Curatorial Assistant (Wales in Venice in Wales)

arts.wales; Newtown; Hybrid; GBP 18,000; Part time

Job summary

A contemporary arts organization is seeking a Curatorial Assistant to support the Wales in Venice 2026 exhibition. This role requires a strong interest in contemporary visual arts and excellent organizational skills. The successful candidate will assist with research, coordinate schedules, liaise with partners, and help document processes. The position offers flexible working hours, including potential travel and remote work, and is ideal for someone with passion and a collaborative mindset.

Qualifications

• Passionate about contemporary visual arts.
• Experience in arts administration or entry-level curatorial roles is welcome.
• Understanding of ecological and sustainability issues.

Responsibilities

• Assist with research and development of curatorial concepts.
• Support artist(s) and curators in production logistics.
• Coordinate schedules and communications between teams.
• Prepare curatorial materials for exhibitions.
• Work with partner organizations for touring opportunities.
• Liaise with technical teams on installations.
• Document curatorial processes and exhibition outcomes.
• Support evaluation and reporting on curatorial impact.

Skills

Strong interest in contemporary visual arts

Organisational skills

Communication skills

Ability to work collaboratively

Attention to detail

Familiarity with Wales’s visual arts sector

Understanding of Equalities Diversity and Inclusion

Understanding of Welsh culture

Italian Language skills

Experience in arts administration

Job description

Location: Oriel Davies Gallery, Newtown, Powys (with potential travel to Venice and other locations across Wales). The successful candidate will be required to regularly attend meetings Newtown, but it will also be possible to work from home.

Salary: £17,640 (140 days at £126 per day over 18 months (flexible to suit the needs of the project)

Contract Type: Fixed-term Freelance (aligned with Biennale timeline)

Reports to: Wales in Venice Curator (Steffan Jones-Hughes) and Project Director (Catherine Spring, Oriel Myrddin, Carmarthen)

Hours: As required – covering weekends, evenings, holidays. Flexible to meet the needs of the project.

Background and Vision

Oriel Davies Gallery and Oriel Myrddin in Carmarthen are vibrant contemporary art spaces. We are dedicated to providing our local communities and wider audiences with access to the best modern and contemporary visual art from Wales and the wider world. Through our exhibitions and education programmes, projects and activities, we are committed to encouraging enjoyment, understanding, learning and participation in the visual arts.

Oriel Davies, in partnership with Oriel Myrddin, are presenting Wales in Venice, the Welsh exhibition, a collateral event at the 61st International Art Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia in 2026. Based in Caernarfon, Manon Awst’s sculptures and site-specific artworks are woven with ecological narratives, which focus in particular on the tension between human and more-than-human structures. The way materials transform locations and communities is at the forefront of her creative research. A writer, convenor, and collaborative practitioner, Dylan Huw’s work spans publishing and curatorial projects, essays and art criticism, and long‑term collaborations with artists. It is guided by interdisciplinary, translingual and site‑responsive methodologies, approaching writing and research as “time‑based media.” Rooted in Welsh traditions of ‘liveness’ including cynghanedd and site‑specific performance, the collaboration promises to invite audiences into a dynamic, evolving space of artistic exchange, while embodying the principles of sustainability, inclusivity, and cultural democracy. This role will enable work to take place at sites in Wales in tandem with the Venice exhibition and subsequently at relevant sites around the UK (Partners TBC). The aim is to make the work and exhibition equally visible and relevant to home audiences at the same time as the presentation to international art audiences in Italy.

The Curatorial Assistant will support the team in the development, production, and delivery of the Wales in Venice 2026 exhibition and associated programme. This role is ideal for someone passionate about contemporary visual arts, with strong organisational skills and a collaborative mindset.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist with research and development of curatorial concepts and exhibition content.
• Support artist(s) and curators in the production of new work, including logistics and documentation.
• Coordinate schedules, meetings, and communications between curators, artists, and partners.
• Help prepare curatorial materials, including wall texts, labels, catalogues, and digital content.
• Work with partner organisations to create a presence across Wales and the potential for touring after the Venice Project
• Liaise with technical teams on installation planning and execution.
• Assist with documentation and archiving of curatorial processes and exhibition outcomes.
• Support evaluation and reporting processes related to curatorial impact.

Person Specification

• Strong interest in contemporary visual arts and curatorial practice.
• Excellent organisational and communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively and independently.
• Experience in arts administration or curatorial support (internships or entry‑level roles welcome).
• Attention to detail and ability to manage multiple tasks.
• Familiarity with Wales’s visual arts sector.
• Experience working on international exhibitions or projects.
• Understanding of Equalities Diversity and Inclusion, and sustainability in curatorial practice.
• Italian Language skills
• Understanding of ecological, environmental, sustainability issues, concerns and contemporary thinking.
• Understanding of Welsh culture

Application Process

• Please send a CV / Bio and a short covering letter outlining your interest and suitability for the role to [e-mail] and [e-mail] with “Curatorial Associate” in the subject line. We will accept application as a 5 minute video. Please send a link to an online storage account such as Google Drive, DropBox, or similar. This is not essential.
• Deadline: 10 January 2026
  Interviews: Please give availability for interview 14 and 22 January in your application.
  Contract term: Please note that we are looking for the role to start as soon as possible.

Please complete the Equalities and Diversity form by using the Role at Oriel Davies as “other”