Cara Tierney’s installation They (2019) at the OAG, (fabricated by Ornova Studios, aluminium, LED lights. Photo: John-Finnigan Lin

Deadline: Monday, June 28, 2021, 5:00 pm EST
Permanent, Full-time position

Ottawa Art Gallery (OAG)
Join our team and play a role in supporting local and regional artists while shaping the future of visual arts and culture in Canada. Help tell the story of our community’s evolution through art and contribute in creating a positive vision for our city’s future. The OAG is a premiere art gallery and cultural destination in the downtown core. It is a sustainable, innovative institution and a positive economic contributor for the national capital region holding a world-class collection of art.

The Role
The Senior Curator creates exhibitions, acquisitions, publications, partnerships and discursive opportunities for historical and contemporary art and artists, in keeping with OAG’s commitment to situating equity, inclusion and anti-racism as a central tenet and foundational practice. This is a key programming position that, in a team environment, helps further OAG’s priorities to support and collaborate with the local arts communities by creating safe spaces of consultation, and opportunities to address gaps in representation, for those who identify as Indigenous Peoples, Black, people of colour, Francophone, D/deaf and disability artists, women and 2SLGBTQ+. In this role, you will work under the general direction of the Deputy Director, Chief Curator who in turn reports to the Director and CEO.

As Senior Curator, your practice will demonstrate:

• A commitment to create exhibitions that will help in the Gallery’s process of enacting the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, engage in community-based consultation, honour Indigenous knowledge, diversity and cultural continuity;
• An understanding and deep commitment to anti-racism and colonial history;
• A commitment to diversity in relation to artists and artistic practices most especially from Indigenous Peoples, Black, people of colour, Francophone, D/deaf and disability artists, women and 2SLGBTQ+ communities;
• A co-development approach in projects, and comfort in sharing authorship and platforms with a multitude of individuals and communities;
• An ability to bring your own network of contacts through which to build new partnerships, and foster and evaluate existing partnerships;
• An understanding of international, national and regional art practices along a spectrum that explore regionally rooted, and globally important, discourse;
• An ability to work as part of a wider team of professionals, helping develop public programs, digital offerings, promotional strategies, and funding opportunities.

Requirements
Experience

• Progressive multi-year experience curating exhibitions in either museums, public galleries, and/or community or cultural centres, or demonstrated related experience;
• Experience in community or traditional educational settings in line with this role, and/or MA or PhD in Art History, Contemporary Art Theory, Cultural Studies, Indigenous art and culture, or a related field;
• Project management experience, including the ability to work in a fast-paced environment, work on multiple tasks simultaneously, and meet deadlines;
• Grant writing abilities and experience;
• Research, writing and editing ability and experience;
• Public speaking experience;
• Comfort with local, national and international travel when applicable;
• Asset, but not required: Ability to work effectively in a bilingual office and community (English / French). Additional languages will be considered a further asset.

Skills & Competencies

• Exhibition and Publication Development: Research, development and administration of original, guest-curated and borrowed exhibitions as well as special touring exhibitions;
• Public Interpretation: Approachable public presence and sense of audience needs in the preparation and delivery of content for both digital and in-gallery support material for exhibitions and public talks;
• Community Outreach: Deliver networked cooperative opportunities, and work as part of a team to help with the Gallery’s commitment to broadening outreach to diverse and under-represented communities;
• Acquisitions: Understand the collection and work with the arts community to address gaps in representation, and broaden the definition of art, most especially from Indigenous Peoples, Black and people of colour, Francophone, D/deaf and disability artists, women and 2SLGBTQ+ communities;
• Profile Building: Be an ambassador for OAG’s programming through a network of editors, writers and colleagues to solicit exhibition attention and reviews in a variety of publications.

Salary Range: $65,000 – $70,000 + benefits
Start Date: 1 September 2021 (negotiable)
Location: Please note candidates must live in, or be willing to relocate to, the Ottawa-Gatineau region by early 2022.

How to Apply
Send a cover letter and resume to jobs@oaggao.ca, attention c/o Catherine Sinclair by the closing date. Please indicate the position title in the email subject line.

For more information, please contact Zoë MacNeil, Chief of Staff (zmacneil@oaggao.ca)
Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Equity:
The Ottawa Art Gallery extends a commitment to equity in every aspect of the organization, recognizing that structural inequalities create significant barriers to equal opportunity employment. We strongly encourage applications from equity-seeking communities, from individuals who identify as Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, Persons with Disabilities, and 2SLGBTQ+ and/or persons living at intersectionalities.

Accessibility:
OAG fully supports inclusion of persons with disabilities in all of its operations. In accordance with the requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) and the Ontario Human Rights Code, OAG strives to conduct its business in a way that is accessible, inclusive and responsive to the needs of persons with disabilities.

OAG is committed to ensuring that employment opportunities are fully accessible to job candidates and employees with disabilities.

Should you require accommodation during the staffing process, please contact Zoë MacNeil (zmacneil@oaggao.ca)

Due to the ongoing COVID19 pandemic, all personal protective measures will be taken to conduct job interviews in a safe manner. OAG will work with individual selected candidates to ascertain the safest and most effective way to conduct each interview, including options such as in-person using distancing and masks or via Zoom.

50 Mackenzie King Bridge, Ottawa, ON, K1N 0C5, CANADA
613.233.8699 | info@oaggao.ca

Currently closed in adherence to Provincial COVID-19 guidelines.
Admission is always free.

Ottawa Art Gallery is located on traditional Anishinābe Aki.
OAG is committed to providing a barrier-free environment and is fully accessible.

oaggao.ca

Facebook: @ottawaartgallery
Instagram: @ottawaartgallery
Twitter: @OttawaArtG

OAG receives funding from: