Career Opportunity: TREX Northwest (Region 1) Curator / Manager

Position Overview: TREX Manager / Curator
Reports to: Executive Director / Chief Curator
Location: Art Gallery of Grande Prairie
Employment Type: Salary, Permanent, Full-Time (35 hours per week, Monday-Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm)
Compensation: $55,000 - $60,000 depending on experience, extended benefits after three months of successful employment
Deadline: Friday, November 6, 2026

About the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie

Rooted in place for the Peace Region and Treaty 8 territory, the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie (AGGP) enriches our community by stewarding cultural heritage and celebrating contemporary ideas. One of the largest square footage art galleries in Alberta, the AGGP hosts exhibitions, educational programs, and is home to the Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA) Travelling Exhibition Program Northwest (TREX NW). In addition, the AGGP cares for a permanent collection of approximately 850 primarily local works of art. Strict adherence to climate and security controls has earned the Gallery a “Category A” designation by the Movable Cultural Properties Directorate of Canadian Heritage.

About the Position

Reporting to the Executive Director / Chief Curator, the TREX Manager / Curator is responsible for the Gallery’s delivery of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts’ (AFA) Travelling Exhibition Program (TREX) for Region 1 (Peace Region and Treaty 8 Territory). The TREX Manager / Curator will implement the contract between the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and Art Gallery of Grande Prairie in a manner that respects all conditions, procedures, and regulations outlined in our agreement. They are responsible for supporting the priorities and attitudes that exemplify the values, professionalism, mission, and vision of the Gallery and the Alberta Foundation for the Arts. The AFA’s Travelling Exhibition Program Northwest sees participation from approximately 30 venues and 160,000 people annually.

The TREX Northwest program has been continuously hosted by the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie since its inception in the 1980s. Currently supported by a multi-year provincial contract with the AFA through March 31, 2030, this role represents an enduring cornerstone of the Gallery’s regional programming.

Key Responsibilities

TREX Manager / Curator – Job Description

Exhibition Curation, Logistics & Circulation

●Foundational administrative duties: contract management; shipping and logistics; communications including social media and reporting; payment systems and distribution; manage publications; manage installation of shows. Outreach and networking to connect with new venues, develop emerging artists, and spread word about TREX NW.

●Manage the overall planning and operation of the TREX program: curating exhibitions, managing venue exhibition bookings, promoting the TREX program, arranging shipping to and from venues, and arranging exhibition trades with other TREX regions.

●Curate, develop, prepare, and circulate a minimum of three (3) new exhibitions per year, respecting AFA policies, procedures and requirements.

●Circulate a minimum of six (6) exhibitions for the TREX program per year: three (3) developed by the successful candidate and three (3) of which should be borrowed from other TREX regions.

●Coordinate exhibition touring logistics: collaborate on crate design and handling; manage transportation and scheduling; ensure safe shipping of all TREX materials to and from venues in accordance with RFP guidelines for sizes, locations, and transportation standard practices. Concurrently, obtain proper insurance for all artworks in exhibitions that originate from the Northwest Region.

Commit to the timely payment of artist fees and other expenditures.

Education & Interpretation

●Develop all interpretive and educational material and execute all evaluation plans for the program for all new TREX exhibitions including educational packages, lesson plans, pamphlets, catalogues, curatorial/artist statements, and didactic panels/labels, while maintaining a working awareness of Alberta education system activities and outcomes by grade level, K-12.

●Work with all partners and venues to program artist talks and supplemental activities (residencies, workshops, and visiting artist programs in the field), also collaborating with AGGP's Education Department on in-gallery programming.

Marketing & Outreach

●Create and implement a five-year promotional program to advertise TREX in the Northwest Region.

●Ensure up-to-date educational and interpretive resources are accessible on AGGP’s website and that venues receive sufficient print copies.

●Locate and develop new venues to participate in the TREX Program, prioritizing public venues across northern Alberta.

●Follow copyright guidelines and law based on AFA guidance. Logos and AFA sponsor accreditation must always be included.

Technical & Administrative Competencies

●Minimum two (2) or more years of practical experience with art handling, artwork preparation, crate handling, and exhibition installation best practices.

●Minimum one (1) or more years of direct experience in budget management, financial tracking, contract administration, third-party negotiations, and official reporting.

●Minimum one (1) or more years of experience creating and executing promotional/marketing plans across print, electronic media, radio, and digital platforms.

●Demonstrated knowledge of shipping, crating, facility, and safety protocols for traveling visual art exhibitions.

Reporting & Financial Management

●Prepare budgets, manage finances, oversee financial reports, and ensure a yearly budget allotment is managed effectively to cover all artist fees, visiting artists, and invoices. Respect and meet timelines for AFA financial reporting and invoicing.

●Provide progress and information reports on TREX Program activities in the region to the AFA as required.

●Participate in meetings with the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, regional representatives, and AGGP staff as necessary.

Qualifications, Education & Experience

●Degree or diploma in Fine Arts, Art History, Museum Studies, Curatorial Studies or a related discipline (or equivalent combination of education and experience).

●Minimum two (2) or more years of experience researching, developing, and curating visual art exhibitions, as well as preparing associated educational and interpretive materials.

●Minimum two (2) or more years of experience developing and delivering educational and public programming tailored to diverse Alberta audiences.

●Minimum two (2) or more years of experience working directly with Alberta visual artists.

Assets

●Experience with childcare, primary education, and working with seniors.

●Knowledge of social media marketing and an understanding of web-based writing and communications.

●Knowledge of the Adobe Creative Suite.

Training & Certification That You Will Receive

●SAN’YAS Indigenous Cultural Safety Training

●WHMIS

●First Aid

●Vulnerable Sector Check

Work Environment

●This position involves both onsite program facilitation (tours, workshops, etc.), with occasional weekend and evening hours required.

●The role involves physical activity, such as setting up art supplies, spending extended periods standing and walking, and lifting up to 50 lbs.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility

The Art Gallery of Grande Prairie is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and strongly encourages applications from gender diverse, 2SLGBTQIA+ people and individuals who are Indigenous, Black or People of Colour.

While we strive for accessibility, we wish to be transparent about the limitations of our facilities. The Art Gallery of Grande Prairie is not fully accessible in the following ways: multiple doors require key entry, especially in the storage areas of the building. The ramps in the historic section of the Gallery are sloped on a steep incline and may be difficult to navigate in a wheelchair or with restricted mobility.

The Art Gallery of Grande Prairie is not equipped with technology to support those who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind or have low vision. We acknowledge that accessibility is an ever-changing conversation that is unique depending on individual needs and circumstances. We encourage you to reach out if you have any questions or concerns about barriers to access at the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie.

Land Acknowledgment

We acknowledge that we are located on Treaty 8 territory—the ancestral land of the sovereign Dane-zaa, Nehiyawak, Dene, and the traditional homeland of the Métis. We acknowledge the many Indigenous Peoples who live and care for these lands. We are grateful for the traditional Knowledge Sharers and Elders whose commitments continue to support future generations and those who have gone before us. We make this acknowledgement as an act of reconciliation, a starting place to rebuild relationships, and address harm.

The Art Gallery of Grande Prairie also recognizes that Land Acknowledgments are not enough. Through our actions we commit to truth, reconciliation, decolonization, and allyship in support of Indigenous lifeways and wellbeing.

Subject: TREX Manager/Curator: AGGP

Email: hiring@elevationhr.ca

For more information about the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie, please visit our website:

www.aggp.ca

We thank all who may apply, however, only those who are being considered for an interview will be contacted. Please prepare three references if contacted.

Have questions? Email us at info@aggp.ca