The McMaster Museum of Art — M(M)A — is looking for a new leader to advance museum priorities and continue developing the university’s art collection.

The incoming director and chief curator will be responsible for enhancing the museum’s role as a bridge between the university and the public and using art to make scholarly work accessible and engaging for broad audiences.

A selection committee chaired by McMaster’s provost has been established to oversee the search. The position is being advertised across museums and galleries in Canada and the U.S., as well as through the Indigenous Curatorial Collective and other cultural communities related to visual art.

The role became available when the museum’s longtime director, Carol Podedworny, retired at the end of August, after 18 transformative years.

Betty Julian is serving as interim director and senior curator until a permanent director is hired. Julian originally joined the M(M)A in September 2022 as adjunct senior curator.

The new director and chief curator will be tasked with providing leadership in strategic planning, financial management, fundraising, promotion and infrastructure planning for the museum and the university art collection. Reporting directly to the provost, the director is also a member of Provost Council.

As a university-affiliated art gallery, the M(M)A plays a unique role in connecting academic research and the broader community; many of its artists are faculty members, alumni or members of the university community. The museum’s priorities are outlined in its 2020-2025 Strategic Plan.

The posting for the role can be found on McMaster’s website.