The Living Art Museum is looking for an engaging and ambitious collection manager, whose role is first and foremost to take care of the museum’s unique collection, work on the registration and lead collection and archive related projects. 

The Living Art Museum

The Living Art Museum, or Nýló as the museum is called in everyday speech, is one of the oldest artist-run museums and exhibition spaces in Europe. Since its establishment, the museum has been one of the main venues for progressive contemporary art in Iceland, and preserves a unique collection of works by Icelandic and international artists from the 1960s to the present day. The museum maintains three main archives. Nýló collects primary documents on artist-run initiatives and performance art in Iceland. Every year, the museum presents a powerful exhibition program, in addition to being a venue for various events and research, in close collaboration with artists, curators, scholars and the general public. The Living Art Museum is an artist-run and accredited museum operating in accordance with the Museum Act and the terms of the Museum Council. The museum is a member of ICOM, and adheres to the ICOM Code of Ethics.

The collection manager

The collection manager is in charge of, and is responsible for, all administration of The Living Art Museum's collection and archives. The collection manager works closely with the museum director and general manager, advises the museum board regarding new acquisitions and is in regular contact with artists, scholars and other professionals. Among the tasks of the collection manager are:

• Advising on and maintaining the museum’s collection in collaboration with the museum director and the board
• Supervision of registration, storage and preservation of artworks
• Writing grant applications for projects relevant to the collection
• Manage the museum's storage space, supervise facilities and amenities
• Drafting of loan agreements and supervision of transportation
• Research related to the collection and archives
• Museum education and mediation of the collection to the public, especially to receive international scholars and school groups

Work environment

The Living Art Museum’s team of staff is small and works closely together in a creative and hectic environment. Emphasis is placed on flexibility, a positive attitude, initiative and independent work. The working days are varied in the museum, and the staff and board of the museum all work together in order to finalse urgent tasks. We are therefore looking for a person who can step outside of their field of work if necessary. Expect variable working hours, divided between the Marshall House (offices and exhibition space) and Völvufell in Breiðholt, where the museum’s storage is located. Therefore it is an advantage for the collections manager to have a car at their disposal.

We are looking for a person who:

• is agile in communication, speech and writing
• has experience in museum registration work, knowledge of the correct handling of artworks and can assess when a conservator/external specialist is needed.
• Is organized and flexible when it comes to diverse projects and ad hoc tasks
• Is motivated, resourceful, shows initiative and works independently
• Has considerable knowledge of Icelandic contemporary art
• Has relevant working experience and/or education. 
• Has a basic knowledge of Icelandic, as the registration of museum collection and/or archival material is mostly registered in Icelandic.

It is a great advantage if the person in question is interested in mediating and preparing an exhibition, as works from the collection are often integrated into the museum's exhibition projects.

Application deadline:

Applications will be accepted until September 4th. The most applicable candidates will be offered a job interview. Interviews will be conducted throughout the application period, we therefore encourage those interested to send an application as soon as possible. A final decision on employment will be made when the deadline has passed. This is a 50% position, and the prospective employee should start September 15, or earliest thereafter. 

The application must contain a cover letter (1 page), a CV  as well as contact info for references.

Applications marked “Collection_manager_2024” should be sent to nylo(at)nylo.is. inquiries should be sent to Sunna Ástþórsdóttir, director, sunna(at)nylo.is