The Library for the Performing Arts is seeking to hire a Theatre Curator who will serve as an agent of change and possess the qualities needed to make the theater collection responsive and accessible to a 21st century performing arts community. Reporting to the Executive Director of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, the Curator has primary responsibility for administration of the Billy Rose Theatre Division, including promoting and facilitating use of the collection, initiating outreach to the theater and theater research communities, and recommending collections for acquisition.
The Curator works collaboratively with various New York Public Library departments on matters relating to access, cataloging, and digitization of the collection. The Curator will engage with creators, scholars, students, and general users in aligning The Billy Rose Theatre Division’s mission with the current and future needs of the theater community. The Curator will be an active participant in public programming, exhibitions, and events pertaining to theater.
Responsibilities:
- Actively focuses on expanding access, services, and outreach of the theater collection among NYPL’s varied creative and intellectual communities. Opens meaningful dialogs through a range of projects and digital initiatives, which engage and inspire performing artists, educators, students, and enthusiasts
- Responsible for all areas of the Theatre Division’s collecting scope, including stage, film, television, radio, and all forms of public entertainment, developing a clear strategic plan that will shape acquisitions and engage and inform the national and international theater community
- Provides general direction for the Theatre on Film and Tape (TOFT) Archive, including working with the TOFT Curator on issues of collection development, accessibility to users, staffing, management, and budget
- Cultivates and maintains a strong presence in the theater community
- Collaborates with NYPL’s Education Services Department on educational initiatives, which may include developing and leading public curatorial and gallery talks, meeting with classes, or developing strategies for digital literacy
- Supports teaching, learning, and scholarship by contextualizing the Theatre collection in a variety of ways, including developing digital humanities and other scholarly projects, and collaborating on the development of digital publications, exhibitions, cultural programming, and educational resources
- Provides research and reference consultations with individual library users, particularly those using primary resources.
- Responsible for the selection, training, re-training and supervision of staff
- Exposes in-depth knowledge about the Theatre collection in a variety of formats including collection guides, blog posts, curated digital collections, and online exhibitions, which can be accessed by worldwide users
- Works closely with appropriate NYPL units on establishing conservation and preservation priorities for paper-based, moving image, and digital collections
- Helps in identifying potential grant opportunities, developing fundraising strategies and preparing grant proposals
- Performs other duties as required
Key Competencies:
- Strong subject expertise in theater
- Leadership and management
- Strategy and vision
- Prioritization and Multi-Tasking
- Excellent Communication skills
- Customer Service
- Technology and adaptability to new technology
Qualifications:
- Graduate degree in an arts discipline with focus on theater preferred
- Substantial knowledge of the performing arts, particularly theater
- Knowledge of current practices and emerging trends in humanities scholarship and publishing
- Knowledge of preservation issues, both digital and traditional, and current trends facing large research libraries
- Demonstrated understanding of archives and archival description/metadata
- Successfully demonstrated ability to cultivate relationships with donors, peer institutions, the theatrical industry and the theater community
- Demonstrated active participation within the theater community on the development of collaborative projects
- Successfully demonstrated experience with the development, management, and completion of digital projects
- Demonstrated commitment to professional development through record of scholarly publications, presentations, and participation in professional associations
- Excellent leadership and management skills and the ability to motivate, develop, and inspire people
- Experience in forming strategic partnerships, building communities, and initiating and organizing events and collaborative projects
- Excellent interpersonal, collaborative, oral and written communication skills, including demonstrated ability to work effectively with the public, with advanced scholars and independent researchers, and with a variety of NYPL staff, including curators and subject specialists, reference librarians, NYPL Labs, the web team, Marketing and Communications, Development, and Education.
- Successfully demonstrated ability to prepare budgets
To apply, please visit: https://jobs-nypl.icims.com/jobs/7920/curator%2c-billy-rose-theatre-division/job.
