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Director & Curator, List Gallery
Job no: 495930
Work type: Full Time
Location: Swarthmore
Categories: Staff, Salary (Exempt), On Campus
Swarthmore College is a highly selective liberal arts college located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, whose mission combines academic rigor with social responsibility. Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to inclusive excellence and nondiscrimination in its educational program and employment practices and encourages candidates who will further advance the goal of fostering a diverse and inclusive community. As one of the nation's finest institutions of higher learning, Swarthmore College is global in outlook and draws students from around the nation and world. The 425-acre campus is a designated arboretum, complete with gardens, rolling lawns, a creek, wooded hills, and hiking trails in the Crum Woods.
Who We Are:
The List Gallery presents curated exhibitions of work by emerging, mid-career, and preeminent artists and facilitates diverse learning opportunities, including site-specific installations, gallery talks, and creative workshops. Exhibiting artists often serve as visiting critics and lecturers, giving students and members of the general public access to a broad range of media and interpretation. List Gallery exhibitions complement the College curriculum, catalyze interdisciplinary study, and serve both the Swarthmore community and the Greater Philadelphia region.
The opportunity:
The director and curator administers and oversees all operations for the List Gallery, a regionally acclaimed exhibition venue that presents an ambitious and diverse schedule of exhibitions including contemporary artists, student work, and works from the Swarthmore College Art Collection.
The director serves as the chief executive, senior curator, and principal organizer of all List Gallery exhibitions and related programming. Curatorial tasks include: researching emerging and nationally known artists; conceiving, organizing, and presenting major exhibits each year; writing and editing promotional materials and/or catalog essays; overseeing exhibitions by senior art majors; organizing the annual alumni exhibition; facilitating and leading class visits to the List Gallery, giving gallery talks, arranging workshops, and other public programs; consulting with diverse faculty members and staff -especially faculty in Art and Art History and the Art Collection Manager-to develop programming that informs curricular goals; managing a fair and balanced exhibition selection process; and arranging and overseeing visits to Swarthmore by diverse artists and lecturers.
The director enhances Swarthmore's reputation by collaborating with diverse institutions and lenders throughout the country; researching, writing, and editing brochures and catalogues; writing press releases and developing relationships with journalists; planning and implementing community outreach initiatives; providing services and information to alumni and prospective students; maintaining a secure and professionally organized gallery storage area; writing grant proposals; and securing both internal and outside funding to support gallery initiatives.
The director manages the List Gallery budget; tracks expenses and ensures that they are charged to appropriate funding sources and coded correctly; ensures that associated subcontractors and student workers follow proper administrative and accounting policies and ethical practices; drafts, completes, and amends loan agreements and other contractual letters; stays informed regarding legal liability issues and insurance considerations; works to eliminate or limit reputational and financial risks; and prepares grant budgets and reports.
The director oversees a student staff of 15-20 students each semester and mentors several interns each year, providing them with hands-on learning opportunities, career training, and an introduction to curatorial studies. Additionally, the director hires diverse consultants and independent contractors, such as designers, art handlers and shippers, photographers, and carpenters who support gallery activities. The Director negotiates terms of service and oversees all such professional services. The Director also manages repairs and improvement work completed by College staff including painting, electrical work, periodic cleaning, HVAC repair, pest management, and the construction of exhibition furniture.
The director serves on a campus-wide art collections and exhibitions committee to present potential exhibition concepts and help coordinate collaborative efforts in art spaces across campus. The director collaborates with faculty, the Art Collection Manager, and students to develop exhibition and installation projects that utilize the Collection and advises on potential acquisitions and deaccessions. The director advocates for the role of exhibitions and related programming in the curricular and extracurricular activities of the College.
The director also develops and maintains relationships with colleagues at peer institutions in order to develop expertise and cultivate opportunities for collaboration. In addition, they facilitate periodic independent reviews that support improved practices and planning.
Essential Responsibilities

• Serve as the chief curator and executive administrator for the List Gallery
  • The director is responsible for the curation of all List Gallery exhibitions and oversees all gallery functions and programming. Tasks include: researching emerging and nationally known artists; organizing and curating four major exhibits each year; overseeing both group and solo exhibitions by senior art majors; organizing the annual alumni exhibition; designing and implementing class visits to the List Gallery, leading gallery talks and other initiatives that support learning and build community among faculty, staff, and alumni; consulting with diverse faculty members-especially faculty in Art and Art History-to develop programming that informs curricular goals; managing a fair and balanced exhibition selection process; and arranging and overseeing exhibiting artists' visits to Swarthmore.
• Administer budgets and contracts
  • The director manages the List Gallery budget; tracks expenses and ensures that they are charged to appropriate funding sources and coded correctly; ensures that gallery staff, associated subcontractors, and student workers follow proper Swarthmore's administrative and accounting policies as well as ethical practices; drafts, completes, and amends loan agreements and other contractual letters; stays informed regarding legal liability issues and insurance considerations, works to eliminate or limit reputational and financial risks; and prepares grant budgets and reports. They also manage endowed and gift funds dedicated to the List Gallery, and seek discretionary funding from the chairs of the programs in Art or Art History--as well as other partner departments and programs--as appropriate.
• Mentor and train students, supporting hands-on learning and career development
  • In addition to overseeing a student staff, the director conducts the List Gallery Internship Program, which provides 2-4 students with a year-long introduction to curatorial studies, hands-on learning, and intensive support. The internship offers rising juniors and seniors the opportunity to learn a variety of curatorial skills, including researching and designing exhibitions, installing art in diverse contexts, publicizing events, and ensuring the safety of loaned and collected art. Interns contribute to written educational materials, produce short videos, and get individualized feedback to build areas of strength and develop new skills. Each semester, interns are responsible for designing and implementing at least one independent project that makes gallery exhibitions more accessible to the College or surrounding communities; the director also hires students to complete ad hoc tasks related to List Gallery management and the care of the Swarthmore College Art Collection. The director also instructs and guides seniors who exhibit their works in the List Gallery. The director offers individualized mentoring specific to their goals and provides group workshops that introduce art majors to varied curatorial principles and practices.
• Oversee art facilities' safety, operations, and design/renovation/construction
  • Ensures the physical maintenance and security of the List Gallery. Identifies areas that need improvement and schedules work to be completed by Environmental Services, Facilities, and outside contractors. Responds effectively to emergencies such as floods, insect infestations, and security concerns. Follows through with necessary documentation for security and insurance reports and records. Maintains good communications with Public Safety to ensure the safety of art and gallery visitors. As needed, and in consultation with the Art Collection Manager, prepares and updates the facilities reports required to complete institutional loans, insurance contracts and periodic reviews.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Recruits, hires, and supervises 15 to 20 students each year to assist with gallery security, communications, and other duties.
• Hires 2-4 interns annually, providing them with individualized instruction and mentoring, and supervises their independent studies, projects, and collaborations. Trains students on the proper way to handle and install artwork, how to serve as a receptionist and security monitor, and how to give talks about current exhibitions, etc. Advises students about professional curatorial standards; mentors student initiatives, and writes references for students pursuing careers in the arts or related fields.
• Reviews, checks for accuracy, and approves time sheets.
• Maintains a safe, diverse, and inclusive work environment.

Who you are:

• Flexibility
• collaborative spirit
• commitment to educational mission of the gallery and the College

What you bring:
Required Qualifications

• Master of fine arts degree or an equivalent terminal degree such as a PhD and at least five or more years of experience curating museum-quality exhibitions and commensurate experience administering a museum or equivalent academic arts collection.
• Superior research, writing, editing, and public speaking skills, creativity, and demonstrated success in managing multiple projects.
• Exceptional organizational and interpersonal abilities.
• Knowledge of professional standards relating to the handling, storage, shipment, insurance, and presentation of works of art.
• Ability to collaborate across diverse disciplines and groups.
• Facility with social media, graphic design, word processing, and spreadsheets; software including FileMaker Pro, InDesign, Photoshop, and Excel; and standard office equipment.
• Demonstrates and develops the highest level of curatorial principles, best practices in the care and interpretation of art, scholarly writing and editing, educational outreach, exhibition design and presentation techniques. Demonstrates the skills needed to produce informative and relevant exhibitions of contemporary art and to document those exhibitions through catalogues, video, and digital technologies.
• Exercises initiative, independence, maturity, and discernment. Generates and monitors own work efforts in order to provide self-sufficient expertise requiring limited supervision.
• Thinks creatively and critically about programs and activities. Challenges the status quo and promotes continuous improvement. Keeps informed about and sensitive to issues related to diversity, inclusivity, and environmental stewardship. Cultivates spaces and forums that foster mutual respect and intellectual inquiry.
• Understands and abides by a high standard of professional ethics, in order to ensure the integrity of the College.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience conducting art historical research.
• Experience working with museum collections.

What You Will Get:
You'll work at one of the world's most renowned liberal arts Colleges, with incredible benefits, a stunning 420-acre campus, and a collaborative work environment. Join a team of passionate, creative people who work hard and have fun supporting the College students, faculty, and staff.
We want to hear from you if you are excited about this role! For full consideration, submit applications with an uploaded resume, including a cover letter by August 17, 2026. Applications received after this date may be reviewed on a rolling basis until the job has been filled. A cover letter indicating how your qualifications and experience have prepared you for this position. If you have experience that meets any of the preferred qualifications, please include a detailed explanation of any such experience in your cover letter and how it meets the preferred qualification(s).
The market range for this position is $120,000-$134,000 per year, which represents the College's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range at the time of posting. The salary offered is determined based on factors including, but not limited to, experience and education of the final selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information.
PA Criminal Clearance Required
Swarthmore College requires a PA Criminal background check for all staff positions prior to the start of employment.
Education Verification Required by Position
An education verification is required for this position because a college degree is a required qualification for this position.
Preview our Benefits Flyer. We offer benefit plans starting at zero cost! Upon benefit eligibility, the College contributes 10% of an employee's salary to their retirement account. Employees are 100% vested in their accounts on the date participation begins.
2026 Swarthmore Benefits Guidebook
Retirement Plans
Tuition Grant Program
Tuition Reimbursement Program
Paid Time Off (Staff)
Holiday Schedule
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