Assistant Curator

General Summary
The Assistant Curator is a collaborative, flexible and team-oriented individual with excellent organizational and administrative skills and a strong knowledge of modern and contemporary art history. Reporting to the Museum Director and Chief Curator, the Assistant Curator supports The Baker Museum’s ambitious exhibition program, collection development, and other museum projects and strategic initiatives. In addition, the Assistant Curator facilitates communications with other departments of Artis—Naples, and may have the opportunity to generate original exhibitions and programs.

Supervises
Museum interns (as necessary)

Essential Duties and Responsibilities (other duties may be assigned)
• Undertake administrative tasks related to planning and production of exhibitions including researching loans and drafting loan letters; generating and maintaining exhibition checklists; and overseeing contact lists for invitations and mailings.
• Assist in preparation of exhibition texts, including authoring new text as needed for extended labels and other purposes and adapting existing texts for interdepartmental use.
• Conduct ongoing collection research and updating of information (in consultation with Registrars) in object files and TMS. Communicate upcoming museum team research needs to Education Department and work to identify acquisitions for the library collection.
• Provide Marketing and Communications Department and Development Department with information, images, and captions for collection objects and exhibitions as needed for publicity and grant-writing purposes.
• Works with Education, Development, and Marketing and Communications staff to prepare and edit materials to promote, publicize, and interpret exhibitions and related programs.
• Assists with gathering and writing exhibition-related information pertinent to grant applications, final reports, and other institutional needs.
• Respond to external inquiries pertaining to the museum’s collections and exhibitions.
• Prepares supporting materials for meetings of the Museum Board Committee, including research and writing texts about proposed acquisitions and creating Power Point presentations of objects for the consideration of the committee.
• Scheduling interdepartmental and project-related meetings, taking meeting minutes, managing the calendar of the Museum Director and Chief Curator, and other administrative tasks as needed.
• Deliver gallery talks and lead tours for docents, museum guests, donors, and others.
• Oversee the work of museum interns.
• Observe safety requirements. Report safety issues and items requiring work orders to Supervisor or Security.
• Work effectively with all Artis—Naples team members.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education/Experience
• B.A. in Art History, Museum studies or related discipline (M.A. preferred).
• Minimum of two years of progressively responsible and relevant museum experience.

Other Skills and Abilities
• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Professional demeanor and diplomatic skills.
• Well-developed written and verbal communication skills, and demonstrated proofreading and editing skills
• Possess a broad familiarity with the art of the 20th and 21st centuries
• Demonstrated knowledge of current museum principles and practices.
• Experience with database systems, including TMS (The Museum System).
• Ability to form and maintain successful working relationships with museum team members, colleagues in other departments within Artis—Naples, artists, lenders, tour venues and other external contacts.
• Proficiency in Spanish desired.

Apply
To apply for this position, please visit https://artisnaples.org/about/employment

Organization Overview

ARTIS—NAPLES
Home of The Baker Museum and the Naples Philharmonic, Artis—Naples is unique among cultural institutions nationwide, equally dedicated to both the visual and performing arts featuring artists of global distinction.

KIMBERLY K. QUERREY and LOUIS A. SIMPSON CULTURAL CAMPUS
Led by CEO and President Kathleen van Bergen and Sharon and Timothy Ubben Artistic and Music Director Designate Alexander Shelley, Artis—Naples offers more than 800 paid and free events annually across its 8.5-acre Kimberly K. Querrey and Louis A. Simpson Cultural Campus. Artis—Naples welcomes thousands of visitors each year for a broad array of artistic and educational opportunities perfect for audiences of all backgrounds and interests. The cultural campus is home to five buildings, including two performance halls (Frances Pew Hayes Hall and Myra J. Daniels Pavilion), The Baker Museum, the Toni Stabile Education Building and the Kohan Administration Building.

NAPLES PHILHARMONIC The Naples Philharmonic has long been recognized as one of the cornerstones of Southwest Florida’s arts community. As part of Artis—Naples, the Naples Philharmonic performs more than 140 orchestral and chamber music concerts, as well as opera and ballet, education, community and special event concerts annually between September and June in the 1,477-seat Hayes Hall, the 283-seat Daniels Pavilion and around the Southwest Florida region. The Naples Philharmonic has enjoyed a history of working with world-class music directors and recently announced the appointment of Artistic and Music Director Alexander Shelley, who begins the role of Artistic and Music Director in the 2024-25 season. Renowned violinist James Ehnes continues as artistic partner through the 2023-24 season, working with Naples Philharmonic musicians in a variety of settings with a focus on inspiring and embodying a high level of artistry. Podium leadership includes Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly, celebrating 14 years in this role in the 2023-24 season and bringing pops performances that celebrate music in its many forms.

THE BAKER MUSEUM
The Baker Museum is the foremost fine art museum in Southwest Florida, presenting an ambitious slate of exhibitions annually to complement installations of works from its permanent collection. Comprising more than 4,000 objects, the museum’s broad holdings of 20th- and 21st-century art reflect particular strengths in modern art of the United States and Mexico. The Baker Museum’s collections reflect the generosity and commitment of area collectors, including significant gifts from the collection of the late Olga Hirshhorn.

With more than two decades of collecting and exhibiting, the museum is committed to the stewardship and scholarship of its collections and to fostering inspiring and transformative experiences with the visual arts. At the same time, The Baker Museum partners with the world’s leading arts institutions to make extraordinary exhibitions accessible to the Southwest Florida community—including recently the National Portrait Gallery, London and the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation. In 2020, Artis—Naples celebrated the opening of an 18,000-squarefoot expansion of The Baker Museum, designed by Weiss/Manfredi Architecture/Landscape/ Urbanism, which created new spaces for multidisciplinary exploration and social interaction.

EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY
In addition to creating and presenting visual and performing arts, Artis—Naples provides robust education and community activities for students of all ages in Collier and Lee counties. Each season, thousands of Collier County Public Schools interact with Artis—Naples education programming, both on its cultural campus and in their classrooms. Beyond our commitment to youth education, the Lifelong Learning program provides engaging lectures and study opportunities for adults seeking to engage more deeply with the arts.

The Friends of Artis—Naples, comprised of more than 3,500 donor households, offers activities, travel experiences and events designed to foster a deeper relationship between patrons and the arts.

In 2017, Artis—Naples acquired the Naples International Film Festival (NIFF), expanding its film offerings and providing a platform for the festival’s continued excellence and growth. The 2023-24 season marks its 15th anniversary in the community.