Director, Hand Art Center

Tracking Code348-280 Job Description

The Director of the Hand Art Center is responsible for the overall operations of the galleries and collections found within the HAC. The Director’s role includes planning and promoting exhibitions, developing and maintaining partnerships, supervising and directing student staff, and management of both collections and facilities. S/he will also teach one course per year in the Department of Creative Arts, and report to the Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Oversee the organization, development, and day-to-day operations of the Hand Art Center. Collaborate with the Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences and Department Chair of Creative Arts in policy-making and long-range planning to ensure that the collection and exhibitions support Stetson’s academic programs.
• Provide vision for all gallery exhibitions, visitor experiences, and education programs. A typical year will have up to 8 overlapping exhibitions that feature a mix of guest artists, travelling exhibits, student capstone projects, faculty creative work, and selections from our Bluemner collection.
• Collaborate with university departments and faculty members, as appropriate for specific exhibitions, to develop resources for use in Stetson courses. Build relationships with faculty and students and with community stakeholders to develop new initiatives, collaborations, and art related educational programs and to promote these programs in the community.
• Work with curator(s) or supervising faculty to develop interpretive material and implement programs for museum exhibitions, publications, and other appropriate contexts.
• Oversee and assist in pubic programming, education programming, and preparing museum marketing materials (posters, postcards, interpretive material, electronic communications, social media presence).
• Manage and train work study students and interns. Includes interviewing, hiring, time card approval and performance reviews.
• Oversee the installation of changing exhibits – hanging and display, forms, labels, lights, etc.
• Organize collection and archival information in existing storage facilities
• Oversee and maintain collection records, inventory, loans, photographic materials, donor records, artist files, liability, shipping/receiving, insurance arrangements and other legal documentation relating to the collection and/or visiting exhibitions.
• Maintain climate control records and process museum collection records into an electronic database (PASTPERFECT).
• Work with the Development Office to identify program-related funders. Collaborate with Development officers on solicitations by providing information required for proposals including program narratives budgets and reporting for acquired grants.
• Assist faculty and staff requests for artwork installations in various university buildings. This includes, physical installation, retrieval and storage of ‘orphaned’ works of art, loan agreements and updating inventory records.
• Teach undergraduate courses in Museology and Collections Management on a rotating basis. Additionally, mentor students outside of the classroom about museum careers.
• Facilitate the use of the Hand Art Center Seminar room as a classroom and event space.
• Engage in meaningful and useful service that promotes department, college and university strategic goals and priorities. (e.g., staff committees, Creative Arts Department committees)
• Establish and maintain relationships with other museum educators regionally and nationally.

Minimum Education: Masters Degree in Museum Studies or Art History

Required Skills

• Excellent organizational skills
• Ability to develop and maintain partnerships
• Supervisory skills

Required Experience

• MA in Museum Studies or Art History required along with demonstrated experience in administration and coordination of an arts facility.
• Candidates must have knowledge of all aspects of museum operations, including exhibition planning, budget management, public programming, audience development, and building partnerships.
• An ideal candidate will also have demonstrated experience in seeking and securing extramural funding support.

Job Location DeLand, Florida, United StatesPosition TypeFull-Time/Regular