Overview

Job Title: Research and Collections Officer (Glass)

Salary: From £14,000-£16,800 per annum (based on a £28,000 full time equivalent salary)

Contract Terms: Employed. Fixed Term to March 2023

Working Hours: From 18.5 to 22 hours per week (subject to negotiation)

Reports to: Exhibitions, Collections and Archives Manager, Museum and Winter Gardens

Location: Sunderland. Based at Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens

Sunderland Culture is seeking to recruit a specialist Research and Collections Officer (Glass) who will play a key role in the development and management of Sunderland Culture’s project ‘People’s Pyrex: A celebration of glass to mark the 100th anniversary of Pyrex in Sunderland’.

Through curatorial research, this role will reconnect communities to Sunderland’s glass collections and uncover untold stories, with oral histories collected from Sunderland’s glassmakers, to inform temporary displays, new digital resources and a community co- curated exhibition. The project will culminate in a new exhibition and a Celebration of Glass in Autumn 2022; a city-wide programme to mark the 100th anniversary of Pyrex.

We are particularly keen to receive applications from individuals from communities which are under-represented within our current workforce, in particular from people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds, and or with disabilities.

This programme and post are supported by the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund. This is run by the Museums Association, funding projects that develop collections to achieve social impact. www.museumsassociation.org/collections

About Sunderland Culture

Sunderland Culture was established by a partnership between Sunderland City Council, and the Sunderland Music Arts and Culture Trust. Sunderland Culture is firmly place-focussed in its creative and cultural ambition. We work across the city to ensure the power of great art, culture and creativity is harnessed for the benefit of Sunderland, its residents and visitors and work created here is showcased internationally.

Our mission is to improve life for everyone in Sunderland through culture. We will achieve this through 3 strategic ambitions:

1. Ensure an excellent, diverse artistic and heritage offer

2. Encourage everyone to get involved

3. Secure a revitalised, joined up and accessible cultural infrastructure

Sunderland Culture brings together the individual artistic and cultural strengths of our key venues: Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art; National Glass Centre; Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens; Arts Centre Washington and The Fire Station.

About Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens

Established in 1846, Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens in the oldest civic museum in England outside of London. The museum has designated collections of fine and decorative art, science and industry and natural history, with wider collections covering archaeology, social history and natural sciences. The fine and decorative art collections include a large selection of works by LS Lowry and excellent examples of Sunderland-made glass and pottery.

SUNDERLAND CULTURE – Research & Collections Officer- Glass

Job Description

Job Title: Research and Collections Officer (Glass)

Reports to: Exhibitions, Collections and Archives Manager, Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens Salary: From £14,000-£16,800 per annum (£28,000 FTE)

Working hours: From 18.5 to 22 hours per week (subject to negotiation)

Terms: Employed. Fixed term to March 2023

Location: Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens

Main purpose of role: The Research and Collections Officer (Glass) will play a key role in the development and management of Sunderland Culture’s project ‘People’s Pyrex: A celebration of glass to mark the 100th anniversary of Pyrex in Sunderland’, funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund.

The project celebrates Sunderland’s glassmaking tradition and unites the city’s strategic glass collections; raising awareness of the important role of glassmaking in the story of the city.

Through curatorial research, this role will reconnect communities to Sunderland’s glass collections and uncover untold stories, with oral histories collected from Sunderland’s glassmakers, to inform temporary displays, new digital resources and a community co-curated exhibition. The project will culminate in a new exhibition and a Celebration of Glass in Autumn 2022; a city-wide programme to mark the 100th anniversary of Pyrex.

To achieve the project aims, the postholder will work at Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens and collaborate with the National Glass Centre. The post will lead and manage all aspects of collection research, production and delivery of exhibitions, digital resources and related events and activities.

This post is funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund. This programme is run by the Museums Association, funding projects that develop collections to achieve social impact. www.museumsassociation.org/collections

Key Tasks and The following is typical of the duties the postholder will be expected to Responsibilities: perform. It is not necessarily exhaustive and other duties of a similar nature and level may be required from time to time.

To undertake all aspects of the development of the glass collection at Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, with particular focus on Pyrex. Including reviewing the collection, care and management, research and development.

Improve knowledge of and access to the collection through research, and better interpretation.

Working with learning and participation colleagues to connect the collection to local stories from Sunderland’s communities.

Develop and deliver temporary collection display(s) and a main exhibition in the Special Exhibition Gallery at Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens.

Develop and deliver online exhibitions, interpretation and resources.

Work closely with the Museum’s Exhibitions, Collections and Archives staff and peers at the National Glass Centre on a programme of contemporary responses to the collection.

Work closely with the Museum’s Learning Team to develop interpretation suitable for a wide range of audiences.

Work closely with communications and development staff to promote the exhibitions, events and activities.

To assist in administrative tasks including setting up meetings, raising orders, writing reports and keeping accurate records.

To assist in the evaluation of the programme as identified by Sunderland Culture and the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund.

Work within the context of Sunderland Culture’s Equal Opportunities policy, both within delivery of service and treatment of employees and all other Sunderland Culture policies.

Special circumstances: Any such matters within the scope of the post as may be specifically delegated by the line manager.

Part B: Person Specification

Key Essential Desirable Assessed by competencies

Qualifications Degree or equivalent qualification or Post-graduate museums Application and Professional experience in Art, Art History, qualification or equivalent Membership History and or Social History or another appropriate discipline.

Knowledge and Good knowledge of museum Experience of working with Application Experience collection practices. fine and decorative art and collections. interview

Good knowledge of best practice in Experience of interpretation gallery interpretation. techniques to meet the needs of a wide range of museum audiences.

Experience of organising and A creative approach to exhibition delivering complex development. exhibitions including

working with designers,

conservators, artists and

couriers, producing risk

assessments, loan

agreements and organising

insurance.

Demonstrable interest in and Experience of commissioning experience of working with artists artists. and curating visual arts.

Ability to plan, budget and manage Knowledge of evaluation and successful events of various scales monitoring tools and and types. techniques

Excellent organisational skills

Experience of working in partnership Specialist knowledge of 20th and 21st Century Glass Experience and knowledge of working in collaboration with Experience of work with learning and participation historic and contemporary programmes collections

Experience of developing exhibitions, resources or interpretation online

Personal Efficient and courteous at Qualities responding to exhibition enquiries from the public, other organisations, artists and freelancers.

Committed to working effectively and supportively in a team.

Confident and able to relate well to people, with good communication skills.

Highly motivated and able to work in an accountable system and to deadlines.

Special requirements

How to apply

Application is by application form only. To apply, please complete the application form at https://sunderlandculture.org.uk/about-us/opportunities/

Please send completed application forms to - [email protected]

Deadline for applications: Wednesday 26th May at 5pm

Interviews: Wednesday 9th June

With thanks to support from

The Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund is run by the Museums Association, funding projects that develop collections to achieve social impact. Since its launch in 2011, it has awarded 101 projects with grants totaling nearly £8.4 in 16 funding rounds. Between 2017 and 2019 it is offering a total of £3.5m in grants to Museums Association members, as well as providing events and resources for the whole sector. www.museumsassociation.org/collections