Position Summary
The Frye Art Museum seeks an Exhibitions and Editorial Projects Coordinator to facilitate the administrative aspects of planning and implementing exhibitions and exhibition-related publications. Reporting to the Director of Exhibitions and Editorial Projects, the Coordinator helps administer exhibitions and supports publications. The Coordinator contributes to a culture of collaboration, community, and respect and carries out the department’s work centered on Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, Inclusion, and Belonging. This is a full-time, salaried position.
About the Frye Art Museum
Founded in 1952, the Frye is Seattle’s only free art museum. It brings together art and new ideas within a stunning Olson Sundberg Kundig-designed building in historic First Hill. A foundation collection of turn-of-the-century oil paintings is bolstered by a wide range of modern and contemporary art holdings, reflecting our region’s evolving identity and a commitment to exploring the art of our time. Learn more at fryemuseum.org.
Key Responsibilities
Exhibition Coordination (40%)
- Collaborate with curators and other exhibition team members to develop and track project timelines for discrete exhibitions, developing and increasing skills in managing such projects independently.
- Coordinate and participate in planning meetings, preparing agendas, taking minutes, and circulating action items as needed.
- Assist in maintaining yearly exhibition calendars and ensuring staff are updated on developments and changes.
- Draft and maintain exhibition credit lines in collaboration with the Director of Development. Ensure credit lines are accurate on all Frye materials and coordinate updates for exhibition web pages.
- Complete exhibition graphics forms for each exhibition season.
- Create large-print exhibition booklets for extended labels.
- Process invoices and work with the Controller to maintain General Ledger Project Codes.
- Provide support for touring Frye-generated exhibitions to national museums.
- Organize travel and hospitality for guest curators or external partners associated with traveling exhibitions.
- Coordinate in-gallery needs, such as video transcription or captioning and translations of texts, when needed.
- Provide department contacts for opening invitation lists.
- Before opening an exhibition, disseminate the final exhibition materials to all staff.
- Assist with exhibition close-out: provide press roundups from the Communications Department to artists and their galleries; provide exhibition materials to the Curatorial Assistant for the museum’s physical archive; archive electronic files and installation images; prepare exhibition debrief forms, including attendance figures; and compile final reports required by organizing museums of traveling exhibitions.
- Help produce departmental reports.
Exhibition Image Coordination and Rights and Reproductions (35%)
- With assistance from the organizing curator, source images for each exhibition and create “Approved Images” documents with captions formatted per the Frye style guide.
- Monitor proper use of images and accuracy of captions. Proofread image captions on monthly and quarterly materials circulated by the Communications Department, including ads, digital newsletters, visitor guides, and rack cards.
- Update captions on Approved Images documents and website, when needed, to match object information changes from exhibition checklists.
- Manage internal requests to reproduce exhibition images.
- Coordinate exhibition installation photography closely with the organizing curator(s) and Director of Communications.
- Create captions for installation images and add selected images to exhibition web pages.
- Share installation images and captions with artists, galleries, museum partners, and guest curators.
- Manage internal and external reproduction requests for Frye installation images. For external requests, determine appropriate fees and generate Frye Rights and Reproductions agreement.
- Source images or audiovisual materials required for exhibition spaces and obtain the rights to reproduce or screen them.
- Coordinate photography of objects when needed.
Editorial Coordination (25%)
- Assist the Manager of Editorial Projects with book production, including sourcing images, reviewing image sizes, and creating image captions. Draft front and back matters, including a table of contents, board and staff list, artist exhibition history, and copyright page.
- Create and manage distribution lists for Frye-published brochures, books, and traveling exhibition publications and help determine print runs. With the Manager of Editorial Projects, distribute publications internally.
- Purchase catalogues for traveling exhibitions.
- Maintain book inventories.
- Prepare mailings of catalogs or brochures to artists, galleries, lenders, writers, and other contacts.
- Other duties as required or necessary.
Desired Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.
- Highly organized with excellent attention to detail.
- Ability to accomplish tasks thoroughly with high-quality results.
- Ability to prioritize projects with overlapping deadlines and monitor performance against deadlines and milestones.
- Ability to identify and organize resources needed to accomplish tasks.
- Interest in project management and improving processes and systems.
- Adept at working independently with minimal supervision to achieve project goals and collaboratively as a team member.
- Strong interpersonal skills include adaptability/flexibility and a great can-do attitude.
- Highly proficient in Windows Office—Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, Word, and Excel—and Adobe Acrobat.
- Preference for candidates with a concrete knowledge of art history, particularly modern and contemporary art.
- Preference for candidates with previous proofreading experience.
Education and Experience
- BA in art history, museum studies, or arts administration; MA preferred.
- Proven experience and success in project coordination and meeting deadlines in a fast-paced work environment.
- At least three years in a museum exhibition, publications, or curatorial department is preferred.
Benefits
- Hybrid Option: 3 days onsite (including Tuesdays and Thursdays) and two days remote
- Full health benefits: Dental, Vision, Medical (100% employer-paid option)
- Paid vacation and sick time accrual after 90 days of employment
- Transportation and Commuter benefits
- 403b savings plan with 1.5% employer match
- Employee assistance program
- 20% Museum store discount
- 15% Cafe discount
- Reciprocal museum membership
How to Apply
Candidates should submit a resume highlighting relevant experience and a cover letter. The position is open until filled, but priority will be given to candidates who apply by September 15, 2024.
In the cover letter, please address the following questions:
- Please summarize how your past work experience applies to this position and how your skills and goals make you the right fit.
We strongly encourage applicants from individuals of all backgrounds, especially those who bring diverse perspectives that will continue to contribute to the inclusive and equitable culture we are fostering at the Frye Art Museum. We value diversity in all forms and believe diverse experiences, voices, and perspectives enrich our work and community.
The position is open until filled. Please do not send emails or make phone calls. Due to the high volume of applications received, we can only contact candidates whose skills and backgrounds best fit the needs of the open positions. We will contact you by email or phone to arrange a phone screen.
Work Conditions
Work areas are inside, in a climate-controlled environment with light background noise. Work is occasionally performed at other indoor and outdoor event sites. Shift times may vary to meet the museum’s requirements for staffing the facilities and events. Work may require weekend and evening hours and extended periods of attendance at museum events.
Physical Activities Required to Perform Essential Functions
- Ability to converse and exchange information for effective communication.
- Remaining in a stationary location, standing or sitting, and occasionally moving through the museum, which is wheelchair accessible.
- Regular operation of computer systems and other office equipment such as phones and printers.
- Capacity to stay on-site for extended durations during museum programs and events.
As much as possible, the Frye Art Museum will accommodate applicants with disabilities to perform essential functions and duties. Don’t hesitate to contact the Human Resources Division (jobs@fryemuseum.org) for additional information.
COVID-19 Considerations
Please note that all employees are asked to adhere to museum guidance and policy regarding COVID-19, which may change over time.
EEOC Statement
We recognize that a successful candidate will meet many of the requirements in this job description but may only meet some of the qualifications. We encourage applicants to apply if much of this job description describes them.
As part of our commitment to a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace, we invest in building teams with various backgrounds, identities, and experiences. The Frye is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, religion, age, marital or veteran status, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or any other basis prohibited by local, state, or federal law.
