About TarraWarra Museum of Art:

Located in the Yarra Valley, TarraWarra Museum of Art is a leading not-for-profit public art gallery that features inventive and stimulating exhibitions and programs about twentieth and twenty-first century art and holds one of the country’s most important collections of Australian art from the 1930s to the present day. The permanent collection was established through the generous donation of over 600 artworks by founding patrons, the late Marc Besen AC and Eva Besen AO.

The Museum actively engages with art, place and ideas in a remarkable environment and immersive atmosphere, inspiring curiosity and providing a retreat for the imagination. In March 2025, TarraWarra Museum of Art will launch a major new building, the Eva and Marc Besen Centre. A breathtaking architectural concept designed by Kerstin Thompson Architects with landscape design by OCULUS and Wurundjeri horticulturalist and artist Craig Murphy-Wandin, the state-of-the-art building is a multi-purpose learning and performance space for family and children’s programs, talks, forums, workshops, live arts and educational programs.

The Centre will also offer a unique behind-the-scenes look at works from the TarraWarra Museum of Art collection. Presented in visible art storage racks, the general public will have viewing access to the works of some of Australia’s most significant modern and contemporary artists. TarraWarra Museum of Art’s vision is to connect art, place and ideas.

Our staff contribute to the Goals outlined in our Strategic Plan 2024-2027:

• Connecting art, place and ideas
• Audience engagement
• Collaborating with the sector
• Providing for robust, sustainable and secure operations

The Museum commits to the following values in everything we do:

• Respect for art and the artist
• Respect for the spirit of philanthropy – the inspiration for the Museum
• Respect for First Nations voices of Wurundjeri Country and beyond
• Respect for the natural world and sense of place, inspiring fresh creative perspectives
• Respect for the diversity of our visitors
• Respect for the curiosity of our audience
• Respect for cultural safety, equity and access

Position Purpose:

The purpose of the Curator is to generate a suite of exhibitions and experiences, drawing inspiration from our location, exemplary collection and current ideas. TarraWarra Museum of Art aims to engage with audiences to develop a deeper understanding of the worlds that artists create. The Curator is responsible for curating original exhibitions for the Museum and working with a collection of 600 modern and contemporary Australian art works, including their presentation in the visible storage of the new Eva and Marc Besen Centre. The Curator provides wide assistance with other exhibitions at the Museum and conducts original research. The Curator manages all aspects of the production of TWMA's publications, including editing, writing and production management. The role reports to the Head of Exhibitions and Programs and is critical in planning, preparing and presenting exhibitions at the highest standard. The Curator will have an integral role in contributing to the long-term program and will be required to research opportunities for future collections. They will engage with a variety of stakeholders, involving preparing and presenting to peers and VIPs and maintaining professional networks across the Museum and visual arts sector.

Key Performance Indicators:

1. Curate exhibitions of the highest standard, working within the team's capacity to deliver high quality exhibitions, on time and to budget

2. Provide timely information regarding exhibitions and collections to Head of Exhibitions and Programs, the TWMA team and volunteers that is of a high standard, with 100% accuracy

3. Manage the production of all TarraWarra publications to 100% accuracy and within budget

Position Description:

• Curate original exhibitions of the highest standard both from the collection, and with works from outside the Museum
• Plan exhibition designs in collaboration with the Exhibitions Manager and Head of Exhibitions and Programs
• Manage and contribute to the long-term exhibition program under the direction of the Head of Exhibitions and Programs
• Provide research and coordination assistance to the Head of Exhibitions and Programs, Exhibition Manager and Director on all aspects of exhibitions and collections
• Curate the display of the permanent collection in the EMBC in collaboration with the Director
• Liaise with the Registrar and Collections Manager on the digitisation of the collection for the website
• Liaise in a respectful way with First Nations elders and communities• Liaise with lenders, guest curators, Museums, galleries, auction houses and artists as required, maintaining the Museums international standards of excellence and ethics
• Provide production assistance with exhibitions, in collaboration with the Exhibitions Manager, including trouble-shooting, assisting with installation and de-installation, writing extended labels and signage in a timely manner and maintaining the Museum’s standard of excellence in all aspects of the exhibition appearance
• Assist in the management and care of the collection in collaboration with the and Registrar and Collections Manager
• Represent the Museum professionally and maintain professional networks across the Museum and visual arts sector
• Prepare and present floor-talks to peers and VIPs, accurate exhibition labels, catalogue entries and other written texts as required
• Manage the editing of the Museum’s publications, including the coordination of texts, credit lines, acknowledgments and images for publications, ISBN and legal deposit, and do proof reading and copyediting as required
• Manage copyright requirements, relevant licenses and restrictions on the reproduction of art works in Australia
• Provide information on exhibitions to the TWMA team in a timely manner
• Coordinate image requests and respond to general enquiries related to the collection and exhibitions
• Prepare loan agreements for incoming loans to the Museum of Curator’s exhibitions in collaboration with the Exhibitions Manager and Registrar and Collections Manager
• Manage the cultural gifts process for incoming works of art that are gifted to the Museum
• Oversee the additions to the TWMA library, and coordinate the introduction of a dewy system
• Maintain a clean and safe workplace for staff, contractors, volunteers and visitors
• Report issues of concern such as hazards and risks and where applicable, rectify
• Deliver strategic initiatives and activities as per timelines outlined in the Strategic plan
• Adhere to TWMA Policies and Procedures
• Work within defined budgets.

The employee must hold a full current driver's licence and own a registered vehicle to travel to and from work. The role requires a Working with Children Check and a Criminal History Check. A scissor lift license would be advantageous.

Please address the Qualifications, Selection Criteria and Capabilities in your application.

Qualifications: A post-graduate degree fine arts, relevant discipline or equivalent work experience

Selection Criteria:

1. More than five years' experience as a Curator in a museum / gallery

2. Strong publishing record in the field of 20th and 21st century art

3. Experience with and working knowledge of Australian twentieth and twenty-first century art and culture, including a genuine passion for First Nations art and Australian modernism.

4. Demonstrated experience planning, preparing and presenting exhibitions on time and within budget

5. Demonstrated knowledge of Australian copyright law, and experience in gaining copyright permissions for artworks

6. Solid network within the visual arts industry

7. Solid experience in the use of collection management systems.

8. Demonstrated experience working with collections.

Capabilities:

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to converse with a range of stakeholders in a number of forums including public speaking
• High level interpersonal skills with the ability to connect with the team, and liaise with stakeholders from a variety of backgrounds and experiences
• Solid understanding of the protocols working with First Nations communities and culture.
• Strong attention to detail
• Highly proficient written skills
• Strong organisational and time management skills
• Excellent administration, computer skills, and filing practices

TarraWarra Museum of Art encourages applicants from First Nations, culturally and linguistically diverse, disability and LGBTIQA+ communities to apply. We recognise that there are barriers to employment for people from these communities, and we encourage you to get in touch with us to explore alternative application methods or other ways of removing these barriers. We encourage you to apply even if you don’t have all the attributes listed above but feel that you would be a good fit.

TO APPLY:

Applications should be sent to Vikki Southey, OurHR, [email protected] and must include:

1. Cover letter, with name, residential address, phone number and email
2. A CV of no more than 3 pages with the names, phone and emails of two referees
3. No more than 3 pages addressing the Selection Criteria with relevant examples of previous experience.

ENQUIRIES: Vikki Southey: 0404 085 513

Applications close 5pm, Friday 7th March 2025