OCAD University’s Onsite Gallery is Hiring a Collections Steward

Onsite Gallery at OCAD University is seeking a dynamic and motivated candidate to fill the one-year contractual role of Collection Steward. This position plays an influential role in determining the collection’s care and future management within both a public and an academic setting.

Job Code: 3014
# of openings: 1
Weekly Hours: 21 hours (One year contract)
Closing Date: October 15, 2023

For wage details and how to apply, click here: https://bit.ly/46tw8Sl

Position Summary

Reporting to the Executive Director, Onsite Gallery, the Collections Steward oversees all aspects of collection management for the works of art in the university’s collection. The incumbent of the position manages the university’s collection by developing and implementing plans, policies, and procedures for the inventory, inspection, and conservation of all works in the collection. The Collections Steward will also develop a pre-appraisal plan for collection management.

The Collections Steward has primary responsibility to ensure proper care, and record keeping of the collection that aligns with best museum practices and cultural protocols. The Collections Steward is self-directed and exercises initiative in the management, assessment, and care of OCAD University’s Collection. The incumbent of the position works closely with the Executive Director, Onsite Gallery, in both informal and formal meetings and, on an ongoing basis, provides written summary reports.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Collection Stewardship – Organization and Inventory: The primary task involves systematically organizing and conducting a complete inventory of the collection. Additionally, tagging, marking, and cataloguing/registering the artworks.
• Facilities Assessment: Evaluate the current physical storage spaces and Onsite Gallery collection’s vault and provide recommendations for future planning.
• Condition + Conservation / Risk Assessment: assess the condition of each artwork and recommend appropriate measures to ensure their preservation for future generations.

Qualifications

• A post-secondary degree in museum studies, museum management, conservation, art history, or related field.
• Minimum 3 years’ experience in gallery or museum collections management or registration.
• Good working knowledge of collections database software, preferably Axiell.
• Familiarity with and knowledge of culturally appropriate approaches to collecting in a university or art museum setting.

Please refer to the full job description and selection criteria and how to apply to ensure your application addresses the areas we will be looking at when assessing suitability for this opportunity. To help us learn more about you, please provide a cover letter and C.V. describing how you meet the anticipated qualifications.

About OCAD University

OCAD University is a world-famous hub for art, design and digital media education, research, innovation and creativity. The University embraces collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches to change-making through art, design-thinking curriculum and research making OCAD U a local, regional, national, and global leader in art and design. Students benefit from hands-on studio learning and gain employable skills.

About Onsite Gallery

Onsite Gallery, located at 199 Richmond St. W., is the flagship professional art gallery of OCAD U and an experimental curatorial platform for art, design and new media. The gallery presents contemporary, Indigenous, and public art and design to advance knowledge creation and stimulate local and international conversations on the urgent issues of our time. Operating since 2007, Onsite Gallery officially opened at its Richmond Street West location six years ago, with a ribbon cutting, street party and award-winning exhibition “raise a flag” on September 16, 2017.