Job Details

If you have reason to believe this job is out of date, please let us know.

This job has now expired. Please do not apply for this position.

Social History Curator

Cheltenham

To support the Senior Curator, Collections and Heritage, Public Programme Manager and Director of Arts and Heritage in building The Wilson Art Gallery and Museum’s position as a leading regional museum delivering historically important and socially relevant, high-profile programming and providing excellent collections care.

The Social History Curator will have knowledge and experience in art galleries and museums. They will be familiar with the latest museum/heritage sector thinking and will be confident in applying new curatorial approaches to The Wilson’s social history and archaeology collections and exhibition programmes. The person appointed will take a key role in delivering organisational objectives including collections management and development, the temporary exhibition programme and curation of collections displays and collaboration and liaison with key partners and stakeholders. They will support the development of a dynamic public programme and contribute to fundraising and sponsorship for the Art Gallery and Museum.

The Wilson is committed to building an organisation of mutual respect and dignity, promoting a welcoming, diverse and inclusive working and learning environment. We recognise that everyone is different in a variety of visible and non-visible ways, and that those differences are to be recognised, respected, and valued. We aim to provide a place where everyone can thrive, supporting all staff to achieve their full potential. We aspire to remove economic, social and cultural barriers that may otherwise prevent people from succeeding.

Key duties and responsibilities:

Programme Development
• Create opportunities for greater access to the collections, with a particular focus on social history (including the Wilson Family Collection), world cultures and archaeology collections. Working with colleagues and communities to explore collections potential for formal, informal learning and through the displays and exhibitions programme, as well as developing digital access using specialist collections management software.
• Work with the Senior Curator, Collections and Heritage to develop and deliver creative and innovative visitor-focussed exhibition projects and displays across the Trust sites with a focus on the Wilson Art Gallery and Museum. Plan and manage curatorial research, content, object lists and interpretation to deliver exhibitions, working together with the public programming team to maximise strategic and audience impact.
• Develop opportunities for co-production and work with communities as part of the co-production process to interpret the social history collections. Collaborate with colleagues to support participatory and community projects, including storytelling around the collections through a non-curatorial voice.
• Work with the public programming team in developing new and innovative ways to interpret the collections and deepen the experience and engagement of digital audiences online.
• Working closely with public programme team and marketing team, provide content needed and /or deliver or contribute to digital interpretation, talks, enquiries, seminars, and events.
• Evaluate and adapt displays and other curatorial content according to visitor feedback and broader audience development strategies.
• Take an active approach to contributing to our audience’s understanding and enjoyment of social history collections through contribution and collaboration with learning colleagues on the development of formal and informal learning programmes.
• Facilitate research from a learning perspective and work closely with the learning and engagement team to deliver learning and teaching resources.
• Oversee exhibition installation and production including layout plans and installation schedules the preparation exhibits for transport.
• Work across the Wilson Team to develop and deliver talks and contribute to special events and provide a platform for debate and discourse around social history narratives.
• Plan, monitor and maintain budgets, obtain estimates, and process invoices.
• Provide content for additional funding through applications to Trusts and Foundations, and other sources to increase resources available for public programmes, research, and collection management in liaison with the Senior Curator: Collections and Heritage.
• Be an effective advocate for The Cheltenham Trust, and the social history collections at a local and national level, to special interest groups, and through the development and maintenance of effective partnerships.

Collections Management

• Working as part of the Curatorial team ensure the collections are cared for to maximise public benefit and long-term conservation for future generations, with a particular focus on social history (including the Wilson Family Collection), world cultures and archaeology collections.
• Support the development and implementation of policies and strategies related to research, acquisitions and disposal, storage and documentation, digitisation, and access.
• Ensure that The Wilson operates within the terms of museum accreditation and that collections are developed, managed, and documented to appropriate SPECTRUM standards.
• As part of the Curatorial team ensure that collections are well cared for through preventative care, improved storage, ongoing conservation work, environmental monitoring, and emergency planning.
• Keep abreast of developments in and trends in subject specialist area.
• Working as part of the Curatorial team ensure loans in and out are managed to appropriate Accreditation standards and Trust policies.
• Support the delivery of Trust-wide programme of retrospective and ongoing collection documentation and rationalisation. Work on delivery of documentation plan, supported by Collections Officer.
• Produce regular reports and updates as required for meetings, committees, and funding requirements.
• Take personal responsibility for following the Cheltenham Trust environmental sustainability policy.
This job description sets out the key outcomes required. It does not specify in detail all the activities required to achieve these outcomes.

Essential requirements - qualifications, skills, abilities and experience:

• A relevant degree, post graduate qualification or equivalent experience.
• Experience of working with social history collections.
• Understanding of social history in a contemporary social context. Committed to re-addressing collections in the context of decolonisation and working in participation with audiences.
• Professional knowledge of the Museum/Gallery sector.
• A natural storyteller, able to communicate complex ideas using clear and accessible language.
• Awareness of writing and delivering collections policies and strategies.
• Strong analytical skills. Ability to analyse, prepare and present reports that provide information and propose deliverable costed and timed plans.
• Experience of collections management work at in museums or heritage organisations.
• Strong understanding of collections care issues including storage, environmental conditions and conservation challenges.
• Awareness of documentation and digitisation issues and accreditation standards and delivering documentation projects.
• Experience of digital engagement with collections and an understanding of the potential of digital to enhance collections access.
• Awareness of project management processes and experience of delivering successful curatorial projects.
• Excellent organisation and planning skills managing self and others effectively to focus on priorities.
• Commitment to equality and diversity and an understanding of how this commitment applies to this role.

Special conditions:

• There may be a requirement to work at other Cheltenham Trust sites and stores.
• Ability to work flexibly to support the delivery of special events, including occasional evenings and weekends.
• Expected to work collaboratively with colleagues from across the Cheltenham Trust.
• Your contractual location will be the Wilson Art Gallery and Museum. Flexible working hours can be discussed with your line manager to strike the right balance for you and Trust.

Click  on Apply Now and email your CV and covering letter.

Salary: 18000 pro rata

Hours Per Week: 24

Be the First to Apply for Jobs Like This

Browse All Jobs

Newsletter
To sign up up for GlosJobs weekly newsletter, please click here.