhibition preparation, climbing ladders, lifting, use of hand tools, changing lighting fixtures, handling and displaying artwork, and facilitating installation. Candidates must be able to lift 25 pounds. This appointment requires a flexible schedule allowing for occasional evening and weekend hours.
Minimum Education/Experience
- MA, MFA, or Ph.D. in museum studies, curatorial studies, art history, decorative arts history, visual art, or equivalent related degree.
- Evidence of gallery and/or museum organization, planning, and promotion (social media, web, print, etc.).
- Evidence of grant-writing and fundraising experience.
- Ability to lift 25 pounds.
Preferred Experience, Skills, Training/Education
- Three years’ museum or university gallery experience.
- Evidence of teaching and working with students at the college or university level.
- Evidence of working collaboratively within an academic environment.
- Evidence of professional knowledge of preservation issues, collection management, and maintenance.
- Experience in serving as a liaison with regional arts organizations and identifying and generating partnerships between art and diverse disciplines.
Special Instructions to Applicant
All application materials must be submitted online via the PeopleAdmin system.
- Online application
- Cover letter addressing qualifications specific to the job description.
- Full résumé or curriculum vita.
- Writing Sample (e.g., Press Release, Scholarly Article, Grant Application)
- List of at least three professional references including affiliation, email address, and phone number
Please note: Two original letters of reference/recommendation are required for employment. Please be aware that if selected as a candidate of choice, an automatic e-mail will be sent to the individuals entered by the applicant in the References section of the PeopleAdmin applicant tracking system. Letters of reference/recommendation submitted via the applicant tracking system will be verified and considered towards meeting this requirement.
Additional Instructions to Applicants
Applications will be considered until position is filled. Please submit an online ECU application for vacancy # 930510 to ECU Human Resources at http://jobs.ecu.edu.
East Carolina University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
Visit this job posting at http://ecu.peopleadmin.com/postings/10790
Categories: Job Postings