Director Of Arts Operations, Publications, And Exhibits

Role: Director of Arts Operations, Publications, and Exhibits

Reports To: Chief Strategy Officer and Founding Creative Director

FSLA Status: Salaried, Exempt, Full Time (40 hours)

Location: On-site a minimum of 3 days with some flexibility to work remotely

The Role:

Grace Farms Foundation is seeking an interdisciplinary arts expert to facilitate the fabrication and workflows for high-level Arts Operations management, including: new arts commissions, publications, performances, exhibits, artwork conservation, and archives. This new position is developed in response to the new opportunities to engage audiences at Grace Farms and internationally with Grace Farms' values and mission, and the Design for Freedom movement. The person in this role will develop a lifecycle plan for exhibits (installation and deinstallation,) publications, Grace Farms arts commissions, and performances, linking arms with internal departments and executives at partner institutions and companies. S/he also finds joy in managing the budgets, contracts, and fundraising goals for these projects.

In 2021, Grace Farms opened a new visitor orientation space, Peace Forest, to share the mission of Grace Farms with information that will rotate and refresh over time. In 2024, Grace Farms will open a new exhibit, With Every Fiber, designed by architect and artist, Nina Cooke John, to create awareness of the Design for Freedom movement. In response to the Design for Freedom movement, and to inspire action broadly, this role will also operationalize arts projects in the U.S. and internationally. An aspect of the role that will grow over time will be to show the work of Design for Freedom Pilot Projects internationally.

The Director of Arts Operations, Publications, and Exhibits will support the annual programmatic goals developed by the Creative Director in response to the CEO's overall vision. The ideal candidate is highly collaborative, manifests ideas into action-steps, keeps colleagues and partners accountable with grace and peace, and is a clear communicator.

Responsibilities:

Arts Programming

• Operationalizes the processes for new Grace Farms arts commissions
• Supports the execution of performances as needed
• Supports the execution of family programming as needed
• Supports architecture programs as needed

Publications

• Leads the development of new publications by Grace Farms, including architecture books, photography books, children's books, research and white papers, and more.
• Leads communication with publishers and distributors, supporting Creative Director
• Develops timelines to deliver content on time
• Collaborates with internal departments for writing, copywriting, copy editing, new photography/illustrations/graphics, and image asset management
• Coordinates with legal to secure rights for photos or text as necessary; coordinates with Accounting to ensure payments delivered on schedule
• Collaborates with legal to establish copyrights for publications as necessary

Exhibits

• Develop and manages a calendar for on-site and off-site exhibit operations - this would include an annual refresh of the Design for Freedom Exhibit and Peace Forest.
• Further develops fabrication protocols in coordination with Chief Operating Officer and Ethical Materials Director
• Proactively runs the fabrication process of Grace Farms exhibits; establishing timelines, contracts, budgets, fundraising needs, working with established contractors and fabricators and also developing relationships with new fabricators. Coordinates fabrication process with Grace Farms Chief Operating Officer and Director of Facilities.
• Partners with colleagues to track where materials are coming from to ensure fair labor practices and environmental stewardship. Writes summaries about fabrication process for external marketing and communications purposes.
• High-level project management for exhibit with Marketing, Communications, and Development colleagues.
• Coordinates with Education team and Visitor Experience team about content in exhibit such that tours and pop-up programs can be created with accuracy and integrity.
• Manages events/programs that stem from exhibits, such as exhibit talks/walks, panel discussions (approx. 3 annually.)
• Presence on site for all installation periods of exhibits and opening events.
• Manages process for related exhibit publication or printed material.
• Point-person for ensuring accurate information in programming booklets, website pages, and any other external communications
• Designs and builds consensus for deinstallation and archiving.

Off-Site Exhibits

• Supports Creative Director to premier new exhibits worldwide, particularly for Design for Freedom. This role is an essential leader in the relationships related to these exhibits, and manages international budget, contract, fabrication, shipping, and conservation processes.
• Minimal travel - for openings of new exhibits

Budgets, Contracts, and Fundraising

• Department lead for arts and creative department budgeting, checking in monthly on the adherence to budgets for all related programs
• Department lead for all fundraising goals, and key partner to the Development department. May join presentations or calls with potential or existing sponsors.
• Department lead for contracts related to exhibits, publications, and commissions.
• Creates new opportunities for in-kind donations for exhibits, open arts studio, and publications with a focus on in-kind materials.

Required Skills, Qualifications & Education

• Master's Degree required in Museum Studies, Art History, Visual Arts or another related field.
• 10+ years' experience in the project management of exhibit design, fabrication, installation and content curation (both text and visual). Experience with Travelling exhibits preferred. Significant experience managing associated project timelines, contractors, and budgets.
• Experience working with visual and performing artists and the ability to support the execution of performance based public programming.
• Exceptional writing and presentation skills and the ability to curate and project manage the publishing processes associated with exhibit catalogues and other institutional publications.
• Highly collaborative team player who can easily and effectively work with numerous stakeholders internally and externally to produce exceptional results.
• Superior interpersonal skills
• Ability to have a flexible schedule that allows for a balance of a minimum of three (3) days on-site and some remote work, as well as occasional travel locally and internationally. Position requires some weekend and evening work as needed

Compensation range based on experience $115k to $135k annually

Benefits

Grace Farms offers a competitive benefit package that includes a choice of medical plans, a dental and vision plan, 100% employer-paid basic life insurance and short-term disability and a 403(b)-retirement benefit with an organization match. We encourage our staff to take time-off to rest and recharge and provide PTO, sick, and personal days as well as 11 paid holidays. All staff are welcome to explore the beautiful 80-acres of our preserved land and may take part in any of the numerous public events on-site.

About Grace Farms

Grace Farms is a center for culture and collaboration in New Canaan, Connecticut. We bring together people across sectors to explore nature, arts, justice, community, and faith at the SANAA-designed River building, situated on 80 acres of natural landscapes. Our humanitarian work to end modern slavery and foster more grace and peace in our local and global communities includes leading the Design for Freedom movement to eliminate forced labor in the building materials supply chain.

Grace Farms is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.