The Festival of Arts of Laguna Beach, a non-profit organization, is a local leader that has supported the growth and development of the community and the arts in Laguna Beach. Every summer for nearly 90 years, the Festival of Arts has produced two world-renowned events: The Festival of Arts Fine Art Show and the Pageant of the Masters. Together both shows attract more than 250,000 visitors. The Festival also presents summer concerts series and special events.

The Festival has an opening for a year-round, part-time Art Collections Specialist.

Employment Status: Year-round, part-time (25-29 hrs. a week) , non-exempt; hourly

Hours: Working hours are generally Monday through Friday with some evenings and weekends and may involve flexible scheduling.

General Description of Position:

The Art Collections Specialist reports to the Director of Exhibits in managing and administering loans and acquisitions pertinent to the Festival of Arts’ Permanent Art Collection, Archives and exhibitions. The Permanent Art Collection (the Collection) is a part of the Festival of Arts’ mission to collect, preserve, and exhibit artworks significant to the Festival and Laguna Beach’s rich cultural heritage, growing each year through bequests, Festival Award purchases, and donations.

This position is responsible for supervising and tracking the condition, location and safe transit of materials coming into and leaving the Festival and its offsite archive, collections research and storage facility, currently located at FOANorth. This Collections Specialist will participate in planning and organizing schedules for temporary and permanent installations in coordination with the Exhibits Director. 

Primary Responsibilities include:

Under the direction of the Exhibits Director, performs work in relation to the care of the
Collection, and arranges for custodial, registration, and preparation work for the maintenance of the Collections in storage areas, digital systems, and in gallery exhibitions. Assists with collection stewardship activities and fundraising.

Collection Maintenance:

Conducts inspections of the Collection, assists with follow-up arrangements and conservation plans in the event of damage or deterioration. Reports findings and recommendations, as appropriate, to the Exhibits Director.
Coordinates appraisals of artwork on a scheduled rotation.
Assists with the writing, preparation, production, and installation of wall labels, including extended labels and wall texts. Composes announcements and related materials for internal and external use.
Facilitates the relocation and placement of objects in the research and storage facility. Assists with any necessary reconfiguration plans or storage facility upgrades.
Assists in planning fundraising for the Collection, including donations and purchases.
Researches history of artworks in the Collection and potential additions.
Responds to Collection related emails, including correspondence from Festival patrons, current and former Exhibitors and general inquiries from the public.
Assists the Exhibits Director in developing a plan for managing the registration and cataloging of artwork in the Collection. May assist in the development of a digital database and associated materials.

Gallery Exhibitions and Loans:

Assists with all aspects of collection displays in community galleries and public spaces.
Maintains and coordinates master display schedule.
Assists in: arranging of loans; preparation of checklists from compilation to data entry; and coordinating and scheduling of work in such areas as conservation, photography, public information, matting and framing, construction, lighting, etc.
Prepares, installs, and de-installs approximately six exhibitions per year. Annual exhibitions currently include foaSouth, Ritz Carlton, and City Hall exhibitions.
Answers inquiries and conducts occasional gallery tours as necessary for visitors, etc.; responds to Visitor Feedback Forms.
Supervises the work of volunteers and interns assigned to the collections, when needed.
May be trained as a courier and asked to accompany departmental works when they travel.
Other duties as assigned, as needed.

QUALIFICATIONS: 

Bachelor’s degree, emphasis in art history or equivalent strongly preferred; two or more years’ experience in a museum or collections setting or relevant experience.
General familiarity with modern and contemporary art.
Knowledge of office procedures and general office protocol.
Excellent communication and organizational skills and solid writing skills.
Advanced knowledge of and familiarity with MS Office, Collection Exhibition
Management Systems, and other computer programs.

Professional knowledge of registration principles and techniques, including registration documentation, accession and loan records, standard registrar principles and practices, storage, copyright considerations, insurance requirements, loan agreements, and other official documents relating to registration.
Experience and knowledge of the safe movement, packing, and shipping of collections in- house, overland, ocean and air, short and long distances and insurance considerations associated with such moves.
Familiarity with ethical principles and legal procedures governing museum and archives registration of permanent collections and outgoing and incoming loans.
Must be able to meet physical demands of job to include walking, standing, climbing, bending, kneeling and lifting and move or lift objects up to 30 -35 lbs. Able to work in an outdoor environment in various weather conditions.
The offer of employment for the final candidate is contingent upon satisfactory completion of and outcomes of a criminal background screening, verification of previous employment and degree and upon the acceptance of and returning to Human Resources a signed original acceptance of the Agreement to Arbitrate and Acknowledgement and the Agreement Regarding
Confidential Information, Business Ethics, and Media Relations.

Pay and Benefits:
Hourly pay range is $25 to $33 per hour. Part-time benefits include pro-rated vacation, paid sick time, holidays, and 403(b) with match.

To Apply:

Please complete an application on our website: www.foapom.com/jobs and provide a resume and cover letter.

Festival of Arts Permanent Art Collection – Protecting Cultural Heritage

The Festival of Arts is an art institution dedicated to collecting, preserving, and exhibiting artwork

significant to the Festival’s and Laguna Beach’s rich cultural history. The Festival of Arts Permanent Art

Collection is housed at foaNorth and includes over 1,000 works. The Collection continues to grow, with

artwork acquired through purchases, bequests and donations. Selected works from the Permanent Art

Collection are presented in themed exhibits at foaSOUTH and loaned out to museums and institutions for

specific exhibitions that advance cultural history and understanding. Works from the collection are also

viewable through the Festival’s virtual gallery

For information on the collection visit: https://www.foapom.com/collection/
Job Type: Part-time
Salary: $25.00 – $33.00 per hour