Job Description
Job Title: Curator
Grade/Salary: £25,000
Location: Windermere Steamboat Museum, Bowness-on-Windermere
Reporting to: Artistic Director
Line Management: Volunteers
Lakeland Arts Trust
The Lakeland Arts Trust was formed in August 1957 and is a registered charity (No.
526980). The Trust operates Abbot Hall Art Gallery (opened 1962), the Museum of
Lakeland Life and Industry (opened 1971), and Blackwell the Arts & Crafts House (opened
2001). All of these are Accredited Museums.
The Trust took over responsibility for the Windermere Steamboat Museum (WSM) in
2007. The Museum has a nationally important collection of historic vessels which are all
associated with Lake Windermere. Eleven of the boats were transferred to the Museum
through HM Government’s Tax in Lieu scheme. The collection demonstrates the
continuous development of boatbuilding and use of boats in the Lake District over 200
years, although the collection dates from 1200 all the way through to the late 20 th
century. The collection is closely associated with the history of Windermere through the
history of the people who built, owned and used the boats. The Trust received a roundone pass from the HLF in May 2011 with £0.5m development funding and initial support
for a grant of £7.4m. The aim of the project is to develop the Windermere Steamboat
Museum as a sustainable, world-class visitor attraction on the shores of Lake Windermere
with the nationally significant collection of boats at the core of the experience. The target
date for opening is 2015.
Windermere Steamboat Museum - Curator
The Curator will be responsible for the interpretation of the Museum’s collection as well
as for the care, development and preservation of the collection. The role of the Curator
will change as the Windermere Steamboat Museum Project progresses through the
development and delivery phases to the final stage as a Museum fully open to the public,
with exhibition space, conservation workshop, learning centre, wet dock beside Lake
Windermere, extensive lakeshore and excellent visitor facilities. The priority in the
development stage will be to lead the development of the Activity Plan and Interpretation
Strategy and to work closely with the design team, including architect, exhibition designer
and engineers, to develop the outline and detailed plans for the Museum and the
interpretation of the collection.
The museum is not currently Accredited however it is envisaged that as the project moves
forward and the museum is reopened to the public the Curator will lead the Accreditation
process.
Key responsibilities:
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Develop and manage the interpretation and public access to the collection,
including the displays, exhibitions and demonstrations, working closely with the
Trust’s Learning Team, consultants and wider project team.
During the development stage of the capital project, act as lead client
representative for all matters relating to the interpretation, display and use of the
collection, including developing the Activity Plan and Interpretation Strategy and
coordinating input from learning and conservation teams, consultants and
advisers.
During the delivery stage to be lead client representative for all curatorial matters,
in conjunction with wider Museum and project teams, including learning and
conservation staff.
In conjunction with the Conservation Workshop Manager, maintain suitable
environmental conditions for the differing elements of the collection to ensure the
safety and security of the collection; agree conservation management plans with
National Historic Ships; record all work that is carried out on the collection; and
monitor the stability of the boats and the collection.
Research the collection, including the builders, owners and users of the boats.
Maintain comprehensive records of the collection including record of movements
of the collection and its storage.
Develop links between the Windermere Steamboat Museum and the Museum of
Lakeland Life and Industry, including using social and industrial history material at
WSM.
Research other maritime, industrial and history museums and collections of
historic vessels to learn from their approaches to display, interpretation and
operation of historic boats.
Contribute to the Museums learning programme, including giving talks and
demonstrations.
Develop the collection in line with the draft acquisition policy.
Liaise with the appropriate national bodies and organisations to establish the
status of the collection and raise awareness of its importance and interest.
Lead the Accreditation process in liaison with the Artistic Director as the project
develops.
Contribute, as required, to the capital fundraising programme and to funding
applications, including the HLF round-two application, and reports to funding
bodies.
Manage risk, including keeping up to date an Emergency Disaster Plan and dealing
with all emergencies including flood, fire, break-ins, theft, pest control.
Manage budgets specific to the collection and displays, in conjunction with the
Finance & Operations Director.
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Write reports relating to curatorial matters, as required, and contribute to LAT
publications and web site.
Contribute to the marketing, press and publicity material for the collection and
Museum in conjunction with the Communications Team.
Any other duties commensurate with level of responsibility.
Additional Information
The post is full time, 40 hours per week. The Trust will welcome applications from
individuals and freelance curators. Candidates must demonstrate that they can fulfil the
requirements of the post.
The postholder will be required to do occasional evening and weekend working, for
example for special events.
The Curator will be part of the Trust’s curatorial team and will work closely with the wider
LAT team as well as the Project Team for WSM. The postholder will be in contact with a
wide range of stakeholders including LAT trustees and staff; consultants; members of the
project team including architects, engineers, and project and cost managers; lenders;
funders, donors; and representatives of key organisations such as the Lake District
National Park and South Lakeland District Council.
The Lakeland Arts Trust is committed to a policy of Equal Opportunities in Employment.
This post is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and is initially a fixed-term contract for
12 months. It is hoped that the post will become permanent and this will be dependent
on a successful second-round application to the Heritage Lottery Fund. In the current
programme, the date for submission of the second-round HLF application is October 2012
and, under the conditions of the first-round pass, the Trust is required to submit the
application by April 2013.