Work for Indiana
Grow your career with the State of Indiana! With more than 50 executive branch agencies, the State of Indiana is a diverse workforce offering employees stimulating and challenging projects across a broad scope of career opportunities. As a State of Indiana employee, you impact the well-being of Indiana’s communities every day.
At the State of Indiana, we don’t just talk about diversity and inclusion – Our goal is to create a welcoming, accessible, and equitable workplace, with a workforce that is representative of the State of Indiana population. As a proud equal opportunity employer, reasonable accommodations may be available to enable individuals with disabilities to complete the application and interview process, as well as perform the essential functions of a role.
Next Level benefits at the State of Indiana are here! Be sure to review our expanded benefit package offerings below.
About the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites:
The Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites (ISMHS) is a statewide museum system with 12 locations, including a central museum based in Indianapolis. Our mission is to serve as a catalyst for informal lifelong learning that connects the stories of real people, places, and things. Our values are Inclusion, Integrity, Stewardship, and Transparency. First among our strategic priorities is to engage and serve an expanded and diverse audience through transformative experiences: Collections. Exhibits. Programs.
Salary Statement:
The salary for this position traditionally starts at $55,000.
About the Job:
The Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites (ISMHS) is looking for an experienced curator to serve as Curator of Art and help advance the museum’s mission to serve as a catalyst for informal lifelong learning that connects the stories of real people, places and things. The Curator of Art oversees ISMHS’s visual art collection and serves as a resource related to historic and contemporary Indiana art across the 12-location museum system. The curator will be highly visible within the arts community and work with artists around the state.
The Curator of Art is part of the Curatorial, Collections and Research division. The position is based in Indianapolis and involves work across Indiana. Ideally, the new curator would overlap with the current curator, who is retiring.
For more information about ISMHS, please visit indianamuseum.org.
A Day in the Life:
The essential functions of this role are as follows:
- Plan and perform fine art curatorial duties including collections strategy, artifact acquisition, and interpretation.
- Develop and organize the fine art collection, including cataloging new acquisitions.
- Develop exhibitions and programming utilizing ISMHS fine art collection. Negotiate loans from other institutions and individuals for ISMHS exhibitions.
- Connect with curators, artists, and educators across Indiana to build and strengthen existing relationships that are mutually beneficial and support the mission of the museum.
- Serve as primary curator for assigned historic sites and assist with exhibitions, projects, and interpretation at all historic sites as needed. Work with ISMHS managers and staff to assist as needed.
- Serve as a liaison on arts-related projects between the museum and other institutions and organizations.
- Serve as a division expert in areas related to Indiana art and related subjects.
- Serve on the ISMHS Collections Review Committee (CRC) to review new acquisitions.
- Develop strategies for the identification, collection, conservation, and storage of artifacts and related ephemera donated to the ISMHS fine art collection.
- Conduct research to determine the authenticity, provenance, and relevance to Indiana history for objects offered, through donation or purchase, to the ISMHS fine art collection.
- Correspond and negotiate with administrators and curators from other institutions to secure loans of artwork for ISMHS exhibitions.
- Assist ISMHS Development team in fundraising, grant writing, and donor development.
- Assist with marketing and communications efforts related to the fine art collection, art exhibitions and areas of expertise, including social media and website content.
- Serve on cross-disciplinary project teams.
- Write for scholarly and popular publications associated with the fine art collection and areas of expertise.
- Public speaking, lectures, and exhibit tours for specialized and general audiences associated with fine art will be required.
The job profile is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at any time with or without notice.
What You’ll Need for Success:
You must meet the following requirements to be considered for employment:
- At least five years full-time relevant experience in a museum or similar setting. Supervisory experience preferred.
- MA or equivalent in art history, American studies or related field with knowledge of and experience working with Indiana art and artists.
- A combination of education and relevant experience that provides the needed knowledge and skills will also be considered.
- Passion for museums and the impact they can have in their communities.
- Enthusiasm for the Indiana art scene, engaging with artists, visiting studios and attending exhibitions.
- Adherence to professional standards and ethics as set by the American Alliance of Museums, including handling and display of artifacts and specimens.
- Excellent and effective oral and written communication skills
- Effective public speaking skills and ability to engage with a diverse range of audiences.
- Ability to work on cross-departmental teams, collaborate with colleagues with different perspectives and backgrounds, and facilitate team decisions.
- Ability to organize and prioritize numerous projects and assignments to maintain workflow and meet deadlines.
Supervisory Responsibilities/Direct Reports:
This role may be utilized in a supervisory capacity based on agency needs.
Benefits of Employment with the State of Indiana:
The State of Indiana offers a comprehensive benefit package for full-time employees which includes:
- Three (3) medical plan options (including RX coverage) as well as vision and dental plans
- Wellness Rewards Program: Complete wellness activities to earn gift card rewards
- Health savings account, which includes bi-weekly state contribution
- Flexible work scheduling options, including the potential for hybrid remote work for employees whose work may be performed outside state facilities
- Deferred compensation 457B account (similar to 401k plan) with employer match
- Two (2) fully-funded pension plan options
- A robust, comprehensive program of leave policies covering a variety of employee needs, including but not limited to:
- 150 hours of paid new parent leave
- Up to 15 hours of paid community service leave
- Combined 180 hours of paid vacation, personal, and sick leave time off
- 12 paid holidays, 14 on election years
- Education Reimbursement Program
- Group life insurance
- Referral Bonus program
- Employee assistance program that allows for covered behavioral health visits
- Qualified employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
- Free Parking for most positions
- Free LinkedIn Learning access
Equal Employment Opportunity:
The State of Indiana is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to recruit, select, develop, and promote employees based on individual ability and job performance. Our policy is to provide equal employment opportunity to all people in all aspects of employer-employee relations without discrimination because of race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, or veteran status. We will comply with the spirit as well as the letter of all applicable state and federal laws.
If you are a qualified individual with a disability and require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, you can request assistance by contacting the Indiana State Personnel Department at [email protected].
The State of Indiana has established a culture that welcomes equity, inclusion, and opportunity for all employees and applicants. We encourage you to apply if you feel you have the transferrable skills to be successful in this position and we look forward to reviewing your application.
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