About Our Job

ABOUT THE LIBRARY

Denver Public Library (DPL) is a growing urban library system that serves the residents of the City & County of Denver. DPL sees more than 4 million visitors every year across its 27 locations, serves Denver’s most vulnerable communities through outreach and mobile services, hosts thousands of programs a year and manages a collection of more than 1.4 million physical and digital materials. We believe a strong library is vital for a strong community. DPL is committed to serving the evolving needs of Denverites through inspired programming, diverse collections, culturally-representative spaces, and equitable policies & procedures.

ABOUT OUR TEAM

The Special Collections and Archives (SCA) unit at Denver Public Library comprises two archival repositories: located at the Central Library and the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library. Our team of over twenty-five librarians, archivists and paraprofessionals are committed to exceptional access, preservation and customer service for our world class collections.

ABOUT THE POSITION

DPL is hiring an Art and Exhibit Program Administrator to manage the Western Art Collection and coordinate exhibitions throughout the Denver Public Library system. You will curate and manage the Western Art collection, design and install exhibitions at the Central Library, and provide logistical support to branch locations who install or exhibit artwork.

The Western Art Collection is an integral part of the Special Collections and Archives department, with works dating from the mid-1800s to the present. The collection includes over 1,500 original works of art (sculptures, paintings, drawings) and over 2,500 prints (etchings, engravings, lithographs and posters). The Central Library occasionally hosts traveling exhibitions and has several locations where artwork is regularly displayed.

We are seeking a highly motivated project manager with creative problem-solving skills to join the arts team. The main job function is to manage all aspects of the Exhibits and Temporary Art Installation program including research and development, curation, installation, and maintenance of the cultural, artistic and educational exhibits. The program themes and content must meet the library’s standards for high quality visitor experiences.

The successful candidate should have related arts and cultural project management experience in order to develop long term planning, create written and graphic proposals to attain executive approvals, develop timelines, budgets and oversee construction, installation, maintenance, and removal of exhibits and temporary art works. The position manages all art and artifact handling, insurance, and inventory reports. High adaptability and effective communication are key traits as this position partners with donors, local non-profit organizations, museums, businesses, private collectors, government agencies, colleges, and artists to accomplish curatorial vision.

The successful candidate will also have background in public art maintenance and restoration efforts and will be expected to work closely with Denver Art and Venues regarding public art located at DPL locations.

Additionally, as Art and Exhibit Program Administrator you can expect to:

Conduct research and improve descriptions of the collection to improve public access
Conduct a thorough exploration of exhibit display tactics, themes and materiality appropriate for each location, and create visual presentations to communicate with designers, architects, leadership and other divisions
Oversee all aspects of the exhibit curation and execution, including but not limited to creating and/or overseeing all graphic design elements, managing pre-production of all print files, maintaining and managing exhibit equipment and tools inventory, providing leadership and training to DPL staff helping with install and strike, and coordinating with external service providers as needed
Coordinate logistics of occasional traveling exhibits with exhibit distributors, including but not limited to preparing and laying out the space, receiving, uncrating, setup, daily operation and maintenance, teardown, crating and shipping
Continually monitor, maintain and repair the exhibits to ensure public and employee safety, good appearance, and proper operation with minimal downtime and customer inconvenience

About You

Do you have a passion for libraries, archives, and art? Are you passionate about public service? Do you have a strong sense of inquiry and excitement to share the story of our region’s history? Are you a team player with a strong track record of collaboration and problem solving?

We are looking for candidates with some or all the following skills and experience:

Experience managing exhibits from design phase through implementation and closing
Proven leadership and practical experience in the development of temporary exhibitions for a gallery, museum or related institution
Project management experience including monitoring budgets, developing contracts; tracking timelines; problem solving; and coordinating the work of staff, contractors and volunteers
Curating, project management, budget management, contracts, supervision, writing skills, graphic design, print production
Superior communications skills with an emphasis on customer service
Highly motivated and detail oriented
Ability to communicate well and desire to work collaboratively
Willingness to work flexible hours including some evenings and weekends
Proficiency with desktop publishing and graphic design including Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign
Familiarity and experience working within the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act

We realize your time is valuable so please do not apply if you do not have at least the following required minimum qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in Art, Art History, Arts Administration, or a closely related field.
Experience: Three years of professional or technical level experience planning the administrative aspects of a program(s) or training program participants and/or volunteers. (Some positions may require experience in a specific program area.)
Licensure & Certifications: None
Education & Experience Equivalency: One year of the appropriate type and level of experience may be substituted for each required year of post-high school education. Additional appropriate education may be substituted for the minimum experience requirements.

Other Things to Know:

Please submit a cover letter describing your interest in this position.

We highly recommend including a cover letter that outlines your experience as it relates to the position. Your application may not be considered without one.

This position is located at the Central Library in downtown Denver. Please note that there are no free parking options surrounding our building, but it is easily accessible by public transportation.

We expect this position to close on 5/3/2024. Please submit a resume or CV outlining your work experience and educational background.

About Everything Else

Job Profile

LA1716 Program Administrator

To view the full job profile including position specifications, physical demands, and probationary period, click here.

Position Type

Unlimited

Library Hiring Range

$56,176.00 – $74,433.00

Starting Pay

56,176.00-74,433.00

Agency

Denver Public Library

Assessment Requirement

The City and County of Denver provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or any other status protected under federal, state, and/or local law.

Applicants for employment with the City and County of Denver must have valid work authorization that does not require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S.

For information about right to work, click here for English or here for Spanish.