Job
Website: http://www.backusmuseum.com/
772-465-0630
500 North Indian River Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida, 34950, Tallahassee, FL, Unknown
Exceptional opportunity to lead a dynamic museum steeped in history, but with a contemporary directive, on Florida’s Treasure Coast. The newly re- built museum is well organized by a strong volunteer force and operated by a small dedicated staff. The board of directors seeks to find a qualified candidate to replace the current Executive Director who is retiring after 19 years.
The A.E. Backus Museum & Gallery seeks an experienced, entrepreneurial, innovative and business-minded individual to lead the museum during its next stage of growth. The Director will be responsible for furthering the goals and mission of the Backus and directing development, fundraising, marketing, general management, financial management, and fostering member/volunteer/docent/board relations of the Backus. The Director will also be responsible supervising curatorial activities, exhibition acquisition and establishing the annual exhibition and special events and educational schedule.
Of significant importance is the responsibility for maintaining and fostering the museum’s 57 year image of exceptionalism. The Director must be able to capitalize on the Backus’ existing strengths and provide leadership and management for the next chapter in the Museum’s history. The Director is expected to be an active participant in the community, attending events and creating relationships within City and County government and with other community groups.
The E.D. is the primary liaison with the Museum’s volunteer corps, known as the Board of Associates, and meets monthly with the Board of Directors and with the Executive Board as may be necessary for the smooth management of the Museum.
The ideal candidate will be an energetic museum professional enthusiastic about growing an institution and with a passion for working with diverse populations.
Qualifications: Museum management experience with emphasis on community and patron relations; fund-raising ability; excellent written and verbal communications skills; degree(s) in business, museum studies or related field(s) or equivalent. A passion for art and history is a plus.
Responsibilities
Candidate Profile
Employment Contract and Salary Range and Benefits:
About the Museum
The A.E. Backus Museum is fresh from a $1.4 million dollar expansion, which doubled its size, as well as A reimagining of exhibitions and a Museum Store expansion. Housing the nation’s largest public exhibition of artwork by Florida’s preeminent painter, A.E. Backus, the Museum also offers the only permanent multi-media exhibition on the internationally acclaimed, outsider artists known as The Florida Highwaymen.
With a career spanning over 70 years, Backus (1906 – 1990) was the first Florida born artist to paint Florida. He was lucky to have known great success during his lifetime with paintings hanging in the homes and offices of a who’s who of Florida power and wealth. A renowned humanitarian who abhorred the South’s racist attitudes and segregation, Backus taught and mentored the Florida Highwaymen. Twenty-eight artists in the Florida Artist Hall of Fame owe their start to A.E. Backus. If there were no A.E. Backus, there would be no Highwaymen.
Established in 1960 as the Gallery of Fort Pierce, the Museum has grown and expanded its facility, collection and vision over the years. Changing exhibits from artists of national and international acclaim round out the Museum’s Florida centered mission. The new outdoor Mural Plaza opens onto a park that borders the Indian River Lagoon and offers a place for fresh air and artistic inspiration. Families and school groups will enjoy the Art & History Scavenger Hunt which is open to the public and free of charge. The Museum offers a lecture series, hands on art workshops and continuing classes in a variety of mediums.
Museum’s Mission
To promote the arts in the community and to perpetuate the artistic and humanitarian legacy of A.E. “Bean” Backus.
Facility
The Museum encompasses 8,000 sq. ft. of interior exhibition, museum store, office and storage space. An outdoor mural plaza and Art & History Scavenger Hunt are part of a public art exhibition on the Museum’s landscaped park grounds.
The Backus is funded by donations from our “Friends of the Museum” membership, business sponsorships, state cultural & humanity grants, charitable foundation gifts, fund raising events and activities, the proceeds from the sale of Backus originals in our consignment gallery and Museum Store sales.
To Apply Send:
Send information to director@backusmuseum.com.
***PLEASE PLACE “EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SEARCH” IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF THE EMAIL!
Finalists will be asked to come for a personal interview with the Search Committee.
It is the desire of the Search Committee to have an approved candidate ready to begin training in early August, 2017. Position begins October 1, 2017, prior to the Museum’s opening for its 58th season.