Curator of Artistic Programmes

The Warburg Institute, in the University of London’s School of Advanced Study, is now recruiting its first Curator of Artistic Programmes.

The Warburg Institute

The Warburg Institute is one of the world’s leading centres for studying the interaction of ideas, images and society. It was founded in Hamburg as the private library of Aby Warburg (1866-1929), and exiled to London when the Nazis came to power in 1933. In 1944 it was given in trust to the University of London—and in 1994 became a founding member of the University’s School of Advanced Study. This year sees the completion of the ‘Warburg Renaissance,’ a £14.5m capital project that will transform the Institute’s much-loved but long-neglected building in Bloomsbury, creating new facilities for exhibitions, events and collections.

At the heart of the Institute is an open-stack library of some 360,000 volumes, structured according to Aby Warburg’s original scheme—with one floor each for Image, Word, Orientation and Action. It has been called ‘One of the 20 Libraries that Changed the World’ by the Open Education Database and ‘The World’s Weirdest Library’ by The New Yorker’s Adam Gopnik. The Institute’s Archive is one of the most complete repositories of its kind and preserves not only Aby Warburg’s working papers but those of many of the illustrious scholars who worked at the Warburg (including Frances Yates and Ernst Gombrich). The Photographic Collection not only houses more than 400,000 images organised by iconography but also the original Menil Archive of the Image of the Black in Western Art and the Eranos Archive of Jungian archetypes.

The Institute has exercised a lasting influence on artists and curators as well as scholars, and is poised to develop the projects and partnerships that will bring its history and holdings to new audiences.

The School of Advanced Study

The University of London’s School of Advanced Study (SAS) is an internationally recognised centre of excellence in the promotion and facilitation of research in the humanities. It comprises eight research institutes as well as centres in Digital Humanities and Public Engagement. It has four specialist research libraries that sit alongside the University’s central library in Senate House. 

The University of London

The University of London is a leading UK provider of distance and digital education internationally, offering programmes to 45,000 students in 190 countries around the world. Although proudly rooted in London, the community and its impact are global. The University consists of a small group of central departments (including the School of Advanced Study and University of London Worldwide) and a diverse federation of 17 world class higher education institutions. Taken as a whole, the University of London boasts more than 240,000 learners and 50,000 staff, delivering world-leading research across all disciplines.

The Role

The Warburg Institute is seeking an experienced, resourceful and ambitious professional to lead its Artistic Programmes as it prepares to open a new public-facing gallery and events space. The Institute has been involved in exhibition-making since the 1930s, and has inspired a wide range of artistic projects, but it has never had its own gallery or residency programme. This area represents an exciting area of strategic development for the Institute and School: this role is a rare opportunity to shape the profile of a legendary institution that has itself done so much to shape the way we see the world.

The post-holder will devise, manage and deliver several strands of artistic programming—including exhibitions, residencies, publications and public events. The successful candidate will be an experienced curator with a broad network, a passion for collections- and research-based display, a commitment to collaboration with staff, students and stakeholders and a track record of innovative projects. They will work closely with the Senior Management Team as well as internal and external stakeholders to deliver a meaningful, engaging and coherent programme that embodies and extends the value, history and spirit of the Warburg.

In developing a programme of artistic engagement, the post-holder will help to establish a sustainable operational model. The funding needed to support this role at a senior level is secure for the first two years: if the programme is successful, the intention is to create a permanent curatorial role.

This is a part time position (4 days per week), 2 years fixed term contract with view to continuing as a permanent role.

For a full role profile, please refer to the job description below.

Further information

To be considered for this opportunity, please submit your application and CV (by clicking ‘apply for job’ at the bottom of this page) before the closing date at midnight on 13 November 2023. 

The University of London is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive working environment where we can all be ourselves and succeed. We particularly encourage applications from members of Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities as these groups are currently under-represented at all levels within the University. All appointments will be made on merit, based on the criteria identified in the job description. 

Pursuing excellence in education and equal opportunities.

www.london.ac.uk