Exhibitions and visual arts manager in Leicester

Salary: £33,002 to £37,694 per annum

Location: Leicester

Lead the delivery of exhibitions and visual arts programmes at a major UK cultural venue. Attenborough Arts Centre is one of the UK’s leading centres for art and culture. With 100,000 visitors per year, it is a well-loved community venue for Leicester and as part of the University of Leicester, provides a dynamic cultural hub for public communities, students and staff alike. This newly-formed role of Exhibitions and Visual Arts Manager will produce a range of Attenborough Arts Centre’s future exhibitions and visual arts programmes and work with the Director to develop an overall visual arts strategy of the highest ambition. This post will project manage all aspects of our visual arts programmes and work with a range of guest curators, sector partners and internal colleagues to further grow the profile and reach of our exhibitions. While this is not predominantly a curating role, the ability to curate and provide curatorial advice and guidance as required is an important aspect of the job. Reporting to the Director and as part of the Senior Management Team, the postholder will work overall to deliver the organisation’s mission of ‘Art For All’, raise national reputation and achieve financial sustainability. Attenborough Arts Centre is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation 2023-27 and this post plays a key role in delivering our Activity Plan in response to Arts Council England’s Let’s Create strategy.

What you’ll be doing

• Exhibitions programme & delivery: To produce a minimum of 4 exhibitions per year across Attenborough Arts Centre’s exhibition spaces including Gallery 1, Gallery 2, Salmon Gallery, Balcony Gallery and other exhibitions sites across the University, overseeing all aspects of exhibitions delivery from installation to deinstallation. Duties to produce exhibitions will include but are not limited to: art work loans management; transport; security; environmental controls; insurance; contracting; health and safety; briefing staff including invigilators; supporting marketing and promotion; producing best practice accessible interpretation materials; and managing quantitative and qualitative data. To manage all health and safety requirements around exhibitions including risk assessment and overseeing safe working practices of all spaces and staff, working in close alignment with Operations Manager. To oversee, line manage and supervise the day-to-day work of relevant staff and a team of freelance exhibition technicians plus trainees, placement students, volunteers and training programmes as required. To work with colleagues to develop training for Gallery Assistant Facilitators, Weekend Gallery Assistants, Volunteers and general staff. To run public tours of exhibitions and to be available to give these to guests on an ad hoc basis. To work with our Marketing team to grow national profile, reputation and reach. To liaise with Creative Courses & Retail Manager to optimise shop sales and other income opportunities linked to the exhibition programme.
• Exhibitions Research & Support programmes: To research future exhibitions proposals including artists, partners and guest curators for potential exhibitions programming at AAC in line with AAC’s Artistic Strategy as part of its Business Plan 2024-30, preparing proposals for review with the Director and relevant colleagues. To provide curatorial advice and guidance and to curate exhibitions as and when required. To contribute to Learning & Communities programmes including schools and group visits, Nurture Network, Attenborough Lates, Culture Talks, Artists and Community Partners programmes as required. Act as day-to-day contact point for artists, guest curators and other cultural sector stakeholders as required.
• University Art Collection: To actively contribute to the day-to-day development of the University Art Collection, supervising relevant staff to increase cataloguing and documentation of works within the Collection, support insurance valuations using Modes database and contribute to the application for accreditation of the Collection to national standards. To supervise the delivery of specific tasks in relation to the Collection, such as installing and deinstalling works. To attend University Art Collection Committee meetings. Act as first point of contact for enquiries about the University Art Collection. Provide research on potential acquisitions for review by the University Art Collection Committee. Oversee the removal of works in storage to public display and vice versa. Research conservation requirements for particular works in the Collection. To contribute to funding grant applications for acquisitions to develop the University Art Collection.
• Senior Management Team: To play an active role in AAC’s Senior Management Team. Help resolve issues which arise which require senior support to the wider staff team. Chair internal meetings including Planning meetings on a rolling basis. Represent Attenborough Arts Centre at University and external meetings. To attend Attenborough Arts Centre Advisory Board meetings as required. To be an emergency contact out-of-hours on an agreed rota basis. Work with the Marketing team to create communications and PR stories and case studies, ensuring that the breadth of AAC programmes is represented in external marketing channels. To work a range of University events as required including but not limited to open days, Welcome, festivals and graduation events. To supervise other colleagues and placement students as required to support the delivery of programmes across AAC. To work evenings and weekends as required and agreed in advance. To manage relevant budgets and financial processes, ensuring adherence to University financial regulations. Act as a lead authoriser/approver on finance and HR systems. Hold a purchasing card and responsibility for overseeing purchasing and procurement as required.

Qualifications, knowledge and experience

• Essential: Extensive experience in producing and project managing exhibitions and related visual arts programmes within a high-profile cultural organisation. Experience of a wide range of registrar-type duties including but not limited to Loans management; transport; security; environmental conditions & controls; insurance; contracting; health and safety; producing interpretation materials; maintaining quantitative & qualitative data. Experience of managing and developing art collections. Strong experience of a wide range of policy and practice in inclusivity, diversity, equity, accessibility and relevance, with understanding of how to implement inclusive practice across both organisational and artistic practice. Understanding of different audience development approaches and the ability to shape programmes which engage diverse communities. Experience of communications, press and PR and developing national profile and reach. Proven ability to manage people including both teams and individuals to deliver results. Experience in budgeting, income generation and financial control.
• Desirable: Senior management experience. Ability to curate exhibitions. Experience of developing an artistic strategy. Experience using digital tools for programme delivery, collections management or audience engagement. Knowledge and experience of safeguarding policies, procedures and best practice.

Skills, abilities and competencies

• Essential: Enthusiasm for arts and culture, with the ability to inspire others. Proven ability to build and maintain productive relationships with artists, guest curators, artistic partners, funders and other key stakeholders. Strong project management and problem-solving skills. Excellent written and verbal communication skills with high standards of accuracy and attention to detail, with the ability to adapt style to different audiences and influence a range of stakeholders. Demonstrates inclusive, inspiring and impactful behaviours in line with University values.

We welcome and encourage applications from candidates who are under-represented in the creative industries.