The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary art in the United States and a thriving cultural center for the Bay Area. We cannot imagine life without art; it inspires and connects us every day. Now more than ever, these connections matter and are aligned with our values.
Inclusive: We strive to be a museum of many voices in dialogue.
Passionate: We believe working with art is more than a job or trusteeship - it's a way of life.
Brave: We are committed to approaching our work with courage and a sense of adventure.
Empathic: We aim to act like a person, not an institution.
SFMOMA is a place for the infinitely curious to explore, support, and experience the art of our time. We believe that modern and contemporary art can influence the way we think, view the world, and embrace the many voices and perspectives around us. We aspire to foster an environment that elicits joy, nurtures a sense of belonging and purpose—where difference is seen as a strength, and every one is appreciated for their whole self.
Schedule: Full Time, 35 hours/week, up to 5 days working onsite at either location, 3-year term
The Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) is s contemporary art museum that celebrates Black cultures, ignites challenging conversations, and inspires learning through the global lens of the African Diaspora.
MoAD is one of the only few museums in the United States dedicated to the celebration and interpretation of art, artists, and cultures from the African Diaspora. The museum presents exhibitions highlighting contemporary art and artist of African descent and engages its audience through education and public programs that interpret and enhance the understanding of Black art.
MoAD is based in the San Francisco Bay Area and plays a vital role in the local arts community. MoAD is uniquely positioned as one of the few museums in the world focused exclusively on African Diaspora culture and on presenting the rich cultural heritage of the people of Africa and of African descendant cultures across the globe.
The Assistant Curator of the Art of the African Diaspora will specialize in African diasporic art and culture, bringing unique expertise in the art of Africa, the Caribbean, and the Americas to an innovative cross-institutional curatorial collaboration between the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) and the Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD). Jointly selected by SFMOMA and MoAD, neighboring institutions within San Francisco’s downtown Yerba Buena cultural district, the Assistant Curator of the Art of the African Diaspora reports to the Curator of Contemporary Art at SFMOMA and will work closely with the Chief of Curatorial Affairs and Public Programs at MoAD. The position will assist in the selection, research, development, planning, production, and interpretation of permanent collection and special exhibitions at MoAD and SFMOMA.
The inaugural position will be funded by SFMOMA as a full-time SFMOMA staff role for a 3-year term. The position will help lead major, multi-year collaborative projects for SFMOMA and MoAD. They The Assistant Curator will devote a significant portion of their time (up to 50%) to supporting MoAD support curatorial projects shared by both museums, expanding SFMOMA’s collections and programs, and helping to foster connections between the two institutions on areas of overlapping programmatic interest.
Early in their tenure, the Assistant Curator of the Art of the African Diaspora will familiarize themselves with SFMOMA’s collection and the exhibition histories of both museums. The candidate’s programmatic approach will help connect the museums with current and prospective visitors and strengthen relationships with artists and art organizations. This position is a key component of the MoAD + SFMOMA collaborative project.
The Assistant Curator is also involved in supporting the accessions process at SFMOMA, including writing defenses for proposed acquisitions, drafting scripts for presentations, and coordinating the installation of proposed acquisitions. Additionally, the Assistant Curator conceives, organizes, generates texts for galleries and publications and installs special and permanent collection exhibitions, as assigned. These exhibitions require that the Assistant Curator collaborate with co-workers drawn from the Registration, Conservation, Publications, Research and Exhibitions departments.
Job posting open date: 3/4/24
This position will tentatively close on Friday, May 3.
Location: San Francisco, 151 3rd Street.
COVID-19 Environmental Factors: In keeping with city, county, and state regulations regarding large gatherings, and to contain the spread of coronavirus, the museum is following the city of San Francisco guidelines. As a part of our commitment to health and safety, COVID-19 vaccination is required for all current and newly hired employees and contractors.
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
SFMOMA is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. No person shall be discriminated against based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, age, genetic information, ancestry/national origin, marital status, disability, medical condition, HIV status, sexual orientation, veteran/military status, and any other category protected by federal of state law.
You may request reasonable accommodation if you are unable to or are limited in your ability to access job postings or provide additional information asked in the job posting.
You can request reasonable accommodation by contacting the People team at talent@sfmoma.org.
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