Application Deadline: Nov 30, 2022
Salary From: 25K To 25K
Province: Ontario
Region: Metro Toronto Area
City: Toronto
Employee Benefits: N/A
Organization’s Field/Discipline: The Arts
Job’s focus: Creative & Administrative
Job Type: Requests for Proposals
Career Level: Doesn’t apply
Organization Description
Gardiner Museum
The Gardiner Museum has a collection of over 4,000 objects from the Ancient Americas, Europe, Japan, and China, as well as contemporary works with an emphasis on leading Canadian artists. We are among the few museums focused on ceramics, and one of the world’s most notable specialty museums.
Job Description
Please read an download the full application before applying.
The Gardiner Museum Curatorial Residency provides the successful applicant with a paid opportunity to conceive, research, and produce a small-scale museum exhibition and gain experience in a professional environment. The aims of the residency are to create an opportunity for aspiring and emerging curators; to promote new approaches to the study and presentation of ceramics; and to support a new, diverse generation of curators by offering them an opportunity to communicate their ideas to a broad public. The Curatorial Residency is an annual program, launched in 2022. Unsuccessful applicants are encouraged to apply again next year.
The outcome of the Curatorial Residency is an exhibition presented at the Museum. The exhibition should focus on clay or ceramic works, works that are primarily ceramic, or ceramic works in context with other objects or artworks. The theme should be of contemporary relevance and informed by the latest scholarship, whether the actual objects are historical or contemporary.
The Curatorial Residency has two components to achieve this goal. The first is a travel component of approximately 2-4 weeks, with financial support for the selected applicant’s travel outside of Canada to research their exhibition, including visiting other museums. This invaluable experience will enhance the exhibition, deepen its scholarship, and provide a unique opportunity for professional and personal growth.
The second component is 3-4 months of full-time work at the Gardiner Museum. This period of the residency focuses on the research, development, writing and realization phases of the exhibition, along with participation in the regular curatorial operations of the Museum, through which the selected applicant gains broader exposure to Museum practice.
The Curatorial Resident will also give at least one public presentation about their exhibition and contribute to the Gardiner’s digital platforms with content about their project.
Requirements:
The Curatorial Residency is open to Canadian citizens or permanent residents who are enrolled in, or have recently graduated from a Master’s program in museum studies, curatorial studies, or art history; doctoral candidates or recent graduates in those fields (within a year of graduation); and those pursuing independent or community-based curatorial work at the early stages of their career. As long as you meet the above criteria, you may apply if you live outside of Canada. The Residency seeks to build upon previous training and experiences while creating an opportunity for aspiring curators to enter the field. Applicants should have some demonstrated commitment to presenting visual arts in exhibition contexts, although not necessarily specific experience with ceramics.
The Gardiner Museum is committed to an inclusive work environment and encourages applications from applicants who identify as Black, Indigenous or as a person of colour.
Additional Info:
The total Residency budget is $45,000 CAD.
The Curatorial Resident will receive $25,000 CAD toward accommodation, travel, and all research expenses in the travel phase of the residency, as well as all cost of living, salary, and outside research costs for the time spent in Toronto at the Gardiner Museum. These funds will be directly managed by the Curatorial Resident, with distribution and accountability guidelines specified at the time of acceptance. While all situations differ and thus budget allocations can vary, the program is designed for the successful applicant to receive a living wage while in Toronto.
An additional $20,000 CAD is available for the exhibition and will be managed by the Gardiner Museum. These funds will cover any exhibition-related expenses, including but not limited to: loan fees (charged by institutions to borrow works), artist commission fees (cost to create new artwork), exhibition rights fees (CARFAC – The Gardiner is a Category III institution), transportation of artworks, packing/crating costs, conservation, installation, image permissions, production costs associated with graphics and publication, additional equipment, programming etc.
Exclusions: General Museum marketing and promotion (including exterior signage), and in-house design.
How to Apply:
Please read an download the full application before applying.
Interested applicants are required to please submit the following:
1. Cover letter (one page) providing a narrative description of background, training, relevant curatorial work and career objectives emphasising how the residency will help you achieve these goals.
2. CV (up to 5 pages)
3. Exhibition proposal, which should include the proposed concept and research plan with a description of the travel to be undertaken (Maximum length: 1000 words), work schedule (1 page), and budget (1 page) accounting for the full $45,000 available. Further details about the exhibition proposal and budget are explained below.
4. A writing sample from a curatorial, academic, or related project. Maximum length 4000 words.
5. A signed Agreement to Propose and Consent form with compliance checklist (attached in Appendix B)
Please submit materials as a single digital PDF. Complete submissions must be received by the Gardiner Museum by 5 pm EST on November 30, 2022, to be considered. Incomplete submissions will be subject to disqualification. All submission materials will be retained by the Gardiner Museum. The selected applicant will be notified mid-January 2023.
Submit complete proposals to:
Sequoia Miller, Chief Curator and Deputy Director
[email protected]
111 Queen’s Park
Toronto, ON M5S 2C7