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The Provost’s Fellowship in Curating

Call out

The Douglas Hyde Gallery of Contemporary Art is delighted to announce a call for applications for the 2024 Provost’s Fellowship in Curating. This paid Fellowship offers recent graduates of Trinity College Dublin the opportunity to work at The Douglas Hyde for 12 months (January 2024-January 2025) and gain invaluable experience through hands-on work and mentorship, giving an insight into both the daily workings and programme development of one of Ireland’s leading contemporary art galleries.

About The Douglas Hyde

Co-founded by the Arts Council and Trinity College Dublin in 1978, The Douglas Hyde is a unique space to see and learn about contemporary art. Located in the heart of Dublin City at the entrance to Trinity College, it is one of the leading platforms for contemporary art in Ireland, bringing the best of international contemporary art to Ireland and the best of Irish contemporary art to the world. For over 40 years it has shaped generations of artists and arts audiences. Artists are at the core of The Douglas Hyde, an organisation that values excellence, enquiry, experimentation, and diversity. Through the programme, The Douglas Hyde delivers opportunities for the creation of new artworks, commissioning emerging and established Irish and international artists. Artworks are presented in the gallery and beyond its walls to produce extraordinary and inspiring experiences.

About the Fellowship

The aim of the Provost’s Fellowship in Curating is to foster new generations of curators and arts professionals. The Fellowship offers a stipend of €30,000 over 12 months (with 25 days of annual leave) and an additional €2,500 to cover travel expenses for approved research trips and/or professional development costs related to the fellow’s field of interest.

The Provost’s Fellowship in Curating is generously supported by the Office of the Provost, Trinity College Dublin.

The Role

The Provost’s Curatorial Fellow, under the direction of the Director, will work independently and collaboratively with the gallery team to gain in-depth experience through practical learning opportunities across exhibitions, new commissions, and learning & engagement programmes.

Another key part of the Fellowship is a self-initiated event to be realised in 2024, under the mentorship of The Douglas Hyde team, as well as opportunities to connect and collaborate across Trinity’s campus and with other institutions across Ireland and internationally.

Working closely with the Director, the main responsibilities of this role are:

  • To support, through a hands-on role, in the delivery of the exhibition programme, assisting in all phases of exhibition; development and research; artist and lender relations; artist travel; new artwork production; installation and de-installation of exhibitions, and maintaining the exhibition archive.
  • To develop and deliver a public event relevant to their interests in 2024.
  • To communicate effectively with the Gallery’s audience and give tours of exhibitions.
  • To connect with audiences through multiple platforms and to understand the need to adapt to different audience needs.
  • To work closely with The Douglas Hyde team to ensure the highest standards of presentation and documentation for events.
  • To maintain a high standard of work performance, attendance, appearance and punctuality at all times.
  • To observe equal opportunities policies and organisational procedures.
  • To represent the gallery at openings, networking events and meetings.
  • To assume responsibility for their own professional development and safe work practice.
  • To ensure a safe environment for themselves, colleagues and visitors.

Profile of Candidates

The Douglas Hyde will consider recent graduates (Bachelor, Masters, or Doctorate) from Trinity College Dublin (within the last 5 years) in any discipline, who demonstrate a passion for contemporary art, art practice, audience engagement and/or critical theory.

This is an opportunity for a graduate to gain professional, hands-on training, by working closely with curators, gaining insight into the processes of commissioning and producing new work with artists, installing and maintaining exhibitions, and engaging new audiences with contemporary art. The ideal candidate will be willing to embrace the full scope of tasks relevant to curatorial work, from photocopying to primary research on artists, condition reports to exhibition installation. They should be prepared to be an active collaborator with staff across the gallery, and comfortable working in a professional office environment. Applicants must be able to manage multiple projects at once with keen attention to detail, adaptability, and a positive attitude.

Applicants must have completed their studies at Trinity College Dublin within the last 5 years. The successful candidate should possess:

  • A curiosity about working in a cultural organisation and enthusiasm for working in the field of contemporary art.
  • Interest and knowledge of contemporary art practices and interest in the arts.
  • A commitment to working with broad audiences and making contemporary art accessible.
  • High self-motivation and ability to take initiative.
  • The ability to work independently as well as part of a team.
  • The ability to manage a varied workload and remain calm under pressure.
  • Strong organizational and communication skills.
  • Exemplary attention to detail and interpersonal skills.
  • Full work permit if applying from abroad.
  • Proficiency in Mac OSX, Microsoft Office.

How to Apply

Please submit your completed application form by email to rachel.mcintyre@tcd.ie with the subject line “Provost’s Fellowship in Curating.” The application form is found here.

Application deadline: Friday 27 October 2023 at 5PM (GMT)

Download the call-out details here. 

We apologize that we cannot reply to all applicants, and only those asked for interviews will be contacted. No phone calls please but any questions can be sent by email to the address listed here.

The Douglas Hyde is committed to equal opportunities. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and are committed to building a diverse workforce.