Art Gallery Graduate Assistant

Seeking Gallery Graduate Assistants for 2012/13

The Art Galleries are a program of Bucknell University that creates meaningful encounters between artworks, artists, students, scholars, and the public. These encounters occur in the Samek Art Gallery, the Downtown Art Gallery, the Museum Collection Study Room, and across campus in pop-up exhibitions and permanent art installations. Presenting visual art in critical contexts consistent with Bucknell's high academic standards, the Galleries challenge students and extend the intellectual life of campus in an informal lifelong learning environment. The Galleries are academic art labs where experimental art, innovative curatorial practices, and co-curricular programming generate new ways to engage and inspire audiences.

The Galleries seek two qualified Graduate Assistants for the 2012/13 academic year. The small scale of the Gallery staff (3 professional staff) means that both Graduate Assistants will have the opportunity to be involved in every aspect of the Galleries' operations, but each will also have a specific focus.

Curatorial Graduate Assistant
Fall 2012 - Spring 2013 Semesters
Stipend: $10,000

This assistant will work with gallery staff to learn how exhibitions are curated and produced in a professional art gallery/museum environment. Assignments will include researching artists and the exhibition history of artworks, creating exhibition documentation, installing exhibitions, and other tasks that contribute to developing exhibitions. The Curatorial Graduate Assistant will guest-curate the Annual Student Art Exhibition produced in partnership with the Dept. of Art and Art History.

Museum Education Graduate Assistant
Summer 2012 - Fall 2012 -Spring 2013 Semesters
Stipend: $12,000

This assistant will work with gallery staff to learn how galleries and museums educate the public about art in an informal life-long learning environment. The assistant will help with diverse educational strategies from wall text and labels, to leading gallery tours for students and community members, to lectures and other public programs at both the Samek Art Gallery on campus and the Downtown Art Gallery. The Museum Education Graduate Assistant will be instrumental in developing and implementing interpretive programs at the new Downtown Art Gallery.

Graduate Assistants work in the gallery an average of 20 hours/week (except holidays and University recesses.) They will split their time between focused long-term projects outlined above as well as daily tasks in support of the Galleries' programs and operations, including, but not limited to: moving collections objects, preparing for public programs, blogging on the gallery blog, giving short gallery tours to students and staff, matting, framing, packing and installing art.

Benefits

This is an ideal position for a student with a BA who wants to strengthen their application to graduate school and their work experience at the same time. A student with an MA heading toward a PhD would find similar benefits.

This is a paid one-year position with the possibility of renewal for a second year, contingent upon favorable evaluations. Graduate Assistants are admitted to Bucknell as non-degree seeking graduate students. GRE not required. They have the opportunity to take classes each semester to continue to expand their knowledge and skills. Classes in the department of Art and Art History include printmaking, painting, photography and video, and a range of Art History courses. Assistants are also able to take classes in other disciplines of interest. These Assistantships include tuition for 2 courses/credits per semester. You must be enrolled in those 2 courses per semester and this tuition scholarship is paid by the university. Taking 2 courses per semester is considered full-time and should allow deferral of student loans.

Minimum Qualifications

▪ A Bachelor’s degree in art history (strongly preferred, though BA's in related fields such as studio art, art education, or museum studies will be considered.)
▪ The Graduate Assistants must be dependable, have strong work ethic, and good communication skills.
▪ Must be proficient with social media tools: blogging, Facebook, etc.
▪ Must be able to lift 50 pounds and work on ladders.
▪ Must have a valid drivers license.
▪ Candidates must agree to a background check because they will have access to art collection storage areas.
The student’s undergraduate GPA should be 3.0 or higher. Graduate Assistants are required to maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher at Bucknell as well.

Application Guidelines

All of the following materials are due by midnight on April 20, 2012, and should be submitted by email to: [email protected] Transcripts, however, should be sent by regular mail following the instructions below.

Cover Letter

Include a cover letter that addresses all of the following questions in one to two pages:

▪ Why are you interested in this position?
▪ What makes you a strong candidate for this position? Please tell about your relevant educational background and past experience.
▪ What aspects of this position interest you the most? Why?
▪ What are your long-term goals? Where do you see yourself in five years?

Resume

Please outline ALL of your employment history including art-related and non-art-related work experience. Please also list exhibitions you have worked on, art writing or curating, awards and recognition that you have received, other art-related engagements you’ve participated in, as well as extracurricular activities, etc.

Writing Sample

Please send either:

▪ 2 academic papers you have written about art, or
▪ 1 academic paper and one other writing sample such as an exhibition brochure or art review.

Transcripts

Must be received by April 20, 2012 and should be mailed to: Pam Campanaro, Samek Art Gallery, 300 ELC, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA, 17837

Letters of Recommendation

Three letters of recommendation should be submitted by professors, curators, or gallery directors who know you well. These letters should be emailed by your professors to: [email protected] by April 20.

Additional Information

If you have any questions about this position or about the application process then please contact:

Pamela Campanaro, Operations Manager
Samek Art Gallery, Bucknell University
[email protected], 570.577.3981
http://galleries.blogs.bucknell.edu/