at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, United States
Job Description
Job Opening Id: 50181
Department: Block Museum
Salary/Grade: NEX/15
Job Summary:
In conjunction with the Associate Director of Collection and Exhibition Management, and in coordination with the Assistant Director of Collection and Exhibition Management and Senior Registrar, and the curatorial team, the Lead Preparator is responsible for helping to translate installation ideas and content into exhibitions in the museum’s galleries spaces. When requested, the Lead Preparator will also help support new commissioned works by contemporary artists and off-site projects. Takes a lead role in recruiting, hiring, training, and retaining qualified candidates for our team of part-time preparators. Oversees all aspects of this team’s work, working closely with them to ensure the safe and successful implementation of all museum exhibitions. This routinely includes providing professional display and mounting solutions for many institutional loans, as well as for work from the Block’s collection. Through pre-planning, attending meetings and providing communications, both written and visual, the Lead Preparator helps with the coordination of all incoming and outgoing exhibitions, including correspondence with lending and partner institutions. Coordination with suppliers and contractors is also a regular facet of this position. The Lead Preparator also plays an important role intaking new acquisitions, and also helps plan for their long-term preservation. This often includes the design and fabrication of custom storage solutions for newly acquired works of art.
The Block Museum of Art prioritizes diversity, equity, and inclusion across all of its programming, and within its organizational culture and working practices, by centering the voices and experiences of those who have been historically excluded from or underrepresented in higher education and museum practice. Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, access, and inclusion is required.
*Note: Not all aspects of the job are covered by this job description.
Specific Responsibilities:
- Typically administers multiple research projects such as:
- Working closely with the Associate Director of Collection and Exhibition Management, the Lead Preparator helps plan for exhibitions by visualizing ideas and designs into mature plans that can be evaluated by exhibition team members in advance of exhibition installa
