Image: Emerging curator 2021 Ann-Marie Green, PRACTICE (detail) Audio Tour, 2021. Photograph Sam Roberts.
Guildhouse is calling for expressions of interest from early career curators for ART WORKS 2022, an exhibition and residency program delivered by Guildhouse in partnership with the City of Adelaide.
This is the fifth year of the ART WORKS program, which delivers on the City’s Cultural Strategy 2020-24 for Adelaide to be recognised as a cultural incubator where people, enterprises and audiences flourish.
The Early Career Curator role will facilitate broad cultural engagement and audience development through a program of artist and writers in residence, exhibitions and public programs, whilst supported through embedded professional mentoring.
Applications open: Wednesday 8 December 2021
Applications close: Monday 17 January 2022, 9am ACDT (Adelaide time)
Please note: Successful applicants will need to provide a COVID-19 vaccination certificate in accordance with City of Adelaide’s vaccine mandate from 20 December 2021.
I have no doubt that my time as the 2020 Emerging Curator will have a long-lasting influence on my career. Under the mentorship of experienced Guildhouse staff, I was able to expand my knowledge of curatorial processes and frameworks and strengthen my skills in writing and exhibition development. My curatorial practice focusses on collaboration with artists and supporting their creative practice. I believe that this unique experience sharpened these skills and gave me more confidence in the way that I work by offering valuable opportunities to work closely with artists, writers and connect audiences through engaging exhibitions at the Adelaide Town Hall.
ABOUT THE ROLE
The aim of the Early Career Curator program is to provide pathway opportunities for a professional curatorial career. The Early Career Curator should be within their first 3-5 years of practice as a curator.
One Early Career Curator will be appointed commencing in March 2022 to work in dialogue with the ART WORKS Artist and Writer residencies held during the year. The duration of the program is 42 weeks across a 12 month period with the Early Career Curator for approximately one day per week (NB time commitment is ideally spread over two half days per week and may vary across the year in line with exhibition timelines).
The 2022 program will involve the following:
- Mentorship provided by Guildhouse staff in developing curatorial frameworks, working with artists and writers, exhibition installation, project management, presentation skills, documentation and marketing skills
- The processes for curating interdisciplinary practice where artists might be working across fields including object making, performance, installation, 2D image making and sculpture
- Curating three exhibitions with a focus on contemporary works by South Australian artists across civic spaces: the Mankurri-api Kuu (Reconciliation Room) and Adelaide Town Hall first floor foyer
- Close liaison with the ART WORKS Artists in Residence and Writer in Residence, to seed the concept/rationale for the three exhibitions and public outcomes
- Developing public programs and activities under the guidance of the Guildhouse team in a COVID safe environment which spurs audience engagement in diverse and meaningful ways with an understanding of, and sensitivity to, the needs of different communities and cultural demographics
- Responding to at least one element of the key strategic directions identified in the City of Adelaide’s Strategic Plan:
- Thriving Communities
- Strong Economies
- Dynamic City Culture
- Environmental Leadership
FEES AND RESOURCES
The Emerging Curator will receive a stipend of $10,000 and will enter into an agreement with Guildhouse.
In addition to the stipend, the program offers:
- A desk and computer at the Guildhouse house office in the Lion Arts Centre
- A regular, ongoing program of curatorial and program development mentoring with key Guildhouse Programming staff
- The opportunity to develop a layered program that engages diverse audiences, spanning the artist and writer in residencies, as well as key cultural venues in the city
- Access to prominent City of Adelaide spaces including ArtPOD, Adelaide Town Hall Mankurri-api Kuu (Reconciliation Room) and the City Library
THE APPLICATION PROCESS:
Guildhouse and the City of Adelaide Creative City Team will assess applications against the criteria below, and will invite shortlisted applicants for interview in the week commencing 31 January. Please be sure you are eligible to apply, that your application addresses the criteria, and contains all required inclusions. Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application in mid-February 2022 to commence from 1 March 2022 onwards.
Please note: Applications must be submitted via the online form (opens December 8).
Eligibility
- Outcomes must fall into the broad visual arts, craft and design sectors
- Applications will not be considered that denigrate or exclude any groups in the community
- Successful applicants will need to be financial members of Guildhouse
- Applicants should be within their first 3-5 years of practice as a curator
- Successful applicants will need to provide a COVID-19 vaccination certificate in accordance with City of Adelaide’s vaccine mandate from 20 December 2021
- The successful recipient will be available to work on the project with the Guildhouse team two half days per week, ideally including Wednesdays.
Applications must include
- Curatorial rationale of a recent project (either executed or proposed) (max 400 words)
- Outline of applicant’s reason for applying and expectations from the Early Career Curator program (max 250 words)
- Early Career Curator biography (max 200 words)
- One collated PDF including a CV and biography of approx 150 words (1-2 pages total)
- One consolidated PDF of max 10 pages of support material that could include: exhibition catalogue, exhibition images, writing samples, reviews, etc
- Contact details for two referees
FURTHER INFORMATION
For any further information or queries contact Guildhouse Program Officer Heidi Kenyon on:
Tel: 08 8410 1822 (Wednesday and Friday)
Email: programs@guildhouse.org.au
Applications close: Monday 17 January 2022, 9am
