Assistant Curator for Historical Culture and Community

University of Tulsa • Tulsa, OK

3h • Onsite

About The Position

Gilcrease Museum seeks an intellectually curious, creative, and self-motivated individual to be Assistant Curator for Historical Culture and Community. This new curatorial role is charged with leading exhibitions, acquisitions, research, and interpretation within Gilcrease’s extensive collections of historical American fine art, visual culture, material culture, manuscripts, archives, and rare books. The focus will be on questions of identity, politics, and cultural expression from the past, using rigorous research and dynamic storytelling to convey the relevance of historical objects to contemporary audiences. The Assistant Curator will study esteemed collections areas including European settlement, interactions between settlers and Native nations, colonial-era and nineteenth-century portraiture, history paintings, genre paintings, sculptures, military history, diplomacy, the transatlantic slave trade, religion in the Americas, histories of transportation and urbanization, the Civil Rights Movement, changing roles for women, and documents and artworks concerning Oklahoma's history. The role involves collaborating with a seven-member curatorial team and other museum departments, reporting to the Director of Curatorial Affairs. Primary duties include researching and cataloguing the collection, recommending acquisitions, developing exhibitions, identifying traveling exhibitions, raising the museum's visibility, and partnering with the Associate Curator for Contemporary Culture and Community to activate collections with living artists and community collaborators.

Requirements

• Recognized scholarly expertise in any area of historical American art and culture (pre-1980s), demonstrated through publications and conference participation
• Excellent communication skills: writing, public speaking, and interpretation for both scholarly and general audiences
• Advanced research skills, demonstrated through experience in archival collections
• Reading knowledge sufficient for research in at least one second language
• Ability to creatively interpret and present interdisciplinary museum collections
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate as a team member with staff and volunteers
• Cultural sensitivity and ability to reach out and work with diverse communities, including communities of cultures associated with Gilcrease collections, and constituents served by Gilcrease Museum
• Demonstrated ability to manage concurrent projects, establish priorities, and meet deadlines, while maintaining high attention to detail
• Enthusiasm for creating welcoming and engaging museum experiences for all
• Master’s degree from an accredited university or college in art history, history, American studies, African-American studies, religious studies, women’s and gender studies, museum studies, or a related field (PhD preferred)
• Two to five years of work experience (including fellowships and internships) in a museum or cultural heritage setting, with experience in exhibitions development
• Physical dexterity is required sufficient for using a keyboard and telephone; and for carrying, pushing, and pulling up to 50 pounds.
• The position may be subject to extended periods of walking, standing, sitting, reaching, balancing, bending, kneeling, handling, climbing, and twisting.
• The curator must have visual acuity to closely examine small objects, and speech and hearing sufficient to interact with co-workers and to communicate well with professional and general audiences.
• Responsibilities require working with highly sensitive or confidential information.
• Individuals who are legally authorized to work in the United States and will not require future sponsorship for employment visa status.

Nice To Haves

• Experience integrating technology into exhibitions, programs, and research
• A robust network of professionals in the American art and/or history fields, including museums, galleries, research libraries, and archives.
• Proficiency in PC or Mac software applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
• Experience with collections databases, particularly The Museum System (TMS), ArchivesSpace, and OCLC WorldShare Management Services
• Proven grant-writing experience in support of historical research projects
• Knowledge of the American Alliance of Museums and School for Advanced Research best practices for the care and maintenance of collections
• Ability to evaluate museum objects as to condition, authenticity, origin, and quality; and to help identity conservation needs
• Additional language proficiencies are welcome

Responsibilities

• Curates and presents temporary, long-term, and traveling museum exhibitions, utilizing Gilcrease collections and loans.
• Supports the implementation and public unveiling of Gilcrease’s new Interpretive Plan, contributing to the presentation of interdisciplinary narratives in the new museum building.
• Collaborates with collections stewards, conservators, and other staff to support access and care of Gilcrease’s historical paintings, sculptures, works on paper, archival materials, and rare books.
• Contributes to Gilcrease’s Collections Development Plan for historical materials related to communities and cultures of the Americas, particularly the present-day United States, including leadership of acquisitions through gift and purchase.
• Assists the curators of Indigenous art and culture, Latin American art and culture, and others to conduct consultations with descendent communities regarding historical collection items with potentially sensitive cultural content.
• Contributes to interdepartmental work developing collections policies, museum operations, and programs that build and strengthen Gilcrease’s relationships with the communities throughout the Americas whose stories its collections represent.
• Conducts scholarly research on the Gilcrease collection for exhibitions and publications, including digital and online resources, while ensuring findings are appropriately documented and preserved within institutional records systems.
• Fosters and maintains positive working relationships with museum colleagues across the United States and beyond, as well as with scholars, gallerists, collectors, living artists, and a diverse array of community advisors.
• Promotes Gilcrease nationally and internationally through publishing and presenting at conferences, universities, and other external venues.
• Collaborates with the Associate Curator for Contemporary Culture and Community on community-driven curatorial projects, including exhibitions, performances, installations, and visiting artist collaborations.
• Develops on-site public and educational programming in coordination with the Learning & Community Engagement Department and Helmerich Center for American Research staff, including public lectures, symposia, media programs, and museum tours.
• Liaises with and builds strong, ongoing relationships with outside stakeholders, including museum supporters, citizens of Tulsa, regional artists and arts organizations, and national and international communities with ties to Gilcrease’s collections and mission.
• Facilitates research by visiting scholars and responds to public and professional inquiries relating to the Gilcrease collections and the curator’s areas of expertise.
• Supervises or co-supervises curatorial department interns and volunteers.
• Conducts staff and docent training.
• Serves on Gilcrease interdepartmental teams to enhance operations, communication, and staff culture across the museum.
• Assists in preparing and writing applications and reports for grants supporting exhibitions and the care and interpretation of the collection.
• Interacts with donors, board members, The University of Tulsa staff, and volunteers; conducts VIP tours as requested.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• medical, dental, and vision plan options
• retirement savings options
• paid time off
• a range of other benefits and privileges available to all University of Tulsa employees

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level