The University of Connecticut seeks a creative, ambitious, and entrepreneurial leader for the William Benton Museum of Art. We expect the Director to enhance the visibility and stature of the Benton, whose collections and programs over the past half-century have made it a notable regional museum.
Located at the heart of the picturesque old campus at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, the Benton houses a permanent collection of six thousand objects in a recently-remodeled, climate-controlled building. The collections emphasize American and European art, in all media, from the late Middle Ages to the present. The Museum's year-round schedule of special exhibitions reflects the diversity of the collections and the University community. Supplementary programming includes concerts, lectures, workshops, and films. The museum operates with a staff of eight, including an open curatorial position for the new Director to recruit. The Director has available a number of endowments to support new acquisitions in a variety of subjects and media.
The Benton Museum is part of the University's School of Fine Arts. The Director reports to the Dean of the School, and provides intellectual and artistic leadership for the museum as well as oversight of fiscal and personnel operations. The Director should be a talented advocate for the arts who can work with the University's professional development staff to raise funds for the museum. Key to the Director's success is the ability to engage with the University's faculty, students and administrators, as well as the external advisory committee, museum volunteers, and outreach to donors and the public.
Minimum Qualifications: 1) an appropriate advanced degree (minimum MA or its equivalent, or equivalent foreign degree) 2) a minimum of five years of increasingly responsible administrative and curatorial experience in an art museum. 3) supervisory experience, preferably with museum staff and volunteers.
Preferred Qualifications: 1) Clear evidence of leadership in scholarship, education, and outreach; 2) Demonstrated success in fundraising from private sources and through grants.
This is a full-time management/exempt position. Expected start date is July 1, 2013. The directorship is a continuing, twelve-month per year appointment with salary and benefits commensurate with qualifications and experience.
Please submit via Husky Hire: A letter of application, curriculum vitae, and a list of three/five reference. In addition, please arrange for three confidential letters of recommendation to be sent to the search committee chair to: Jeremy Teitelbaum, Dean and Professor of Mathematics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, 215 Glenbrook Road, Storrs, CT 06269 or jeremy.teitelbaum@uconn.edu [4]. Review of applications begins February 15, 2013.
The University of Connecticut is an EEO/AA employer. The faculty, staff, and administration of the University of Connecticut are committed to fostering a diverse, welcoming community. Women, people with disabilities, and members of traditionally under-represented groups are particularly encouraged to apply for this position.