About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

About the UMass Fine Arts Center

Since its founding in 1975, the UMass Fine Arts Center 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. The Fine Arts Center'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.

Job Summary

The Performing Arts Assistant Curator works with the Performing Arts Curator to manage the performing arts department during the 2022-2023 season and devise a 2023-2024 season that reinforces the identity and goals of the Fine Arts Center (FAC). The position supports a coherent, innovative, 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, family shows, international, and more. This is a temporary position.

Essential Functions

• Reports to and assists the Performing Arts Curator to reinforce and advocate for the FAC’s performing arts vision and curation among all constituents on and off campus.
• Co-manages performances, and engagement activities, including research, bookings, educational outreach, and attending seasonal events in the area.
• Collaborates as needed with FAC staff, including performing arts, production, front of house, marketing, development, Executive Director, business office, and/or student workers.
• Assists with budgeting for series and presentations.
• Aids in funding research and grant writing.
• Works to maintain links with relevant artistic, cultural, regional, and national/international communities.
• Coordinates with Five College faculty and staff.

Other Functions

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Bachelor’s degree with 3 years of stage production and/or performing arts management experience or a Master's degree with 1 year of the required experience can be substituted.
• A valid driver's license.
• Broad understanding of Western and non-Western performing arts forms and cultures.
• Sensitivity to and ability to interact with multicultural communities in multiple settings.
• Working knowledge of office software packages, including Microsoft and Google applications, such as Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, Docs, Sheets and others.

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Master’s degree in Performing Arts or related field.
• Two or more years professional performing arts programming experience, including booking and touring.
• Specialized knowledge of multiple Western and non-Western performing arts and cultures, including jazz, popular music, musical theatre, main stage theatrical, or family programming.
• Experience with cultural diversity and social justice 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 environment activity.

Work Schedule

• Typically Monday–Friday, 8:30am–5pm, with an ability to work evenings and weekends as needed in support of performances and related activities.
• This position is temporary and unbenefited through June 2023.

Salary Information

$24.00-$29.00/hour based on experience.

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, military status, or genetic information 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 the UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.