Curatorial Assistant, Artists-in-Residence and Performance

Art and Wellness Enterprises • Bentonville, AR

14d • Onsite

About The Position

The Curatorial Assistant, Artists-in-Residence and Performance is an integral member of the Curatorial team, providing curatorial and administrative support for Artists-in-Residence and Performance programs across Crystal Bridges and the Momentary. The position supports research, planning, and implementation of artist residencies, exhibitions, festivals, artist talks, performances, and special projects. It works across idea development, audience experience, artist relations, and execution through research, producing, project coordination, administration, planning, and hosting.

The Curatorial Assistant communicates regularly with artists and their representatives, external contractors, and community partners. The role supports residency arrangements and daily operations, research and content development, writing, public-facing artist-led opportunities, budgets, contracts, tours, project documentation, and coordination with internal teams and vendors. The position requires collaboration, independent work, artist-relations experience, and an interest in performance. It is based on-site in Bentonville, Arkansas, with work in offices, museum spaces, performance venues, and outdoors.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in art history or a related discipline.
• 1–2 years of experience in a museum, cultural organization, gallery, or other relevant professional setting.
• Knowledge of visual arts.
• Knowledge of performance, including music, theater, dance, performance art, and time-based media.
• Experience working with artists.
• Proven experience and success coordinating projects and meeting deadlines in fast-paced working environments.
• Experience with, or ability to learn, specialized software systems including TMS, EMS, Workday, and Asana.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to maintain the highest ethics in curatorial work and high levels of confidentiality and discretion.

Nice To Haves

• Curatorial experience.
• Ability to obtain a passport for international travel.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented.
• Professional and approachable manner, with excellent communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and facilitate teams with diverse personalities.
• Willingness to work weekends and evenings and adjust hours as required.
• Experience working with living artists and their representatives.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications: Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Project, and OneNote.
• Demonstrated knowledge of current practices in producing events, supporting residencies, or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a key point of contact for artists connected with residency programs, supporting them from invitation through residency completion.
• Coordinate artist residency arrangements, including housing, transportation, community connections, and in-studio or on-site needs with internal teams and departments.
• Implement daily operations of residency programs.
• Schedule site visits, tours, and studio visits for teams and visitors.
• Support research and content development for residency projects and programs, commissions, presentations, and performances.
• Support writing program notes, program descriptions, marketing copy, wall texts, internal content guides, and catalogue entries.
• Deliver artist-led public-facing opportunities under the Curator’s supervision.
• Support the design, development, and presentation of internal and external share-outs.
• Support the development, maintenance, and monitoring of budgets with partner departments.
• Lead venue tours and brief staff and volunteers on program details.
• Schedule meetings, book meeting rooms, prepare agendas, and distribute notes focused on next steps.
• Support the review and execution of contracts.
• Coordinate Artists-in-Residence and Performance interns and volunteers.
• Organize, maintain, and archive project files and documentation.
• Support project management with the Curator, internal departments, and outside vendors.
• Support the Curatorial team in the continued growth and improvement of the developing program.
• Work with the Curatorial team and colleagues in Operations, Guest Experience, Brand Strategy and Communications, Learning & Engagement, and Special Events.
• Perform duties professionally, approachably, and proactively, balancing multiple tasks, including complex administrative work requiring discretion and confidentiality.
• Coordinate overlapping timelines and ensure external and interdepartmental communications are clear, timely, helpful, and documented.
• Respond promptly and professionally to inquiries.
• Suggest process improvements and ways to keep projects on time and within budget.
• Keep the supervisor informed of issues or changes in project scope.
• Help foster team creativity, collegiality, timeliness, and mutual respect.
• Generate and contribute solutions as challenges arise.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned to support evolving organizational needs.

What This Job Offers

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