Call for nomadic curator 2024–2025
Freddie Mercado performing at Amsterdam Art Weekend as part of Vleeshal’s nomadic program in 2017.
Vleeshal Center for Contemporary Art presents experimental contemporary art, aiming to surprise and inspire reflection across a broad audience—both local and international. Within Vleeshal, promising artists have the opportunity to expand and deepen their artistic practice by creating new works that engage with specific contexts. Under the guidance of current director Roos Gortzak, artists like Cally Spooner, Ola Vasiljeva, Simone Forti, Andrea Éva Györi, Matthew Lutz-Kinoy, and Paul Maheke have embraced this challenge.
In the context of today's world dominated by rapid consumer capitalism and experiential culture, the significance of nurturing spaces for radical experimentation is growing. These spaces allow for a deliberate pace, experimentation, learning from mistakes, and reflection. The distinctive exhibition space in Middelburg, characterized by imposing proportions, a Gothic vaulted ceiling, and a tiled chessboard floor within a former meat market, serves as an ideal venue for such innovative experimentation, offering an alternative to the conventional white cube setting. Since 2015, Vleeshal has expanded its focus beyond its Middelburg home, initiating a nomadic program to explore unconventional presentation contexts globally, engaging artists, curators, and audiences.
In 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic began reshaping the world, Vleeshal secured a four-year governmental subsidy from the Dutch Ministry of Culture (BIS) to execute a program centered on the concept of "Rituals of Care" during the period 2021–2024. This subsidy facilitated the expansion of the nomadic program and prompted an effort to broaden institutional horizons, welcoming perspectives rooted in diverse geographical and cultural contexts while cultivating new audiences. A call for an external nomadic curator resulted in the appointment of the duo Nomaduma Rosa Masilela and Thiago de Paula Souza for the years 2022–2023. As their tenure concludes this year, Vleeshal seeks new nomadic curator(s) for 2024–2025.
The selected curator(s) will have the opportunity to shape the nomadic program in alignment with their artistic vision, reflecting not only on the concept of "Rituals of Care," but also considering its redefined meanings in the context of the pandemic's impact. The focus is on crafting a nomadic program that acknowledges the diverse ways in which the pandemic has transformed the mechanisms of the art world. This program should critically engage with the idea of internationalism and delve into the concept of nomadism in relation to locality and context.
About the position
The position of curator of the nomadic program is a 0,5 fte position, in other words: 18 hours per week. These hours can be independently distributed, according to the needs (and flow) of the project. The position starts at the beginning of 2024. The curator of the nomadic program can operate from their own local context and develop a program remotely, in dialogue with Vleeshal. The search is directed towards a candidate who has affinity with our mission and program, is both a critical and a practical thinker, and capable of working independently while also being an integral part of the Vleeshal team.
Candidates should have a relevant degree or equivalent professional experience. A minimum of two years of experience in curating is required, as well as an extensive professional network. Most importantly, however, the new nomadic curator should have a unique curatorial vision.
Candidates do not need to be based in the Netherlands to apply, nor does the chosen candidate need to relocate to the Netherlands.
Job description
As curator of the nomadic program you would:
Coordinate and execute the different projects (performances, exhibitions, publications, events…) that together constitute Vleeshal’s nomadic program, in dialogue with the director. This includes research, conceptualisation, planning, production, administative and archival tasks.
Hold a bimonthly (zoom) meeting with Vleeshal’s director and curatorial assistants to maintain an inspiring level of exchange and feedback.
Track and report on program expenditures and budget; you are in charge of additional funding applications that are specific to your projects
Provide content for and oversee press and communication. This includes writing press releases, reaching out to appropriate media channels for coverage with the Vleeshal team, writing/proofreading the promotional material, newsletter, label copy, etc.
Maintain a broad and current knowledge of activities in contemporary art and related fields on a global level; as well as an extensive global professional network.
Salary
Following the Fair Practice Code and based on the Dutch Museum CAO, the salary will be between 3,400 and 4,200 EUR depending on your experience.
Procedure
Interested candidates should submit a motivation letter, describing how they aim to give shape to Vleeshal’s nomadic program 2024–2025, including at least one short description of a potential project; a curriculum vitae; and the name and contact details of two references, by September 1, 2023.
Applications from candidates from all over the world are welcomed and encouraged. The curator nomadic program will be selected by an international committee and interviews will be scheduled online.
Please submit your application to office [at] vleeshal.nl with the subject line: application curator nomadic program + your name.