The flagship of the Commonwealth, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is a nationally ranked public land-grant research university that seeks to expand educational access, fuel innovation and creativity, and share and use its knowledge for the common good. Founded in 1863, UMass Amherst sits on nearly 1,450-acres in scenic Western Massachusetts and boasts state-of-the-art facilities for teaching, research, scholarship, and creative activity. The institution advances a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community where everyone feels connected and valued—and thrives, and offers a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees across 10 schools and colleges, and 100 undergraduate majors. We believe every member of our university community can contribute to our ongoing success by striving for the highest level of excellence as we seek breakthrough solutions to mounting environmental, social, economic, and technological challenges in our world.
About the UMass Fine Arts Center
Since its founding in 1975, the UMass Fine Arts Center (FAC) has been a central force in the cultural, social, and academic life of the University, the Five College campuses, and the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts. FAC's combination of educational, visual, and performing arts programs not only makes us unique, but it also secures a very vital and necessary position for us to meet the diverse needs of scholars, faculty, students, alumni, and the broader community.
The Assistant Curator, Performing Arts/Asian and Asian American Performance (AC/AAAP) is supervised by and works with the Performing Arts Curator (PAC) to direct the activities of the Fine Arts Center's performing arts department and personnel. This assistant leadership position helps build a coherent, innovative, diverse, and socially relevant performing arts and culture season, featuring artists, projects and outreach and engagement activities from across disciplines, genres, and cultures, including music, dance, theatre, film/media, family shows, international, and more, and that preserves and enhances the identity and goals of the FAC. The AC/AAAP also directs FAC’s Asian and Asian American performance program, the longest-running university-based program of its kind in the country.
- Reports to and collaborates with the PAC to develop and advocate for the FAC’s performing arts vision among on- and off-campus constituents, including general audiences, artists, community members, students, faculty, staff and donors. Collaborates on performing arts curation, strategic planning, mission statements, season themes and the range of decision-making in the department.
- In tandem with the PAC and other directors and curators, shares responsibility for performances, outreach, and engagement activities, including research, bookings, educational outreach and attending seasonal events regionally, nationally and/or internationally as needed.
- Acts as lead curator and program director for Asian and Asian American arts and culture programming in the FAC’s performing arts season.
- Supervises Program Manager and/or Administrative Manager and other department staff as needed in their fulfillment of department activities, such as coordinating events, artist services, contracts, artist and audience research, grants management and other duties.
- Collaborates with FAC departments and staff, including performing arts, production, front of house, marketing, development, director, business office and/or student workers.
- Develops, maintains and increases relationships with artist representatives, presenters, service organizations and members of relevant artistic, cultural, regional, national, and/or international communities. Represents FAC performing arts programming at booking and professional development conferences, festivals and events as needed.
- Develops, maintains and increases relationships with UMass and Five College faculty, staff, and student groups as needed for performances, outreach, engagement, funding, and collaborations.
- Generates and/or collaborates on annual department budgets as appropriate.
- As needed, researches funding and writes grants and appeals for funding from campus and off-campus sources to broaden financial base for performing arts programs.
Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)
- Master’s degree in performing arts or cultural discipline or related field.
- Five (5) years of performance, stage production and/or arts management experience.
- Two or more years professional performing arts programming experience, including booking and touring.
- Working knowledge of multiple Western and non-Western performing arts and cultures, e.g. jazz, popular music, musical theatre, main stage theatrical, family programming, classical music, and/or other categories.
- Professional experience with cultural diversity, social justice, and other DEIA-based issues.
Physical Demands/Working Conditions
This position requires repetitive movement, sitting, bending, twisting, carrying, pulling, standing, lifting, reaching, pulling/pushing, balancing, driving and typical office and performing arts environment activity.
- Typically Monday–Friday, 9:00am–5:30pm, with an ability to work some evenings and weekends as needed in support of performances and related activities.
Upload your resume, along with your completed application. Our team will check references at the final stage of the interview process. Please be prepared to provide contact information for at least three (3) professional references. This position will remain open until filled or the advertised closing date, whichever occurs first. Early submissions are recommended.
UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, caste, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, political belief or affiliation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related condition(s), veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, natural and protective hairstyle and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University. To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans. It is the policy of UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.