Exhibits and Art Curator
Reporting to the Director of Special Collections and Archives, the Exhibits and Art Curator actively collaborates with Cal Poly colleagues and other partners to deliver a robust library exhibits program. This program supports a collective vision for the library as a centralized place on campus to showcase creative activities across colleges and disciplines. Using exhibition as a mode of public presentation, the library exhibits program highlights campus research and scholarship, projects, and the unique and significant collections that distinguish Cal Poly and its library. The Exhibits and Art Curator will develop sustainable methods of exhibiting—formal, informal, physical, and digital. Through interpretation, the Exhibits and Art Curator will develop creative, meaningful exhibits in the library, expanding the university’s ability to communicate expressions of Cal Poly Learn by Doing and the Teacher-Scholar Model, build networks, and engage in social and cultural dialog on a wide range of subjects. The Exhibits and Art Curator also has primary responsibility for the stewardship of the University Art Collections, which includes acquisition activities such as overseeing the Request for Proposal (RFP) process for commissions of new art approved by the Art Acquisitions Committee, and the management, description, promotion, use, and display of these collections.
Department Summary
Special Collections and Archives (SCA) is a department in the Kennedy Library that collects, preserves, exhibits, and provides access to rare and unique cultural heritage materials that support the polytechnic curriculum and wider scholarship. These materials, which require curatorial stewardship, enrich and beautify the campus environment. SCA is comprised of university archives; personal and professional papers; organizational records; published works such as artists’ books, prints, and maps; photographs; and works of art. Subject strengths include California architecture and the built environment; graphic arts; and the documentation of the Central Coast and Cal Poly, including land development and use; environmentalism and conservation; tourism and promotion; and economic development and culture.
Required Qualifications
- Leads the library’s exhibits program, providing strategic, creative and operational direction and oversight. Collaborates and coordinates with library faculty, teaching faculty, students, staff, and others to present exhibits to highlight research, scholarship and collections. With support from staff and student assistants, schedules, plans, organizes, designs, fabricates, prepares, installs, and promotes exhibits and related events.
- Manages the development, use, and care of exhibit spaces in the library, and related display furniture, equipment, technology, and supplies.
- Researches, recommends, updates, and maintains practices, procedures, policies, and forms to administer the program.
- Researches, recommends, tests, and adopts software platforms and tools for digital exhibiting and publishing. Oversees and facilitates the creation of digital exhibits and digital publications such as illustrated catalogs based on physical exhibits.
- Manages, describes, cares for, and promotes object based collections.
- Supervises student employees, interns, and fellows who support program activities.
To apply, visit: https://jobs.calpoly.edu/en-us/job/538475/exhibits-and-art-curator to complete the required online staff application.