Art Omi is seeking a Preparator to join our team. Working under the supervision of the Senior Curator and Senior Architecture Curator, this position works on all physical and logistical aspects of gallery exhibitions and outdoor installations for the art and architecture programs, including overseeing fabrication of new works and setting production timeframes with artists, architects, and outside vendors; overseeing installations and completing routine exhibitions maintenance in gallery and Sculpture and Architecture Park, including hiring and managing freelance support for projects.
An ideal candidate should enjoy hands-on work in an outdoor setting, be a transparent communicator, and have the ability to work independently as well as collaboratively.
Major Areas of Responsibility
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Art Omi is a nonprofit contemporary art organization with revolving exhibitions by artists and architects installed over our 120-acre campus as well as 3-4 gallery exhibitions a year. The successful candidate will be willing to take on challenging projects and find creative solutions to problems.
• Work closely with curators, artists, fabricators, and other vendors to research, develop, and manage artwork production, keeping projects on budget and on schedule;
• Coordinate all logistical and physical aspects for receiving, staging, and installing artwork; including fabrication assistance, overseeing installation crew for exhibitions, and installing didactic materials, including wall labels;
• Organize and maintain safe and clean storage and production spaces, and develop an inventory of tools and equipment;
• Complete routine maintenance of all exhibitions and artist projects including cleaning, light replacement, paint touch-up, technical troubleshooting etc.;
• Perform routine art handling which includes the unloading and loading of trucks, unpacking and packing of art from crates and occasional local transport of artworks for exhibitions, artist projects, and other events and activities;
• Follow best practices for safely and carefully handling all objects placed within the institution’s care;
• Address wildlife (trees, birds nests, etc) when on or in immediate vicinity of artworks;
• Install and maintain park signage;
• Establish, maintain, and track project budgets, accounting for material and labor costs.
Qualifications
Qualified candidates will:
• Possess knowledge of handling and packing fine art objects, with a minimum of 2–5 years experience working at a museum, gallery, or sculpture park;
• Possess supervisory experience; ability to work collaboratively and as part of a team;
• Have experience developing and managing budgets; ability to adhere to budgetary constraints;
• Have working knowledge of power tools and general construction methods; ability to perform outdoor physical tasks as part of the install/de-install of artwork;
• Have a commitment to Art Omi’s mission;
• Be a team player who is willing to help at all levels of tasks, be a creative problem solver who takes initiative and is a clear and transparent communicator;
• Enjoy working in an outdoor environment;
• Experience operating forklifts, telehandlers, skid steer, projectors, and AV equipment is a plus;
• Have a valid driver’s license and clean driving record.
Not sure you meet 100% of our qualifications? If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates, including those with diverse workplace experiences and backgrounds, and we are glad to learn about you. Please use your cover letter to tell us about your interest in the arts and what you hope to bring to this role.
Schedule & Compensation
• Typically will be on average 32 hrs per week on campus with fluctuation based on exhibition needs and the season, spring and summer being the busiest seasons;
• Requires the flexibility to commit to full-time weeks with advance notice;
• Starting salary: $55,000
Benefits
• Benefits package includes partial health insurance premium reimbursement, paid time off (including federal holidays, vacation days, and sick time), and access to 403(b) retirement account.
Work Environment
Art Omi is committed to creating and maintaining an equitable workplace culture and asks staff to actively learn about and practice anti-oppression values.
This work environment includes working outdoors in various weather conditions including heat and sun in the summer, cooler temperatures in the fall, and occasionally indoors in air conditioning during gallery installations throughout the year. The position will use a variety of tools and equipment, including power tools, and may entail driving a golf cart to installation sites. The position requires close attention to detail, and may require lifting of various materials (50 lbs and under). The noise level in the work environment is moderate, and occasionally noisy.
Equal Opportunity
Art Omi provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. In addition to federal law requirements, Art Omi complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
Since its founding in 1992, Art Omi has supported international artists across disciplines, serving as a lab space that nurtures and commissions forward-thinking projects in nascent stages of development and catalyzes expanded contexts for significant works due for critical reappraisal. A non-profit arts organization in the Hudson Valley, Art Omi features a 120-acre Sculpture & Architecture Park with more than sixty works in a bucolic setting of rolling farmlands, wetlands, and wooded grounds, and residency programs for international artists, writers, translators, musicians, architects, and dancers. Art Omi is free to all, and our grounds are open from dawn to dusk every day. In 2008, Art Omi opened the Charles B. Benenson Visitors Center, the first public LEED-certified building in the county with a green roof and a 1,500-square foot gallery, where 3-4 exhibitions are presented each year.