Executive Director, Rhizome

Rhizome, the influential contemporary art and technology nonprofit, is seeking an Executive Director. This is a unique opportunity for a dynamic leader to engage a new generation of artists and ideas, and to usher the organization into its pivotal 20th anniversary year—shaping the future of Rhizome and of digital culture at large.

About Rhizome

Founded in 1996, and an affiliate of the New Museum, Rhizome is an organization leading the conversation on the impact of digital technologies on art, aesthetics, and culture. Its programs include digital preservation, artist commissions, public programs at the New Museum and offsite, and innovative online programs on its hub at Rhizome.org. One of its signature programs, Seven on Seven, brings leading artists together with tech­world luminaries to create new work together.

Rhizome is a small nonprofit with eight full­time/part­time staff, based at and working closely with colleagues at the New Museum and its newest initiative, NEW INC.

The Role

The Executive Director strategically oversees the entire organization, from fundraising to preservation to artistic programs, and acts as a public representative of this emerging field of practice.

The position requires an expert knowledge of digital culture, a nuanced understanding of contemporary art, and a deep respect for the integral role that Rhizome—together with the artists and audiences around it—plays within the history, definition, and growth of contemporary art engaged with technology and the internet. The Executive Director is the lead on all organizational development: managing corporate partnerships, foundation and government grant­giving, individual giving, and earned income initiatives, like the annual Benefit. In collaboration with Rhizome’s expert staff, the Executive Director oversees Rhizome's artistic programming and online activity, including signature programs such as digital art preservation and its collection of 2000+ digital artworks, major events like Seven on Seven, and annual commissioning of new art. The Executive Director also cultivates the strategic relationship between Rhizome and the New Museum, and works with Rhizome's Board of Directors.

The Opportunity

A new Executive Director will anticipate the evolution of Rhizome amidst new conditions stemming from an explosion of interest in digital art and culture. They will express a vision for how Rhizome can evolve and even reinvent itself year­over­year, increasing its impact and seeking out emerging ideas, artists, and areas of practice, while finding contemporary relevance in its archives and bringing different generations into dialogue. The Executive Director will leverage relationships, programs, and institutional legacy to ensure Rhizome’s visibility and differentiation in an increasingly crowded field with the objective of maintaining its role as the preeminent institution in digital culture.

Heading into 2016, the Executive Director will capitalize on the momentum of a number of new initiatives, including the upcoming launch of a new brand identity and website, a higher­profile Seven on Seven, and an acclaimed digital preservation program—recently awarded the largest grant in the organization's history. They will develop a strategic vision for initiatives like the 20th Anniversary, and a strong response to the changing landscape of digital art, including both increased competition and significant new opportunities. In addition, they will constantly seek to grow the strategic relevance of its relationship to the New Museum.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have many of the following attributes:


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  • Expert knowledge of internet and digital technologies and their relationship to culture, art practice, and reception
  • Nuanced understanding of contemporary art, with a particular focus on media art, its histories, and current manifestations
  • Strong relationships with artists, curators, arts professionals, relevant media, funders, stakeholders, donors, and other individuals central to fulfilling Rhizome's mission, particularly in New York City but with a national and international outlook
  • Experience fundraising and cultivating donors and sponsors
  • Experience managing special events, conferences, and curatorial projects
  • History of management and administration of an organization
  • The ability to develop and manage stakeholder relationships with individuals and institutions. Ideally, experience working with a Board or other VIP networks
  • Excellent writing and public speaking skills
  • Superb people skills
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    How to Apply

    Please submit all applications and inquiries to [email protected].

    Application Deadline
    August 31, 2015