Current vacancies at the Städelschule

  • Portikus seeks Curator

  • Program Curator for Art Coordination

Portikus seeks Curator

Application deadline: May 31, 2025

The Städelschule in Frankfurt am Main was established in 1817. The school features an international team of acclaimed faculty, and offers degrees in Fine Arts and Curatorial Studies, attracting a diverse student body. The Städelschule’s exhibition space, Portikus, was founded in 1987 and functions as a contemporary center of art alongside its educational and pedagogical role within the school. Portikus Kunsthalle has been known as an influential center for exhibiting, publishing, and discussing emerging and established contemporary artistic practices from around the world.

For Portikus, Städelschule seeks a

Curator (d/f/m) full time

for a 3-year full-time (40 h/week) contract (extendable), grouping according to EG 13 TV-Hessen beginning on November 1, 2025.

The curator is tasked with developing and implementing an innovative and critically relevant exhibition program in dialogue with the school’s rector, who is also Director of Portikus. The curator will work closely with a talented team and invited artists on exhibitions, new commissions, catalogues and editions. Supported by Städelschule faculty and administration and aided by an active and dedicated Friends Association, the curator engages with diverse local, regional and international audiences and Städelschule’s student community. An ideal candidate is dynamic and has a strong artistic network, with excellent communication skills and has a proven record in fundraising and maintaining excellent working relationships with artists, sponsors, patrons, and colleagues from institutions within Europe, the North America, as well as further afield.

Responsibilities:

  • Initiate, organize and execute exhibition programs that include solo- and group exhibitions, as well as commissioning artists to produce new works.
  • Supervise exhibition production with the production team, Head of Installation and the student installation team.
  • Develop and execute exhibition budgets and annual fundraising strategy together with Portikus’ team and Director.
  • Plan and manage the institutional budget and oversee expenditure and budget reports
  • Actively engage and develop regular mentoring and pedagogical activities with curatorial studies and fine arts students at Städelschule for the mediation of the exhibitions.
  • Develop and produce public and community outreach in liaison with Städelschule
  • Represent Portikus & Städelschule at international events & conferences
  • Build fruitful relationships with funding bodies and sponsors from the private and public sector.

Qualifications:

  • A minimum of a master's degree in art history, Museum Studies, Curatorial Studies or a related field and/or equivalent demonstrated professional experience
  • A minimum of five years of curatorial experience and organizing exhibitions in an art museum, gallery, or equivalent organization
  • Outstanding experience in conceiving, developing, fundraising for, and overseeing complex exhibition projects and managing new commissions (incl. contracts and budgets)
  • A track record of teaching, mediation and mentoring experience within the art and academic context
  • Demonstrate the ability to work closely and productively with artists and exhibition teams (technical team, curatorial team) within budgetary and time constraints
  • Significant experience in managing budgets, overseeing institutional operations and Administration
  • Full proficiency in German (native or C1/C2) and English is a prerequisite. Excellent written, spoken, and interpersonal communication skills in both languages.
  • The ability to serve as a public-facing ambassador of Portikus and Städelschule.
  • Evidence of a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access in curatorial practice, programming, and audience engagement.
  • A commitment to be based full-time in Frankfurt.

Offer:

  • Diverse, interesting and international working environment with contact to a broad network of artists, curators and other professionals from various disciplines
  • Salary in pay group E13 (if the requirements are met) according to the collective agreement of the state of Hesse
  • Employment relationship in the public sector, limited to 3 years with the possibility of extension to up to 2 years.
  • Flexible working hours outside of core working hours
  • Employer subsidy for the Deutschlandticket
  • Social benefits in accordance with public service regulations
  • Further education and training opportunities

Applicants must submit the following documents:

  • Letter of motivation outlining interest and principal vision
  • Current curriculum vitae
  • A portfolio of exhibitions realized within the past five years and samples of 2 published essays
  • 3 letters of recommendation including contact reference of one or more former employers

Please submit your application until May 31, 2025 here.
(in a single PDF file, not exceeding 10 MB)

Interviews of applications are scheduled in person in Frankfurt for beginning/mid July.

If you have any questions about the process, please contact the HR department at
personal@staedelschule.de

The Städelschule aims to increase the proportion of women in artistic and academic staff and in management positions and strongly encourages applications from qualified women, who will be given preferential consideration if they have the same qualifications until they reach a 50% quota in the respective staff category. Likewise, the Städelschule is committed to anti-discriminatory measures in its personnel policy and to increasing diversity among its staff. Furthermore, the Städelschule strives to create application and working conditions that are as barrier-free as possible. In this context, the Städelschule actively supports applications from people with disabilities.

Applicants are not entitled to reimbursement of travel and accommodation expenses incurred as part of the admission process. By submitting your application, you agree that your data will be stored and processed electronically for the purpose of the selection process and deleted after the legal retention period has expired.

You can find our privacy policy here.

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The Hochschule für Bildende Künste–Städelschule, Frankfurt am Main is seeking a

Program Curator (d/f/m) for Art Coordination as a full-time substitute for one year with the possibility of extension beginning July 1, 2025.

The Städelschule in Frankfurt am Main offers degrees in Fine Arts, and Curatorial Studies, features an international team of acclaimed faculty and staff, and attracts a diverse student body. It enjoys an outstanding reputation worldwide as a training center for important contemporary artists. Since its foundation in 1817, the Städelschule has been known for teaching according to a special pedagogical model that emphasizes artistic freedom and promotes artistic discourse through critical interactions with society. The great diversity of its international community is unique in Germany and an essential value of the Städelschule.

The Program Curator of Artistic Coordination is responsible for the implementation of a wide range of coordination activities and works closely with the Rectorate, students, faculty and administration of the Städelschule to ensure the smooth running of public programs and teaching.

The Program Curator of Artistic Coordination primarily organizes and accompanies public formats that strengthen the visibility of the institution on a local and international level.  These programs promote the Städelschule's educational mission and are aimed at the diverse audience of faculty and students (from over 40 different countries).

The Städelschule is looking for a dynamic, empathetic and socially highly competent colleague with a professional approach to coordination and an international and curatorial commitment to working with young artists.

Your tasks in German and English:

  • Development, planning and implementation of the public lecture program (approx. 12 lectures per semester) in close cooperation with the Rector, and in close coordination with the students and the faculty
  • Development, coordination and implementation of the „Rundgang“ and graduate show, in close cooperation with the students, departments and workshops.
  • Long-term scheduling as well as budgetting and controlling for the lecture program, the guest professorships, the „Rundgang“, the graduate show and internal and external events for the visibility of the Städelschule in Frankfurt
  • Close cooperation between the professors, guest professors, workshops and course instructors to coordinate, create and monitor the curriculum and calendar
  • Support in the creation and organization of the curriculum and the programs and events in cooperation with the Rectorate and in day-to-day business during the academic year
  • Supervision of the guest professors with seminar development and planning
  • Communication between the student representatives and the university management; content preparation of communication for the public programs via newsletter and website as well as maintenance of the internal student portal
  • Development and editing of publications and printed material in connection with the university's public events, including the catalog of the graduate show.
  • Representation of the Städelschule in the art scene, especially with artists, curators and sponsors

Your qualifications:

  • University degree in art education, art history, cultural studies, museology or curatorial studies, or a related field and/or equivalent proven  experience
  • Ideally three to five years of experience in organizing exhibitions or public programs in an art museum, gallery or similar institution
  • Experience in leading complex exhibition projects and in management (including budgets)
  • Extensive experience in the installation of  exhibitions
  • Very good knowledge of contemporary art with a special focus on young emerging artists and actors in the cultural scene
  • Passionate interest in the extended current  discourse
  • Excellent verbal and written communication, planning and presentation skills to manage multiple projects
  • High social competence, especially in interculturality and sensitive communication
  • Independent working style, ability to work under pressure, flexibility and ability to work in a team
  • Very good MS Office skills in Word, and Excel, Outlook, Teams
  • Full command of German (mother tongue or C1/C2) and English is required.
  • Place of work is Frankfurt am Main

We offer

  • A diverse, interesting and international working environment with contact to a broad network of artists, curators and other actors from various disciplines
  • A salary in pay group E11 in accordance with the collective agreement of the State of Hesse
  • An employment contract in the public sector, limited to 1 year as a substitute with the possibility of extension
  • Flexible working hours outside key working hours
  • Employer subsidy for the Deutschlandticket
  • Social benefits in accordance with public service regulations
  • Further education and training opportunities

The Städelschule strives to increase the proportion of women and strongly encourages applications from qualified women - including those returning to work after parental leave. The Städelschule is committed to anti-discriminatory measures in its personnel policy and is committed to greater diversity in its staff. In addition, the Städelschule endeavors to create application and working conditions that are as barrier-free as possible. In this context, the Städelschule actively supports applications from people with disabilities.

If you are interested, please apply here with a letter of motivation, CV and 3 letters of recommendation by May 31, 2025

Interviews are scheduled for the 24th calendar week.

If you have any questions about the process, please contact the HR department at
personal@staedelschule.de

By submitting your application, you agree that your data will be stored and processed electronically for the purpose of the selection process and deleted after the statutory retention period has expired. 

Here you will find our privacy policy.

This job listing was translated from German using an AI, with a descriptive translation approach.