Curator for Contemporary Art, Marta Herford Museum of Art and Design

© Marta Herford. Photo: Felix Hüffelmann. 

As a museum of contemporary art with a focus on design and architecture, Marta creates a space for artistic inquiry and opens up new perspectives on the questions of our time. The museum fosters a dialogue across disciplines between architecture, applied art, and fine art, with visual art at the core of its programming. Internationally renowned contemporary artists explore socially relevant positions in rotating solo and group exhibitions, through expansive spatial installations, generating a wide range of discourses. The exhibition experience is consistently shaped by multisensory encounters in harmony with the museum’s distinctive architecture designed by Frank Gehry.

The Marta Herford is a museum for many things and especially for many people. The exhibitions, events and educational programs offer a broad basis for experiencing art and culture as a relevant and living part of life. It functions as a social stage, as an extracurricular learning location, as a place of participation and for the individual museum experience alike.

We are looking to fill the following position as soon as possible:

Full-time Curator

The area of responsibility essentially includes the following activities:

• Conception and realization of exhibitions in line with the positioning of the Marta Museum. Supporting the management in the implementation of all artistic programs of the house, in particular the exhibition program

• Scientific conception and responsibility for the production of accompanying publications and exhibition texts (digital and analog) of own and other exhibitions and projects of the museum

• Exchange of information and reliable communication with the Marta team (the departments of exhibition production, education & outreach, press and public relations, administration, the event team and the museum’s visitor service), with press and other specialist representatives, the Marta Friends & Sponsors, as well as with various cooperation partners

• Support of the invited artists in the realization of exhibitions, cultivation of contacts with the regional, national and international art scene(s)

• Representation of the director in political and especially professional bodies

Requirements:

• A completed university degree in art history, art studies, cultural studies, curatorial studies, museology/museum studies or a comparable course of study with a master’s degree or an equivalent

• Several years of relevant experience in the independent development and implementation of exhibitions in the field of contemporary art, publication experience, sound knowledge in the field of international contemporary art and a broad, professional network

• Very good language skills in German, English and, if applicable, other languages

• Experience in the acquisition of third-party funding and, ideally, exhibition-related sponsoring

• Willingness to work and live on site

We offer:

• The possibilities of realizing exhibitions and publications in cooperation with a well-positioned team in an inspiring museum

• A field of work with a very good working atmosphere, appreciation and trust

• Professional training and travel opportunities

• 30 days of annual leave and flextime

• A workplace in an office floor designed by Frank Gehry

Please send your detailed application as a PDF (max. 7 MB) by January 11, 2026 at the latest to bewerbungen@marta-herford.de. The documents should include: a letter of motivation with salary expectations for Marta gGmbH and the earliest possible starting date (max. 2 pages), a curriculum vitae with certificates and references and/or contactable references.

Claudia Johannsen provides information on the application procedure, Tel. 05221 994430-19.

Marta Herford gGmbH guarantees the professional equality of all genders. Applications from all genders are expressly welcome. Recognized severely disabled persons will be given preferential consideration if they have the same suitability and qualification (§ 2 SGB IX). Please indicate any existing severe disability in your application. Applications from people with a migration background who meet the hiring requirements are expressly welcome.

By submitting your application, you consent to us storing and processing your personal data as part of this application process. This consent can be revoked at any time.