Visual Arts Department
Permanent Contract, Full time (35 hours)
About Us
The Barbican is an international arts, conference and learning organisation in the heart of the City of London.
Across its theatres, concert halls, cinemas, galleries, business venues, public and community spaces, the Barbican showcases the most exciting artists and performers from around the world, pushing traditional artistic boundaries and helping us understand our lives in new and unexpected ways. Each year, the Centre presents hundreds of different performances, events and exhibitions that entertain and inspire millions of people, create connections, provoke debate, and reflect the world we live in.
Firmly rooted in its neighbourhood, the Barbican collaborates on projects with local communities, and supports young people and emerging talent to develop their artistic practice and access jobs in the creative industry.
The Role
We’re looking for a Fine Arts and Lighting Technical Supervisor to join the team that provide technical support to the Production Manager in all aspects of installation and de-installation of exhibitions, and to be responsible for all exhibition lighting in Barbican Art Gallery, the Curve, and in the Centre’s public spaces and off-site exhibitions.
Barbican Art Gallery is dedicated to the presentation of exhibitions covering modern and contemporary art, design/architecture, and photography. The Curve is devoted to the commissioning of large-scale site-specific installations by leading international contemporary artists. We also present annual public art commissions in the public spaces of Barbican Art Centre. The Barbican aims to serve both artists and audiences and excels in the presentation of exhibitions that are thoughtful, curatorially ambitious and often focus on timely reassessments and inter-disciplinary practice.
This role is responsible for the leading of the planning and installation of all aspects of lighting exhibitions to the highest standard of museum practice, and for the technical maintenance of all lighting equipment. It will lead on specific lighting projects and produce technical reports when required, along with providing technical advice and guidance to the Production Manager, curators, architects, and designers in preparation for lighting exhibitions, sourcing relevant equipment as required, and supervising freelance technicians. Working with the Production Manager and with two other Technical Supervisors this role will share responsibility for supervising an installation team of technicians during exhibition turnarounds and maintenance.
You’ll have proven experience as a Fine Art Technician as well as a high level of expertise in gallery lighting practices, and experience of organising and installing gallery lighting. You will have extensive knowledge and experience of art handling to museum standards and sourcing lighting equipment, along with the ability to communicate detailed advice, guidance, and ideas on technical and aesthetic matters in respect of the delivery of art exhibitions.
To view the full Job Description and Person Specification, please see the ‘Job Information Pack’.
Barbican Benefits
We offer a wide range of employee benefits, annual pay progression and an annual pay review, a generous pension scheme, season ticket loan and cycle to work schemes, free access to museums and galleries, discounts on retail, healthcare and on-site cafes and restaurants. You will have access to Employee Assistance Programme, trained Mental Health First aiders and City of London employee networks
