Overview
We are seeking a Curator of Islamic Art and Culture to join the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra).
The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) is a leading cultural institution dedicated to enriching lives through culture, creativity, knowledge, and learning. Through its museums, exhibitions, educational programs, conferences, and cultural initiatives, Ithra preserves and promotes cultural heritage while creating meaningful experiences that inspire local and international audiences. Ithra is committed to presenting world-class museum experiences that connect history, creativity, and innovation while fostering dialogue and cross-cultural understanding.
Your primary role is to develop, manage, and interpret Islamic art exhibitions, collections, and cultural initiatives that present Islamic art as a living tradition. You will bridge the historical and contemporary dimensions of Islamic art by delivering world-class exhibitions, strengthening local and international collaborations, advancing research and scholarship, developing educational programs, and creating engaging museum experiences that resonate with diverse audiences while supporting the preservation and appreciation of Islamic cultural heritage.
Key Responsibilities
As the successful candidate you will be required to perform the following:
- Manage the research, curation, content development, interpretation, and delivery of permanent, temporary, inaugural, and traveling Islamic art exhibitions from concept through implementation.
- Develop compelling exhibition narratives that connect historical Islamic collections with contemporary artistic and cultural practices.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams across Ithra to plan, develop, and deliver exhibition projects, conferences, and cultural programs.
- Manage the development of content, educational vision, interpretation, and programmatic plans for dedicated Islamic civilization galleries and interactive museum spaces.
- Oversee the growth, preservation, documentation, and stewardship of permanent and temporary Islamic art collections, including securing and managing significant long-term loans and historical installations.
- Assess Islamic art objects and historical architectural elements to support collection management, conservation planning, exhibition development, and interpretation.
- Establish, develop, and maintain collaborative partnerships with local and international museums, galleries, cultural institutions, researchers, and subject matter experts.
- Conduct scholarly research and develop publications, books, exhibition catalogues, and interpretive content related to Islamic art, aesthetics, visual culture, and traditional crafts.
- Develop and facilitate educational programs, community workshops, symposia, conferences, open lectures, and public engagement initiatives that promote the preservation and revival of traditional Islamic arts and crafts.
- Conduct audience research to understand visitor needs and develop exhibitions that are accessible, engaging, and relevant to diverse local and international audiences.
- Manage contracts and coordinate the work of external designers, artisans, consultants, and service providers to develop exhibition components and interactive displays.
- Provide curatorial expertise and guidance to multidisciplinary project teams while managing project budgets, schedules, resources, and stakeholder engagement.
- Represent Ithra at regional and international conferences, professional forums, networking events, and cultural engagements to strengthen institutional partnerships and promote Islamic art and culture.
Minimum requirements
- You will hold a Bachelor's degree in Islamic Art, Art History, Museum Studies, or a related discipline from a recognized and approved program. A Master's degree or PhD is preferred.
- You will have 10–15 years of experience in Islamic art curation, museum management, cultural heritage, or museum exhibitions, including at least 5 years managing major museum exhibitions, gallery development, collection management, or curatorial programs.
- You will have demonstrated expertise in Islamic art, Islamic history, visual culture, and cultural heritage.
- You will have experience curating Islamic art collections, developing exhibitions, and managing museum collections within a major museum or cultural institution.
- You will have experience establishing partnerships and collaborating with local and international museums, galleries, cultural institutions, and subject matter experts.
- You will have a strong record of scholarly research, publications, books, or exhibition catalogues related to Islamic art.
- You will have experience managing multidisciplinary teams, project budgets, contracts, and external service providers.
- You will possess strong communication, writing, presentation, and public speaking skills.
- You will have the ability to engage diverse audiences through educational programming, audience research, and innovative museum experiences.
- You must be willing to travel internationally for research, networking, institutional collaboration, and collection acquisition.
- Fluency in English is required. Proficiency in Arabic or another language relevant to the Islamic world is highly desirable.
- Formal training or certifications in Museology, Museum Studies, or Art Conservation are preferred.
