CULTURAL AFFAIRS COORD II

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

Cultural Affairs Coordinator II

DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS AND SPECIAL EVENTS (DCASE)

Visual Arts Division, Exhibitions

Number of Positions: 1

Starting Salary: $71,772

Applications for this position will be accepted until 11:59pm CDT on 11/6/2026

All qualified and interested candidates must apply online at

Chi.gov/DCASEJobs

The City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) supports artists and cultural organizations, invests in the creative economy, and expands access and participation in the arts throughout Chicago's 77 neighborhoods. As a collaborative cultural presenter, arts funder, and advocate for creative workers, our programs and events serve Chicagoans and visitors of all ages and backgrounds, downtown and in diverse communities across our city - to strengthen and celebrate Chicago.

DCASE produces some of the city's most iconic festivals, markets, events, and exhibitions at the Chicago Cultural Center, Millennium Park, and in communities across the city - serving a local and global audience of 25 million people. The Department offers cultural grants and resources, manages public art, supports TV and film production and other creative industries, and permits special events throughout Chicago.

The Cultural Affairs Coordinator II, Exhibitions position will report to the Program Director of Exhibitions and plan, coordinate, and oversee the selection and installation of temporary art exhibitions and their related public programs at the Chicago Cultural Center and other DCASE or City facilities. The position will also support the overall curation of the exhibition program, collaborate with artists, arts and cultural organizations, and DCASE visual arts colleagues, and engage with the art community or relevant stakeholders and communities in the development of exhibitions and their related programs and engagements. In this capacity, the position will perform the following duties:

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

* Coordinate and oversee the exhibition selection process and their respective timelines and deliverables

* Manage and maintain clear, organized, and current exhibition and related program guidelines, proposals, schedules, budgets, calendars and corresponding files and resources

* Maintain consistent and clear communication with artists or partners for exhibitions throughout the entire exhibition process

* Create necessary additional guiding tools for artists or arts organizations to successfully complete the exhibition process

* Collaborate with the visual arts team to arrange for artists, art galleries, museums, and related organizations to place exhibition objects on temporary exhibits

* Assist in the research and cataloguing of objects to ensure their security in exhibits, including the completion of incoming and outgoing condition reports

* Prepare, write, or edit exhibition interpretive materials, including gallery text, catalogs, brochures, and other informational, learning or engagement materials

* Support community engagement activities related to exhibitions and public programs and overall inclusive exhibition practices consistent with department goals and priorities

* Oversee exhibition expenditures within the designated budget, including artist commissions, installation fees, and related contracts, and collaborate with visual arts team to manage overall exhibition budgets

* Collaborate with partner artists, organizations and DCASE colleagues to identify and develop artistic and cultural themes for art installations and exhibits

* Develop and maintain contact and communication with local, national, and international arts communities and networks, and remain informed of current trends in the visual arts field

* Develop and maintain strong relationships with Chicago-based artists, including visiting studios when relevant

* Support artists and arts organizations in the development of public programs associated with the exhibitions

* Collaborate with DCASE audience engagement and education staff in the development of learning materials and programs for exhibitions

* Assist with the overall installation of temporary exhibitions and artwork preparation and transport

* Support grant writing efforts to solicit outside support and funding

* Give gallery talks and lectures or presentations on art topics and exhibitions, as needed

* Perform other related duties as assigned

Additional duties may be required for this position.

LOCATION: Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE)

78 E Washington St., Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago, IL 60602

Hours: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Monday - Friday

THIS POSITION IS IN THE CAREER SERVICE

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education, Training, and Experience

* Six (6) years of work experience in program development, OR

* Six (6) years of work experience in administration experience in the area of visual arts, performing arts or creative arts programming, OR

• Graduation from an accredited college with an Associate's degree in Fine Arts, Arts Administration, Liberal Arts, or a directly related field, PLUS four (4) years of program development or administration experience in an area of visual arts, performing arts or creative arts programming, OR

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree Fine Arts, Arts Administration, Liberal Arts, or a directly related field, plus two (2) years of program development or administration experience in an area of visual arts, performing arts or creative arts programming, OR

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master's degree in Fine Arts, Arts Administration, Liberal Arts, or a directly related field, PLUS one (1) year of program development or administration experience in an area of visual arts, performing arts or creative arts programming

NOTE: You must provide your transcripts or diploma at the time of processing

SELECTION REQUIREMENTS

This position requires applicants to complete an interview which will include a written exercise as part of the interview. The interviewed candidate(s) possessing the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities of the position, based on the oral and written parts of the interview will be selected.

Preference will be given to candidates possessing the following:

* Bachelor's degree in Art History, Museum Studies, Public Administration, Social Sciences, Humanities, Fine Arts, Arts Administration, Liberal Arts, or other degree related to the position

* Experience with exhibition curation and exhibition programs

* Experience with modern and contemporary visual art in a gallery, museum, or educational environment

* Previous arts-based community engagement work experience

* Previous work experience in the field of visual art and exhibition programming, program development, or administration in visual arts

* Bi-lingual - Proficient to fluent in Spanish

* Able to work flexible hours including early mornings, weekends, evenings, and holidays during installations

Knowledge: Art and art history. Chicago's art and culture landscape. Current exhibition practices, including administration, design, programming, and development. Applicable computer software and applications. Methods, tools, and techniques used to plan, organize and project manage events and exhibits. Familiarity with grant administrative policies and practices.

Abilities: Manage multiple projects at once. Comprehend and communicate complex issues. Exercise tact and diplomacy. Work collaboratively and as part of a diverse team. Develop tools and guide processes. Communicate with diverse stakeholders.

Skills: Research, writing, and analysis. High level of proficiency in written and verbal communication. Organizational, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Strong project and time management skills.

Other requirements: Able to work mornings, evenings, weekends, and some holidays.

For information about City of Chicago employee benefits, please click here

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APPLICATION EVALUATION: Initial evaluation will be based on the information provided on the application and the documents submitted. Department of Human Resources staff will review applications after the final posting date. Staff will follow all required employment/hiring plan provisions, federal, state, and local laws, and collective bargaining agreements when applicable. Staff will apply hiring preferences as required by the municipal code. Placement on an eligibility list is not an offer or guarantee of an interview nor employment with the City of Chicago

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY: To further our commitment to hiring applicants with diverse experience, the City of Chicago has adopted ordinances 2-74-020 and 2-74-075. The ordinances provide a preference to applicants who meet the minimum qualifications and who are veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States, residents of Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Areas (SEDA), and/or Chicago Public School (CPS) high school graduates. These hiring preferences do not apply to bidders. For positions covered by a collective bargaining agreement, bidders will be considered before external candidates. The learn more about our hiring processes, please click here.

ALL REFERENCES TO POLITICAL SPONSORSHIP OR RECOMMENDATION MUST BE OMITTED FROM ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS SUBMITTED FOR CITY EMPLOYMENT.

The City of Chicago in an Equal Employment Opportunity, Military Friendly, and Fair Chance Employer.

City of Chicago

Brandon Johnson, Mayor