Apr. 9, 2021
Established in 2017 as the first of its kind in Nebraska, Bemis Center’s Curator-in-Residence Program provides national curators the opportunity to participate in the Bemis Residency Program. This opportunity serves as a professional resource to Bemis artists-in-residence and the Greater Omaha arts community. The successful applicant will be required to organise exhibitions and public programs at Bemis Center.
There are a number of qualifications necessary to apply. Applicants must have five years equivalent professional work experience in the field with a minimum of 2–3 years of curatorial experience in an academic, nonprofit, alternative space, contemporary performing arts or commercial gallery setting. They must also have comprehensive knowledge of national and international contemporary art and a keen interest in understanding and working with Omaha’s cultural landscape. Residency opportunities are open to national and international arts professionals 21 years of age and above. Students enrolled in an academic program during the time of requested residency are not eligible to apply.
Liv Schulman: ‘The Gobernment’, installation view at Bemis Center, Open Call for Curator in Residence // Photograph by Colin Conces, courtesy of the artist and the Bemis Center for Contemporary Art
The successful applicant for the Curator-in-Residence program will be provided with a private live/work studio including a kitchen and private bathroom which is equipped with basic items like linens, bedding, dishes, a basic set of tools, and furniture. Bemis residents have access to a variety of additional furniture that can be placed in the studio. Studios are also equipped with a paint sink, plywood-backed sheetrocked walls, accessible windows, concrete floors, and 12-foot ceilings. Additional amenities include complimentary utilities, laundry, WiFi, and free parking. The Curator-in-Residence studio is for single occupancy only.
The selected Curator-in-Residence will receive $36,000, which includes a monthly residency stipend for 18 months, studio visit honorarium, a travel and research allowance, and a curatorial honorarium. The selected Curator-in-Residence will be offered a relocation allowance reimbursable up to $1,500. The Curator-in-Residence must organise personal travel and moving costs to and from Omaha, Nebraska.
Working closely with the curatorial team, the Curator-in-Residence will be involved in all curatorial and administrative aspects of organising one exhibition over the 18-month residency. The Curator-in-Residence will also be invited to participate in opportunities to engage the community such as a public Open House or Open Studio. The exhibition organised by the curator must be original, conceptually rigorous, and exemplify the true breadth and experimentation currently defining contemporary art. The 2023 exhibition dates are March 23rd–June 3rd, 2023. The residency will conclude at the end of the exhibition. The Curator-in-Residence will be responsible for research, artist relations, exhibition design and installation, writing and editing of scholarly texts and didactics, budgeting, conceptualising, and leading exhibition-related public programs and tours.
Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to creating a diverse environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. Ideal candidates share their values of creativity, trust, courage, diversity, tolerance, and the open exchange of ideas and world views.
A non-refundable application fee of $40 is due at the time of submitting your application through SlideRoom, paid via credit card or by PayPal. Submission of completed applications is only accepted online through bemis.slideroom.com. Fees related to visa processes or passport acquisition are the responsibility of the awarded curator. Applications are reviewed by a rotating panel represented by national and regional arts professionals such as artists, curators, academics, and critics. The review process will take 6–8 weeks from the application deadline. Notifications to all applicants will be sent by email after the selection panel has made its decision.
Application Info
bemiscenter.org
Deadline: May 14, 2021
