Museum Curator

Requirements:
The Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens of Winter Park, FL seeks a qualified Curator. The ideal candidate has a Bachelor’s Degree in Art History or Museum Studies, a Master’s Degree is preferred, and has 3-5 years of experience with collections as well as organizing and curating exhibitions. Candidates must be a scholar who will champion professional museum practices and strive for AAM-accredited museum standards in the care and presentation of collections; has superior writing, communication, and organizational skills; is team player; likes working with volunteers and interns; and is proficient in Microsoft Office suite, PastPerfect Museum Software, Adobe Suite, and archives management. Must be a confident speaker and an experienced educator with knowledge of multiple art forms including bronze sculpture casting methods, contemporary art, and classical painting and sculpture. This person must be hands-on, creative, and independent, but also be able to physically install temporary exhibits and transform the gallery space seasonally as well as work outdoors in hot/humid conditions to care for the outdoor sculpture collections.
Essential Duties:
● Manages Polasek Collection including decorative objects, furniture, paintings, prints, photographs, sculpture, textiles, and archives. Museum/collection best practices, digitization, and accreditation goals are mandatory.
● Utilizing preventative conservation methods, they will maintain the collections and work hands-on with the outdoor sculpture. They will also champion new conservation projects and castings.
● Handles all collection-related inquiries, registrar, and collections management duties.
● Acts as Director of Programming and plans/implements all educational programming for diverse audiences. Develops exhibit-specific programs, special events, and engaging open-house activities and creates all educational print and interpretive exhibit materials.
● Designs, installs, and curates temporary art exhibits and historical collections, from concept to installation and must plan out all Polasek programming/exhibits several years in advance.
● Professionally represents the Polasek Museum both onsite and throughout the community. Address large groups and be able to make presentations, give lectures, and teach on a variety of art, conservation, sculpture casting, and Polasek-related topics.
● Ensures we set goals and keep up with modern museum standards, using AAM’s accreditation process as a measure of success for our long-term planning.
● The Curator works closely with the Executive Director and Facilities Director on the care and maintenance of historic buildings and gardens, ensuring museum standards and story cohesion throughout our growing campus.
● The candidate must be a team player with day-to-day operations. Assists with daily tours/docents, event set-up, facilities maintenance, special tours, offsite programs, community outreach and teaching art classes as needed.
● Serves as the Artist Liaison for our annual fundraiser and week-long festival, The Winter Park Paint Out. In addition to artist recruitment, selection, and communication throughout the year, this event requires a three-week commitment every April with extended hours and weekends with heavy installations back-to-back, strenuous events set up daily during the festival, and extensive community programming development and execution. Collaborates with Orange County Public Schools and leads and teaches students. Art/gallery sales, patron/donor cultivation, and knowledge of “plein air” are helpful.