Exhibition Manager
Prospect New Orleans
Orléans
Full-time
Application deadline: October 16, 2023
Start date: November 2024
Termination date: March 1, 2025
Web Address: prospectneworleans.org
Department: Curatorial
Compensation: $75,000
Benefits: Health insurance and flexible vacation time
Relocation Assistance: Not offered for this position
About Prospect New Orleans
Prospect New Orleans was conceived in the tradition of the great international exhibition, such as the Venice Biennale and the Bienal de São Paulo, to showcase artistic practices from around the world in settings throughout the city with an emphasis on site-specificity. Prospect invites residents and visitors to celebrate art and artists as intrinsic to the local landscape and to experience New Orleans as they never have before.
Prospect New Orleans is a citywide contemporary art triennial, formalized in 2008 and now within its sixth iteration, P6. Prospect was originally conceived of as a biennial exhibition intended to support the cultural rebuilding of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Beginning with P.3 (2014), Prospect New Orleans officially transitioned to its current triennial format.
Job Description
Reporting to the Director of Curatorial Affairs and working closely with the Executive Director, Artistic Directors, and Curatorial Fellow, the Exhibition Manager is responsible for ensuring a successful Prospect.6 exhibition process and final product. The Exhibition Manager oversees the fabrication of new artist projects, technology gaps and needs for artist projects, relationships with Prospect.6 venues, implementing security and attendant plans for each venue, loan agreements and artwork, shipping in association with the registrar, artwork insurance, assembling and managing an installation/deinstallation team, and the installation and deinstallation processes. They will work in coordination with the Artistic Directors and Director of Curatorial Affairs on the development of artist projects, focusing specifically on budget management, feasibility, and venues.
The Exhibition Manager should have a broad fluency with contemporary art and have experience working with artists as well as institutions and community members. Competitive candidates must have broad experience working on major exhibitions and strong problem-solving skills. Must also be able to stand for long stretches of time. Must have a valid driver’s license. This position will necessitate flexible and extended hours during the period leading up the exhibition and during the exhibition itself. It is understood that it may evolve as the organization evolves, as the exhibition cycle unfolds, and depending on the Exhibition Manager’s skills and abilities.
Travel may be necessary. All Prospect employees are expected to remain aware of the local, national, and global context for contemporary art; to participate in Prospect’s community-facing events; and to occasionally represent the organization at national and community events as needed.
Please note that this position has a termination point of March 1, 2025.
Duties and Responsibilities
Curatorial
• Work with the Executive Director, Director of Curatorial Affairs, and Artistic Directors to create timelines and budgets for all Prospect.6 projects
• Manage the production and fabrication of new work in collaboration with artists, the Artistic Directors, and the Director of Curatorial Affairs
• Manage detailed schedules and budgets against artist contracts
• Work with vendors during exhibition production
• Manage venue relationships and venue agreements
• Lead logistical conversations with potential and confirmed P6 venues
• Manage and schedule installation and deinstallation processes
• Manage purchase/rental of necessary exhibition technology in collaboration with Technology Manager
• Have a comfort level creating digital renderings through SketchUp or Vectorworks, particularly exhibition spaces and furniture
• Oversee all loan agreements, artist contracts, and shipping logistics in association with the registrar
• Bind fine art insurance policies for Prospect.6 venues/projects
• Schedule installation photography and documentation
• Regularly update and manage completion of exhibition checklist
• Attend regular curatorial meetings
Development
• Attend Prospect board meetings as needed and assist in developing visual materials for presentations and public engagement
• Assist Executive Director in identifying and overseeing project support
Operations and supervisory
• Hire and oversee interns and volunteers to assist with exhibition realization
• Supervise Registrar, who will focus specifically on shipping logistics
• Hire and supervise Chief Preparator and Technology Manager
• Implement security and attendant plans for each exhibition venue
• Maintain exhibitions and provide maintenance reports throughout the triennial period
Minimum Qualifications
• Personable demeanor and ability to work under pressure
• Three–five years of relevant experience in a museum, gallery, or similar contemporary art environment
• Knowledge of museum practices, exhibition management, and curatorial practices
• Proven ability to meet deadlines and handle multiple tasks simultaneously
• Meet the physical demands of the position and perform a variety of tasks that involve the ability to sit or stand for up to 8 hours per day and move and/or lift up to 50 pounds
• Personal transportation to access a wide variety of museum and public settings throughout New Orleans, often over the course of a day
• Proven ability to work both independently and in a team environment
• Be employed exclusively by Prospect during the term of engagement