Halifax’s Young Curator
MSVU Art Gallery, Dalhousie Art Gallery, and Saint Mary’s University Art Gallery seek a detail-oriented and creative graduate to serve Halifax as a Young Curator. The ideal candidate for this curatorial internship will be energetic, eager to develop exhibitions for contemporary art galleries, and will be driven to make their curatorial practice relevant in their community. Above all else, they will be committed to the advancement of Black, Indigenous, or Person of Colour (BIPOC) visual arts practitioners and audiences.

About the Opportunity
This curatorial internship is a year-long opportunity for emerging, or young, curators who live or explore the barriers to the contemporary art sector experienced by BIPOC professionals to work towards the realization of multiple exhibitions and programming projects under the guidance of three Director/Curators. Halifax’s Young Curator, based out of MSVU Art Gallery and working collaboratively at Dal and SMU Art Galleries, will work at each gallery to gain experience in the curatorial field and contribute to curatorial programming across the city of Halifax. The emphasis in their work will be on project management, exhibition coordination, curatorial writing, artist relations, and interpretation.

MSVU Art Gallery, Dalhousie University Art Gallery, and Saint Mary’s University Art Gallery strive to be welcoming and understanding, and are committed to fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion. Black, Indigenous, or Person of Colour youth are encouraged to apply and to self-identify. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

About You
The ideal candidate will have a master’s degree or equivalency in fine arts; art history; museum, cultural, or curatorial studies; or similarly appropriate degree. Advanced study in other areas will be considered with commensurate experience. Previous work experience should include time spent in an art gallery, museum, or cultural centre environment. Contributions to cultural productions outside of visual arts (e.g. performing arts, community works, literary festivals) will be considered relevant.

The ideal candidate will show evidence of arts writing and will be able to provide a writing sample. They will be able to work on both Mac and PCs, have a basic understanding of the use and function of Microsoft Office Suite applications (Word, Excel, Publisher, PowerPoint, Outlook) and have some experience working with collections management databases (e.g. Access, FileMaker, TMS). Interest in contemporary curatorship is a must.

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria and be:

• a Canadian citizen or permanent resident legally entitled to work in Canada;
• not more than 30 years old;
• a recent graduate (within the past 24 months) from a museum studies program and/or arts studies, curatorial, conservation, arts administration or related program from a recognized university or college or other recognized program (not necessarily in Canada);
• willing to commit to the full duration of the internship;
• free from another full-time job at the time of the program;
• available to participate in the April 2020 national CMA conference.

This internship is for an emerging curator who identifies as Black, Indigenous, or Person of Colour.

How to Apply
Please submit a cover letter, 250-1000 word writing sample, and resume or CV to art.gallery@msvu.ca by 9 am AST on Friday, March 13, 2020.

Applications may be addressed to MSVU, Dal, and SMU Art Gallery Directors.

Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

About the Galleries
Located in the Halifax Regional Municipality, MSVU Art Gallery is on the campus of Mount Saint Vincent University. Dalhousie Art Gallery and Saint Mary’s University Art Gallery are similarly located on their respective campuses. All are situated on Mi’Kma’ki, the ancestral, unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq. Through exhibitions, publications, and public programming, each Gallery fosters informed, critical responses to works of contemporary and historical art. Each also holds a collection of between 800 and 2500 or more works of art.

Learn more at msvuart.ca, artgallery.dal.ca; smuartgallery.squarespace.com