Project Associate, Curatorial Research (Remote)

Museum of West African Art

wearemowaa.org

About MOWAA

The Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) is embarking on an ambitious, multi-year research and exhibition initiative anchored by the legacy of one of the most seismic cultural convergences in the history of the Black world. Recognizing this historic gathering as an audacious bid to recalibrate the aesthetic and political contours of Black modernity, this initiative acts as an urgent intervention and a critical re-inscription of that Pan-African ethos within our contemporary moment.

The project centres on the enduring legacies of global Black cultural movements, transnational modernism, and the reactivation of contested historical archives. The Research & Development phase is highly collaborative and multi-sited, mobilizing this history as a living archive. By gathering dispersed formal records, intergenerational oral histories, and vernacular storytelling, the project seeks to generate new scholarship and curatorial frameworks that will eventually culminate in a major international exhibition and a dynamic public-facing digital platform.

About the Role

The Project Associate, Curatorial Research is the operational and logistical anchor for this major curatorial initiative. Reporting directly to the Head of Curatorial, you will ensure that complex, multi-layered research objectives are translated into actionable, tracked, and meticulously managed project plans.

While deeply embedded within the intellectual and curatorial life of the project, your primary responsibility will be to drive execution: managing timelines, coordinating fieldwork and archival research activities, overseeing project administration, and leading the planning and delivery of workshops, symposia, and community engagement sessions. The ideal candidate is a highly organised individual who thrives at the intersection of research, culture, and project delivery.

Responsibilities

Curatorial Collaboration & Intellectual Engagement: While this role demands rigorous project management capabilities, it is fundamentally embedded within the intellectual framework of the museum. The Project Associate will serve as a core contributor to the curatorial process, from early-stage conceptualization through to the exhibition’s realization.
Strategic Institutional Liaison: Actively participate in high-level curatorial planning sessions, serving as a vital connective link between the internal curatorial department, MOWAA’s international Curatorial Council, and the Technical Advisory Committee.
Scholarly & Artistic Exchange: Engage in sustained, collaborative dialogue with a distinguished network of global scholars, exhibiting artists, critical historians, and community stakeholders, contributing to the development of the project’s conceptual direction.
Applied Research & Authorship: Beyond facilitating the fieldwork of others, you will be tasked with conducting targeted archival scoping, synthesizing primary source materials, and authoring original contributions for MOWAA’s internal reports and the public-facing Research Dossier.
Exhibition & Programmatic Impact: Ensure that the logistical structuring, oral histories, and foundational research generated during this R&D phase directly inform the narrative development, digital architecture, and spatial design of the final international exhibition.

Requirements

Education & Experience:

Experience: 3–5 years of professional experience in project management, arts administration, or the production of research-driven programming (such as academic symposia, transnational field research, or large-scale cultural convenings). Experience within a museum, university, research institute, or major cultural organization is highly preferred.
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Arts Administration, Museum Studies, Art History, African/Africana Studies, Cultural Studies, or a related humanities field.

Desirable Qualifications

Formal project management certification (e.g., CAPM, PMP, Agile).
Previous experience coordinating grant-funded research projects or managing deliverables for international philanthropic foundations.
A strong, demonstrated interest in African art history, archives, or postcolonial studies.
Formal training or a strongly de

How to Apply

To apply for the role, please send your CV and a short cover letter to careers@wearemowaa.org, using the subject line “Project Associate, Curatorial Research”. Your cover letter should tell us why this role interests you and how your skills and experience align with MOWAA’s mission.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the next stage of the recruitment process.

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