Glendale Library, Arts & Culture

Glendale Library, Arts & Culture provides the community with the opportunity to seek and share ideas and information that will enrich lives, foster literacy, inspire intellectual curiosity and stimulate the imagination. GLAC is focused on providing exceptional customer services to our community while promoting inclusion, diversity, equity and anti-racism (IDEA), as reflected by our IDEA Plan and Equity Statement. The department also serves as the chief liaison to the Glendale Arts and Culture Commission which works to continually transform Glendale into an ever-evolving arts destination.

Founded in 1907, Glendale Library, Arts & Culture includes eight neighborhood libraries including the Brand Library & Art Center, a regional visual arts and music library, gallery and performance venue housed in the historic 1904 mansion of Glendale pioneer Leslie C. Brand, and the Central Library, a 93,000 square foot center for individuals and groups to convene, collaborate and create, and houses ReflectSpace Gallery. Known as the "Jewel City," Glendale is the fourth largest City in Los Angeles County. With a population of more than 200,000, Glendale is a thriving cosmopolitan City that is rich in history, culturally diverse, and home to a vibrant network of businesses and community organizations.

This classification manages exhibition programs for one or more Library, Arts & Culture galleries, including securing, arranging, and curating art exhibitions, coordinating installation, maintenance and de-installation of exhibitions, and supporting the marketing of exhibitions.

Essential functions of the job include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Ensures Department services are provided with exceptional customer service and the highest level of ethical standards.
• Performs professional curatorial work at the Library, Arts & Culture galleries.
• Solicits submissions from artists, curators, artist groups, museums and/or galleries for potential exhibition at Library, Arts & Culture galleries, online and on-site. Reviews submissions, makes selections for exhibitions, oversees development, and supports selected curators.
• Curates, designs, arranges, installs, maintains and de-installs art exhibitions.
• Negotiates and secures loans from other institutions as appropriate.
• Prepares and manages exhibition budgets.
• Possesses a broad knowledge of the history, trends, and techniques of visual arts in various media such as painting, photography, media arts, sculpture, etc. Maintains an understanding of the contemporary art industry and its current trends.
• Understands and operates under best practices for exhibition design and planning, conservation fundamentals and art handling.
• Creates exhibition related materials, including didactic text, catalogs and promotional materials, in partnership with marketing staff.
• Utilizes effective project management practices to ensure efficient implementation of exhibitions.
• Maintains appropriate records of the artworks to be included in an exhibition.
• Conducts outreach related to the galleries and exhibitions and seeks partnerships and opportunities for collaboration with other institutions and organizations in the region.
• Supervises delivery of artwork, and the safe, careful and efficient installation and de-installation of exhibitions.
• Collaborates with coworkers within the Library, Arts & Culture Department and City on other arts-related programs as assigned.
• Plans and arranges exhibition-related programs and events, including but not limited to opening receptions, panel discussions, artist/curator talks, and lectures.
• Represents the Library, Arts &Culture Department at events, functions, professional meetings and other public forums as directed.
• Works as needed with the Brand Associates and/or the City’s Arts & Culture Commission at the direction of the supervisor.
• May exercise lead supervision over lower-level staff in absence of supervisor. May schedule, train, coordinate, and review work of staff and/or volunteers at the direction of supervisor.
• Be familiar with City of Glendale and Library, Arts & Culture mission, policies, procedures and non-gallery programs and services.
• Drives on City business as necessary.
• Assumes responsibility for ensuring the duties of the position are performed in a safe efficient manner. Performs other related duties as assigned or as the situation requires.