Curator - ICA Pittsburgh - College of Fine Arts

Carnegie Mellon University•Pittsburgh, PA

About The Position

ICA Pittsburgh seeks an imaginative, collaborative, and artist-centered Curator to help define the institution’s artistic identity. Working closely with the Founder and Director, the Curator will set and implement the institution’s programmatic vision; originate exhibitions, commissions, publications, and live programs; cultivate relationships with artists and partners; and translate artistic priorities into sustainable multiyear plans. As a senior institutional leader, the Curator will help establish the values, processes, and working culture of a new contemporary art institution. The successful candidate will combine curatorial ambition and intellectual rigor with strong communication, collaboration, planning, and follow-through. The Curator will partner with the Director on artistic vision, programmatic identity, and multiyear strategy, and develop exhibitions, commissions, performances, screenings, publications, conversations, and digital initiatives. The role builds connections among emerging and established artists, Pittsburgh-based practices, and national and international perspectives, while supporting artists throughout the development and presentation of their work. The Curator will develop collaborations across Carnegie Mellon University and create opportunities for students to engage with artists, exhibitions, curatorial practice, and museum work. The position also develops accessible interpretive materials and public programs, and works with colleagues and community partners to foster meaningful exchange among artists, researchers, students, and the public. As a member of the leadership team, the Curator contributes to strategy, planning, budgeting, and organizational development; manages program schedules, staffing, production, and budgets; establishes equitable curatorial processes; collaborates across institutional functions; and supervises and mentors staff and project collaborators. The Curator plans and manages exhibition development, coordination, loan agreements, and installation with the Assistant Director of Exhibitions. The role also represents ICA Pittsburgh externally and partners with the Director and advancement colleagues on grants, sponsorships, donor engagement, and cases for support while preserving curatorial independence. The position is a full-time, regular staff role based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Carnegie Mellon describes benefits including comprehensive medical, prescription, dental, and vision insurance; a retirement savings program with employer contributions; tuition benefits; paid time off and observed holidays; life and accidental death and disability insurance; a Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus pass; Family Concierge Team support for childcare needs; and fitness center access.

Requirements

Significant progressively responsible experience in curatorial practice, contemporary art programming, or artistic leadership.
A record of developing and delivering ambitious contemporary art exhibitions, commissions, publications, performances, public programs, or related projects.
Broad knowledge of contemporary art and experience working with artists across different media, disciplines, geographies, and career stages.
Experience collaborating directly with artists on the development and presentation of new work.
Demonstrated leadership in a museum, university gallery, kunsthalle, alternative art space, residency program, cultural organization, or comparable setting.
Experience managing complex budgets, schedules, production processes, and partnerships.
Excellent writing, editing, public-speaking, and interpersonal communication skills.
Demonstrated commitment to equity, accessibility, inclusive representation, and respectful workplace practices.
An advanced degree in art history, curatorial studies, studio art, visual culture, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of professional experience and demonstrated achievement.

Nice To Haves

Experience working within a university, research institution, or similarly complex organization.
Experience launching, expanding, or repositioning a museum, gallery, cultural initiative, or major program.
Familiarity with interdisciplinary practices involving science, technology, design, architecture, performance, sound, moving image, social practice, or emerging media.
Experience commissioning new work and managing technically or logistically complex projects.
Experience with publications, fundraising, grant development, donor engagement, or institutional partnerships.
Knowledge of Pittsburgh’s artistic and cultural communities or a demonstrated ability to build locally grounded relationships.
An established national or international network of artists, curators, scholars, and cultural organizations.

Responsibilities

Partner with the Director to define ICA Pittsburgh’s artistic vision, programmatic identity, and multiyear strategy.
Originate, research, and organize exhibitions, commissions, performances, screenings, publications, conversations, and digital initiatives.
Develop programming connecting emerging and established artists, Pittsburgh-based practices, and national and international perspectives.
Identify and engage artists, guest curators, writers, scholars, and interdisciplinary collaborators.
Maintain artistic quality, experimentation, accessibility, scholarship, and ethical practice across programs.
Support artists throughout research, development, production, presentation, and evaluation.
Build substantive collaborations with Carnegie Mellon faculty, students, researchers, schools, and centers.
Develop opportunities for students to engage with artists, exhibitions, curatorial practice, and professional museum work.
Develop an interpretive approach that is rigorous, inviting, and accessible to audiences with different levels of familiarity with contemporary art.
Create and edit gallery texts, essays, publications, artist interviews, digital content, and other interpretive materials.
Integrate exhibitions with performances, screenings, workshops, conversations, and participatory programs.
Work with colleagues and community partners to foster meaningful, reciprocal exchange among artists, researchers, students, and publics.
Incorporate accessibility and audience experience into early stages of program development.
Serve on ICA Pittsburgh’s leadership team and contribute to institutional strategy, planning, budgeting, and organizational development.
Translate artistic priorities into calendars, project plans, staffing needs, production schedules, and budgets.
Establish clear and equitable processes for artist selection, commissioning, guest-curator engagement, interpretation, documentation, and evaluation.
Collaborate across exhibitions, operations, advancement, communications, education, visitor experience, facilities, and university administration.
Supervise and mentor curatorial staff, exhibition teams, interns, consultants, and project-based collaborators.
Plan and manage exhibition planning, coordination, loan agreements, and installation with the Assistant Director of Exhibitions.
Foster a working culture grounded in care, transparency, accountability, intellectual generosity, and respect for different forms of expertise.
Build sustained relationships with artists, cultural organizations, educators, community leaders, and audiences in Pittsburgh.
Develop reciprocal partnerships connecting ICA Pittsburgh to national and international contemporary art networks.
Represent ICA Pittsburgh at public programs, professional convenings, studio visits, university events, donor gatherings, and community meetings.
Partner with the Director and advancement colleagues on grants, sponsorships, donor engagement, and cases for support.
Communicate the artistic program persuasively while protecting the integrity and independence of the curatorial process.