Director – Arts, for a major, contemporary Art Gallery, based in New Delhi, India

Our client is an established contemporary art gallery which primarily deals in modern art by emerging and established artists. They are looking for a Director – Arts, who can embody their company values: Integrity, Accountability and Transparency. The Gallery has an international reach and reputation within contemporary art which are integral to this role. The successful candidate will join a gallery known for its influential presence both in India and the global art stage. They will also help carry forward the gallery’s mission to promote groundbreaking contemporary art worldwide.

The Gallery is seeking a driven leader with a deep understanding and experience from within the global art industry. This is a leadership role which involves working closely with artists from across India and internationally, coordinating on upcoming shows, providing logistical and emotional support, and serving as the primary liaison between artists and the gallery.

This role is ideal for someone with a deep passion for contemporary art, strong interpersonal skills, and an ability to support creative processes while ensuring timely outcomes.

Responsibilities

Strategise, create and implement OKR’s in conjunction with other directors:

• Programming and strategy: Develop long-term curatorial strategy and annual exhibition calendar, ensuring alignment with the gallery’s mission.
• Oversee budgets and logistics for exhibitions, installations, and art handling.
• Collaborate with marketing and communications to maximize publicity and audience engagement.

Work on all gallery artists and their career trajectories:

• Assisting them with writing, editing of their works and ideation of next steps
• Artist and institution liaison: Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with painters, sculptors, and multidisciplinary artists, as well as with museums, cultural institutions, collectors, and galleries.
• Overseeing all art fairs and exhibitions. Working with artists to pick works for these.
• Writing the curatorial brief, press release, and ensuring all data around the show is available and presented to the larger audiences.
• Represent the gallery at major international art fairs and festivals, and forge partnerships that enhance the gallery’s global presence.
• Getting museum shows for all artists that have been zeroed in on.

Thought leadership:

• Source and maintain strategically relevant and deliverable inventory to enable sales targets for the Financial Year
• Expand the gallery’s international footprint through museums, fairs, biennials to be seen as a thought leader, rather than a sales focused gallery
• Establish the gallery as the fulcrum of South Asian thought leadership through being mentioned in the Power 100 list
• Quality assurance: Maintain the highest standards of scholarship and presentation
• Oversee research and interpretation of artworks, ensure accuracy in labels and catalogues, and preserve the integrity of the gallery’s collection and brand

Artistic acquisition and curation:

• Identify and acquire artworks (paintings, sculptures, etc.) to maintain a continuous flow of fresh, high-calibre pieces.
• Work closely with artists, estates, and dealers to commission or purchase new works.

Team leadership:

• Manage and mentor the gallery’s curatorial and coordination team.
• Set objectives, delegate responsibilities, and ensure efficient collaboration across departments.
• Provide professional development and creative guidance to staff.

Goals of the role:

• Establish the company as the top gallery all artists want to work with
• 8-10 museums conversion
• Happiness quotient amongst artists
• Reduce costs and increase efficiencies
• Help raise funds for museum exhibitions for artists

Ideal Candidate Profile:

• Experience: Minimum 15 years of progressive experience in the contemporary art world (e.g. galleries, museums, biennials, art fairs) with a proven track record in curating exhibitions and developing art programs.
• Leadership: Demonstrated ability to manage a creative team and large projects. Strong organizational and decision-making skills with experience overseeing budgets and exhibition logistics.
• Artistic expertise: In-depth knowledge of contemporary art trends, especially experimental and conceptual practices. Passion for conceptual and innovative art that aligns with the gallery’s curatorial focus.
• International network: Established relationships with artists, curators, galleries, and institutions worldwide. Experience working with international art fairs, festivals, and cross-cultural art projects.
• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Ability to negotiate, network, and represent the gallery professionally to artists, collectors, press, and the public. Fluency in English is required; proficiency in additional languages is a plus.
• Education: Advanced degree (MA/MFA/PhD) in Art History, Fine Arts, or a related field preferred; equivalent professional experience also acceptable.

Salary: DOE Up to around USD$100k

Start date: As soon as possible