The Brooklyn Museum is developing a groundbreaking project on mass incarceration that will bring together significant thinkers across broadly-related social, political, and cultural fields as they intersect with social justice reform and the visual arts in the United States. To support all aspects of this project, the Researcher and Community Relations Organizer (R/CRO) will research and realize dual components of an exhibition currently scheduled to open at the Museum in the summer of 2021.

The R/CRO supports the development of the exhibition and related publications through research on the history of mass incarceration in the United States, and works with the Museum’s Special Assistant for Administration and Community Affairs to build relationships with key community stakeholders locally, citywide, statewide, and nationally. Then, the R/CRO will build on that research by developing an advisory council and facilitating related community connections. They will also assist initiatives to support the exhibition, publication(s), and related public programs, and organize convenings to give voice to the most important thinkers in the field.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree; Master’s degree preferred
• Three to five years of experience organizing and/or developing work around issues of criminal justice reform
• Strong organizational skills and an ability to multitask
• Excellent communication and writing skills and familiarity with related technologies, including Microsoft PowerPoint and Excel, Google Docs, and social media
• Outstanding community relations and interpersonal skills, and the ability to communicate and work effectively with diverse communities
• Knowledge of Brooklyn’s neighborhoods and a demonstrable commitment to relationship-building
• Experience working with art and a knowledge of contemporary art history
• Ability to think strategically, analyze complex problems, and work collaboratively on creative solutions
• Strong research skills
• Ability to work efficiently and independently, be part of a considerate and collaborative team environment, function calmly under pressure, and focus on goals, solutions, and results

Additional qualifications:

• Individuals who identify as people of color, as LGBTQ+, are multilingual, and/or have immigration or first generation experience, are strongly encouraged to apply

Start date: Immediately

Department: Curatorial

Reports to: Sackler Senior Curator of the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art

Position Type: Full-time, 18-month appointment

Union Status: Non-union

FLSA Status: Non-exempt

Schedule: 35 hours per week, Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm; occasional evenings and weekends may be required

• At the direction of the exhibition curator and the Director, identify and develop relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders working on issues of mass incarceration and criminal justice reform, including the incarcerated and formerly incarcerated and their families, as well as professionals in the fields of community organizing and public policy, reform advocates, government officials, academic researchers, visual artists and creative influencers, and related leaders in the field
• Research artists and compile bibliographies of significant research in fields broadly related to the subjects of mass incarceration and the visual arts
• Work regularly with social justice organizations focused on issues from parole and bail reform to legislation and legal aid; social service and health organizations; schools and universities; and artists, as directed
• Build awareness of and effectively communicate the project’s developing goals and objectives to stakeholder communities and Museum collaborators
• Organize convenings and build resources for program and exhibition content
• Oversee the administrative aspects of the project, including organizing schedules and calendars, assisting with exhibition logistics, and managing interns
• Build synergies with Project Reset, an arts-based alternative-to-incarceration program being developed by the Museum’s Education Division
• Support development of the exhibition checklist, including organizing, processing, and drafting information on artists and artworks
• Help develop the exhibition’s structural components including related advisory committees, public programs, performance events, and publications
• Represent the Museum and the project at community events
• Other duties as assigned