Luce Curatorial Fellow

Fellowship56 Lexington St, New Britain, CT 06052

About the Role

The New Britain Museum of American Art seeks an outstanding emerging scholar to serve as the Luce Curatorial Fellow in support of Puerto Rico in Focus: Historical Interventions, a major exhibition and scholarly initiative exploring the intersections of Puerto Rican and American art. Working closely with the two exhibition co-curators based in Connecticut and Puerto Rico, the Fellow will contribute to all phases of exhibition research, catalogue development, loan coordination, scholarly convenings, and public engagement.

This fellowship offers an exceptional opportunity for a highly organized, intellectually curious, and collaborative scholar who is eager to contribute to new research in the field of American art while gaining experience across every stage of exhibition development. The successful candidate will thrive in a dynamic museum environment, balancing independent research with cross-departmental collaboration, managing multiple projects simultaneously, and engaging thoughtfully with colleagues, lenders, scholars, and community partners.

The Fellow will become an integral member of the Museum’s Curatorial Department while undertaking research in both Connecticut and Puerto Rico. This fellowship is generously funded by the Henry Luce Foundation and forms part of the Museum’s multi-year Puerto Rico in Focus initiative, which seeks to broaden understandings of American art by examining the historical, cultural, and artistic connections between Puerto Rico and the United States.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to exhibition research, including archival and object-based investigations.
• Assist in catalogue development, including writing and editing scholarly content.
• Coordinate loan acquisitions and manage relationships with lenders.
• Support the planning and execution of scholarly convenings and public engagement programs.
• Collaborate with curatorial, education, and collections teams across departments.
• Conduct research trips to Puerto Rico and other domestic locations as needed.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in Art History, Museum Studies, or a closely related field (Ph.D. candidates encouraged to apply).
• Museum or gallery experience.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Puerto Rican, Caribbean, Latin American, or American art, with an interest in art from the 18th to the 20th centuries.
• Excellent research and writing skills, with experience conducting archival or object-based research.
• Fluency in Spanish (writing, reading, and speaking).
• Strong organizational and project management abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Willingness and ability to travel domestically, including multiple research trips to Puerto Rico.

About the Museum

At the New Britain Museum of American Art, we celebrate the ingenuity and impact of American creativity every single day. We believe that art—and access to it—matters. Art enriches lives, sparks curiosity, and builds a more humane society with the power to inspire us, connect us, and remind us of our shared stories and individual journeys.

Pay

$45,000 / year

Schedule

Full-time, 1-year term with opportunity for 1-year renewal.