British Art Network Convenor

United Kingdom

Freelance

Closes August 24, 2026

About the Role

The British Art Network (BAN) is seeking two Convenors with the curatorial experience, insight and imagination to help lead its research activity and programme in exciting new directions in 2026–27. Each Convenor will provide research leadership in a specific topic area, developing BAN’s understanding and engagement through programme activity and communications, and contributing to longer-term plans for the Network.

Each Convenor is expected to have expertise and experience relevant to at least one of these research areas prioritised by BAN:

Curating in Northern Ireland (NI) – understanding and engaging with local ecologies for curatorial work in NI – creating a platform for sharing experience and knowledge.
Curating Historic British Art – the challenges and opportunities in presenting and interpreting art from the past; sharing skills and knowledge around maintaining criticality and addressing audiences.
Developing Curatorial Careers – Between “Emerging” and “Established” – how do curators identify, sustain themselves and continue to develop once they have “emerged”? deepening understandings of the challenges and needs “mid-career”.
Curating in Non-Metropolitan Contexts – exploring the specific dynamics of curating art outside of city centres, finding ways of addressing the major challenges and issues whether material, practical or critical.
Working with Collections – what are the possibilities for working with collections given the transformation of curatorial roles and practices, and the material pressures in play?

Potential Convenors are invited to interpret one of these areas of research interest as they prepare their applications.

This is a fixed-term, freelance role attracting a set fee. It is expected that the Convenor will contribute around thirty-six days’ work over the ten month duration of the Convenorship.

The Convenors will work independently liaising closely with the BAN team, which is based at Tate and the Paul Mellon Centre (PMC). They may be based anywhere in the UK or Ireland but could be expected to travel for events or meetings.

Full details can be found on the Paul Mellon Centre website.

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DECLARATION I declare to the best of my knowledge and belief, all particulars I have given in all parts of this application form are complete and true. I understand that any false declaration or misleading statement or a significant omission may disqualify me from employment with The Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art and render me liable to dismissal. I understand that any confirmed job offer is subject to pre – employment checks including references, checks on relevant qualifications, employment eligibility, unspent criminal convictions, a probationary period and (if the organisation believes it appropriate) a medical report, all of which must be deemed by the organisation as satisfactory. Please check the below box below

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Employment and Volunteering History

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Personal Statement

In this section, please state how you would meet the knowledge, ability, skills and experience as described in the Job Description and Advert with a focus on your chosen area of research interest (see Job Advert for BAN's priority research areas). We would also be interested to hear how holding the Convenorship would contribute to your curatorial or research practice (max 350 words) *

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Programme Proposal

Please outline your ideas for programming and communications relating to your chosen research area. (max 350 words) *

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Other Information

We want to support you if you need an adjustment in our recruitment process. If there are any adjustments that you need to be made to enable you to attend an interview or throughout the recruitment process, please give details, separately and in confidence to the HR team by emailing recruitment@paul-mellon-centre.ac.uk or phoning the centre on 0207 580 0311.

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Please note: The successful applicant must be legally entitled to undertake this freelance work in the UK. If appointed, we may ask you to provide evidence of your right to undertake the work before any contract is issued. We are unable to offer Skilled Worker visa sponsorship for this role as it does not meet the eligibility requirements under the UK Skilled Worker route.

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