Exhibition Coordinator

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Exhibition Coordinator

Classification: Nonexempt Full-Time Position (M-F Business Hours; Some evening and weekend hours)

Compensation: $25.00 - $28.00 per hour, depending on experience

Location: 3245 16th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103 / Work at Home / Off-site exhibitions

Reports To: Director, Art Partnerships

Supervises: Exhibition Associate

Application Deadline: 8/10/23

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

Creativity Explored is a San Francisco nonprofit that partners with people with developmental disabilities to create an artistic, studio-based collective where the creative capacity of any person

can flourish. We do this by placing the work, needs, culture, and experience of artists with developmental disabilities at the center of the community in a way that honors humanity, respects self-agency, and nurtures creative potential.

CE is a warm, fast-paced, and fun place to work, with a long-serving multidisciplinary staff that is deeply committed to our community. A San Francisco icon, CE was voted Best Art Gallery and Best Nonprofit this year in SF Bay Guardian & 48Hills. Visit our website: creativityexplored.org

Creativity Explored is an equal opportunity employer committed to building and sustaining an equitable and inclusive work environment where diversity is celebrated and valued. BIPOC, people with disabilities, and bilingual/bicultural individuals are strongly encouraged to apply. 

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Exhibition Coordinator plays a key role in developing relationships with local, national, and international art audiences and partners that value CE artists as creators and contributors who are vital to discourse and representation in the artworld. The Exhibition Coordinator provides overall coordination/project management of CE’s on-site gallery and coordinates logistics for CE’s off-site gallery program while working closely with the Exhibitions team and other CE teams.

The Exhibition Coordinator is a key team member who will:

• Support implementation of CE’s new strategic plan, which supports the whole person within a creative community
• Prioritize core values that place CE artists’ input at the center of our work
• Develop and oversee an ongoing schedule of gallery exhibits and related activities including planning and implementing all phases of exhibition and art fair operations such as budgeting, assistance with grant development/fundraising, installation of artwork, and public programing 
• Assist in growing curatorial partnerships with galleries, museums, municipalities, individual artists, and fellow nonprofit art organizations
• Coordinate and facilitate alternative ways to engage the public with CE artists’ work, such as pop ups, art fairs, other retail collaborations, e-commerce, Artsy, and more

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Exhibition Program Oversight 

• Serve as primary coordinator for exhibitions and art partnership projects benefiting CE's 140 artists. This includes supporting CE staff and artists throughout the curatorial and exhibition selection process
• Manage CE on-site exhibition program gallery (5 per year) and assist in organizing external events (approximately 20 - 35 outside exhibits, events and pop ups per year) including art selection, framing, documentation, installation and shipping
• Ensure all facets of exhibitions (on-site, off-site, and online/Artsy) and sales of studio artist work are conducted safely and professionally in accordance with CE guidelines and Strategic Plan
• Facilitate key partnerships with galleries, art institutions, art foundations, and exhibition spaces at local, national, and international levels, including collaborating with professional artists
• Coordinate with studio and exhibition teams to develop promotional plans for emerging and established studio artists
• Participate and help facilitate CE Exhibition Committee
• Organize and populate the image database (currently Lightroom, but migrating to CatalogIt), coordinating the permanent collection, artists’ archives, portfolios, and exhibition documentation
• Perform registrar duties as needed in tandem with other exhibition team members, including preparing loan agreements,shipping arrangements, condition reports, and inventory management
• Assist with CE’s annual art fairs in San Francisco and New York (1 - 3 per year) including managing selection of artworks, coordinating logistics (delivery, shipment, installation and deinstallation), directing client sales support, and curation of CE’s booth
• Liaise with museum staff during art acquisition processes
• Lead on-site exhibition programming including organizing artists talks and conversations, curated walk-throughs of shows and exhibitions, art courses, and events online and in person.
• Help hire and supervise exhibition and framing staff and contractors including AmeriCorps VISTA member and volunteers

Gallery Team

• Provide customer service and sales support in the CE gallery
• Help to design and maintain organized systems from artist to documentation to storage/sales/exhibitionsdocumentation and storage of artwork
• Collaborate closely with Gallery Coordinator, other members of the gallery team, and CE staff on tasks in a variety of areas from calendaring to event production to data entry to ensure smooth operations
• Collaborate with CE staff to ensure consistency of messaging across CE platforms
• Work with the Gallery Team to meet or exceed budgeted revenue goals

Other duties

• Assist Development staff to coordinate art selection for annual fundraising gala
• Participate on the Marketing Committee as requested
• Serve as a spokesperson for CE when needed
• Provide administrative support as needed
• Perform any other reasonably related business duties as assigned
• Adhere to current public health practices and protocols as outlined in CE’s Employee Handbook and Operations Plan

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIP

The Exhibition Coordinator is expected to work productively in a team environment and provide leadership as a member of our Earned Revenue Team and engage with other staff across the organization. They are also expected to work towards embodying the four components of CE's Staff Philosophy: Community, Creativity, Collaboration, and Compassion.

COMPLIANCE WITH POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

The Exhibition Coordinator will comply with established Creativity Explored policies and practices. 

KEY SELECTION CRITERIA

• Bachelor of Arts degree in a fine arts, studio arts, curatorial or art history, or equivalent experience
• Demonstrated working knowledge of museum or gallery environment, preferably two years coordinating or management experience
• Strong knowledge of visual modern, contemporary and/or folk art including demonstrated success building relationships with curators and other partners
• Art sales experience
• Skilled at creating and managing timelines and implementing projects that engage diverse individuals
• Strong records management and calendaring skills
• Project management experience that utilizes shared spreadsheets and art database systems (Lightroom, Filemaker, etc.)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work in a team-based environment and to work independently
• Dynamic, entrepreneurial approach to work
• Detail oriented problem-solver
• Professional demeanor, impeccable judgment, excellent communication skills and ability to maintain strict confidentiality
• Ability to work successfully with diverse individuals, including developmentally disabled artists, teaching staff, and the general public
• Working knowledge of Lightroom, Adobe Creative Suite, Google, and POS systems

PREFERRED  

• Direct experience/knowledge of art resources in the Bay Area arts community a plus
• Proficient with Google Suite or comparable programs a plus
• Valid California driver’s license
• Ability to speak and/or understand multiple languages a plus

TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

• Complete and maintain CPR, First Aid, and AED certification (initial certification to be completed within 30 days of date of hire)
• Workplace Harassment Training
• Complete Creativity Explored staff training pertinent to position job responsibilities as assigned

OTHER INFORMATION 

The Exhibitions Coordinator is an non-exempt, full time position. Most work takes place during M-F business hours but will include frequent on and off-site events during evening hours. The position receives generous benefits as described in Creativity Explored’s Personnel Policies, including paid vacation, sick leave, holiday pay, retirement plan with match, health, dental and vision insurance, life and disability insurance and medical flex spending.  

Offers are subject to satisfactory Criminal Records Clearance and proof of negative TB test results completed within the last year.