Chief Curator

The Opportunity

The Chief Curator will join the Colby Museum at a moment of ambitious institutional growth. This role offers a unique chance to shape the future of art history within a well-resourced and forward-thinking environment. Key opportunities include:

• Curatorial Vision Envision a long-term Museum exhibition program and collaboratively develop an innovative model for the care of and access to its collection.
• Leadership Mentor the next generation of art curators and scholars, inspiring and motivating the curatorial team and shaping their contribution to the Museum’s artistic, research, and interpretive vision.
• Collection Development: Strengthen the collection through a mission-aligned acquisitions strategy and cultivate donations from artists and collectors.
• Relationship Building: Inspire and connect with stakeholders across the Museum, the College, local communities, and a global network of American and contemporary art scholars and garner support for the museum’s initiatives.

Responsibilities and Expectations

The Chief Curator will partner with the Museum Director, balancing creative vision with day-to-day team and project management. They will lead development of a visionary and sustainable multiyear exhibition schedule, including traveling shows, in collaboration with Museum leadership. With input from the Board’s Collections and Impact Committee, they will guide the Museum’s collection development strategy, ensuring the ongoing documentation and care of the collection with the Collections team. They will work with the Engagement team to develop accessible interpretive approaches and support fundraising efforts with the Advancement team. The Chief Curator also collaborates with the Lunder Institute for American Art on mission-aligned fellowships, programs, and research initiatives. In addition, they will curate select exhibitions and publications and contribute original scholarship.

Leadership, Management, and Program Development

• Advise the director, model institutional values and mission alignment, lead special projects, and communicate Colby College’s and the Colby Museum’s institutional priorities to staff and stakeholders.
• Define and implement a curatorial vision grounded in the Museum’s context, the art field, and larger questions in contemporary life, ensuring the continued relevance of the artistic program and prioritizing engagement with constituencies and communities.
• Manage and mentor staff with clarity and purpose, fostering a collaborative and high-performing work environment.
• Build and maintain relationships with artists, collectors, dealers, and donors, representing the Museum locally, nationally, and internationally as an advocate for the arts and the College’s mission.
• Develop and refine effective and collaborative processes for curatorial work.
• Collaborate with exhibition and senior leaders on annual and multiyear budgets and contracts, ensuring transparency and maximizing resources for academic and public benefit.
• In keeping with Colby’s values, model and encourage self-awareness in matters of equity and access. Support staff learning and professional growth.

Collection Development and Stewardship

• Develop and execute the long-term strategy for the Museum’s collection, ensuring its excellence and distinction. Set policies and practices in collaboration with key staff and with guidance from the Museum Board of Governors. Lead acquisition and deaccession processes and serve as liaison to the Board’s Collections and Impact Committee.
• Direct the full acquisitions cycle—identifying, evaluating, and proposing artworks that add value to the collection—and cultivate relationships with artists and collectors to support purchases and gifts.
• Guide the curatorial team’s role in documentation, storage, conservation planning, and maintenance of archives, as well as in developing digital access and workflows that support collection stewardship.
• Contribute curatorial expertise to the development of educational and collection-based initiatives in art conservation.
• Contribute curatorial leadership to the College’s art-on-campus program.

Exhibitions, Publications, and Programs

• Exhibition Schedule: Plan a robust and multiyear exhibition program in partnership with the director of exhibitions and publications and help secure institutional and co-producing partners.
• Curatorial Leadership: Guide curatorial staff in creating exhibitions and programs that leverage the collection and both deepen and broaden narratives of art, especially American art.
• Curation: Initiate or serve as venue curator for selected projects and oversee curation of permanent collection galleries, delegating as appropriate.
• Process and Structure: Develop inclusive, effective processes for proposing exhibitions and facilitate cross-departmental work across exhibitions, research, collections, interpretation, engagement, and publications.
• Learning and Engagement: Shape interpretive and pedagogical strategies, create content, serve as art department liaison, contribute to active faculty outreach, and at times lead public programs and class visits.
• Scholarship and Interpretation: Produce and edit scholarly publications, essays, exhibition texts, labels, and digital content.
• Community: Participate in cross-departmental and community initiatives and actively represent the Museum locally, nationally and, at times, internationally.

External Communications and Fundraising

• Engage collectors and donors to support exhibitions, acquisitions, and Museum priorities in coordination with Museum leadership and Advancement colleagues.
• Cultivate donors and solicit gifts of art; partner with the Director to steward relationships with key benefactors and artists and report on donor engagement.
• Provide content for fundraising and communications, including drafting grants and reports.
• Represent the Museum through media, digital platforms, and public appearances.
• Participate in local, regional, and art-world events to strengthen visibility of the Museum and learn from communities and partners.
• Build positive relationships with the Museum Board of Governors, engaging them with the Museum’s artistic program, and serve as liaison to the Collections and Impact Committee.

Experience, Skills, and Attributes

• Master’s degree required. The Museum will consider candidates from a range of areas of expertise; knowledge of American art history is required.
• Track record of scholarship and of working relationships with living artists, exhibition making, and collections.
• At least seven years of experience working in the arts, culture, and/or education; minimum of five years of progressive leadership experience in curatorial practice in exhibition, publications, collections, and artistic program management.
• Distinguished track record of planning and realizing exhibitions and publications, conducting strategic collections research and development, and collaborating on interpretation and public programs.
• Demonstrated ability to motivate, manage and mentor staff, students, and/or emerging professionals, including skills in fostering teamwork, transparency, and accountability.
• Demonstrated organizational skills and ability to establish and communicate priorities; well-developed project and budget management skills, cross-departmental leadership and collaboration skills, meeting management, negotiation skills.
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills, including interpersonal skills and public speaking; ability to compellingly communicate the Museum’s mission, vision, and artistic program to a diversity of audiences.
• Ability to identify opportunities that expand the narratives offered by the Museum’s collections and programs, engaging community stakeholders in exhibition making and interpretation as appropriate.
• Ability to foster an environment supportive of people from different cultures, backgrounds, and life paths through daily practices and positive work culture.
• Commitment to the Museum’s mission, vision, and values and demonstrated belief in the value of a liberal arts education.

Even if you do not meet all the qualifications for this position, we encourage you to apply if the majority of the job description aligns with your skills and experience.

To apply in confidence, submit application by February 6, 2026, to: Kathy Fredrickson, Senior Search Consultant, Museum Search & Reference, online at https://rcr.li/PSIQ.

Please include:

1. A cover letter articulating why you are interested in the position and giving brief examples of past related experience.
2. A résumé.
3. The names and contact information for three professional references, indicating their relationship with the applicant.