Lecturer in Art History in Newcastle upon Tyne

Fine Art at Newcastle University is seeking to appoint a Lecturer in Art History who will contribute to the delivery, development and administration of Art History modules on the Fine Art BA undergraduate programme, the MA in Contemporary Art History and Curating (CAHAC) and the MA in Fine Art. The successful candidate will lead the Histories of Photography undergraduate module, contribute to our team‑taught BA stage 1 modules, the BA stage 3 dissertation module and CAHAC modules, and may also be asked to contribute to our MA Fine Art Exhibition Practice module. Other academic roles such as personal tutoring will be undertaken, commensurate with the role and subject to discussion with the head of subject. This is a fixed‑term post covering maternity leave.

We are looking for someone who can complement one or more of our existing strengths in: art in the USA post‑1945; art‑science relations and the medical humanities; socially engaged art practices; feminist and queer art histories; art and ecology. We especially welcome applications from those working on histories of photography and lens‑based media, global art histories and visual culture, and/or decolonial approaches to art history. The successful applicant will work collaboratively to contribute to broader team‑taught modules across programmes, and supervised dissertations.

Applicants should be responsive to the particular nature of teaching Art History to students specialising in the practice of Fine Art, and should demonstrate an awareness of contemporary critical issues in the field globally. Evidence of a commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion, and widening participation in teaching and university life is required.

This post is for 3 days per week (0.6 fte), most likely Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and is for 10 months from September 2026 to end of June 2027.

Indicative responsibilities will likely include a combination of the following:

• Lead the Histories of Photography module for undergraduate students at Stage 2 and 3.
• Collaborate with colleagues in the delivery of co‑taught art history modules at both undergraduate and taught postgraduate levels.
• Act as supervisor for undergraduate and postgraduate dissertations on a breadth of art historical subjects.
• Be responsive to the pastoral needs of students through the Personal Tutoring system.
• Undertake other roles as agreed with the head of subject.

The Person (Essential)

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Broad knowledge of modern and contemporary art history.
• Expertise in histories of photography and lens‑based media, global art histories and visual culture, and/or decolonial approaches to art history.
• Experience of teaching Art History at HE level.
• Excellent communication, organisational and presentation skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including those required for pastoral care of home and international students from a variety of academic and social backgrounds.
• Experience of supervising dissertations and/or projects at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
• Experience of leading and managing undergraduate and postgraduate modules.
• Experience in curatorial practice and theory.
• An excellent record of achievement in teaching at HE level, or clear evidence of potential to achieve this.

Attributes and Behaviour

• Able to respond enthusiastically and positively to students working across a broad range of art historical subjects.
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and share responsibility for course delivery.
• Experience in creating and sustaining a positive and respectful workplace culture that upholds dignity, equity and fairness for all colleagues and students.

Qualifications

• PhD in Art History or other relevant subject.
• HE Teaching qualification.

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution. We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are a proud equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, believing that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population. At Newcastle University we hold a Gold Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme. In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.