THE MUSEUM OF POP CULTURE (MoPOP) HIP-HOP COMMUNITY CURATOR APPLICATION
Overview
The Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) invites passionate and creative individuals to apply for our Community Curated Hip-Hop Exhibition program. This unique opportunity highlights emerging curators and voices, offering invaluable insights into the process of exhibition creation, development, and final installation. As a selected Community Curator, you will work closely with MoPOP’s Curatorial, Collections, and Exhibits teams, providing fresh perspectives and interpretations of our permanent and oral history Hip-Hop collections. This program is essential in making the museum field more inclusive, innovative, and reflective of the dynamic growth of Hip-Hop culture.
Program Timeline and Key Exhibition Dates
- Application Deadline: August 31, 2024
- Interviews: Early September 2024
- Guest Curator Start Date: September 2024
Goals
- Support emerging professionals in the curatorial and exhibition museum fields.
- Provide hands-on learning in exhibition creation, curation, design, and marketing.
- Create a responsive space to address the foundation of Hip-Hop culture.
- Showcase new voices and diverse Hip-Hop perspectives.
- Utilize MoPOP Permanent Hip-Hop Collection objects and oral histories for public accessibility.
- Facilitate collaborative growth between Community Curators and MoPOP staff.
- Strengthen MoPOP’s ties to our local community.
- Offer teachable moments for MoPOP, introducing new ways to view the permanent collection and its strengths and weaknesses.
Program Outline
During this 12-month contract, Community Curators will collaborate closely with MoPOP Collections and Curatorial staff. Your mission will be to select objects and oral histories from MoPOP’s Permanent Collection and craft a mini-exhibition centered on Hip-Hop history. The exhibition will explore the five pillars of Hip-Hop: DJing, Rapping/MCing, B-Boy/B-Girl/Dancing, Graffiti, and Knowledge of Self, using artifacts from MoPOP’s collection.
You will have the opportunity to create exhibition text and any audio/visual components in your own curatorial voice. Your exhibition may connect with other Community Curators in the gallery or stand alone. Throughout the process, you will gain hands-on experience in layout creation, mounting, and exhibition floorplan design. Additionally, you will work closely with MoPOP’s Design and Marketing teams, ensuring that the exhibition resonates with our diverse audience.
Location: Approximately 1200 square feet of space, including built-in caseworks.
Core Responsibilities
- Develop, research, and curate an exhibition focusing on MoPOP’s Early Hip-Hop Collection (1977-2000).
- Create exhibition text and interpretation using the five pillars of Hip-Hop.
- Curate the selections and interpretation of Hip-Hop history and culture.
- Engage with museum visitors to cultivate new perspectives on MoPOP’s Hip-Hop collection.
- Collaborate with MoPOP Marketing to produce a Hip-Hop blog post and social media content promoting the exhibition.
- Participate in public programs, lectures, press, and panel discussions as opportunities arise.
Compensation and Benefits
Guest Curators will receive a stipend of $6,000 in recognition of their dedication and hard work. This compensation reflects MoPOP’s commitment to supporting emerging professionals in the curatorial and exhibition museum field, and it acknowledges the importance of their unique voices and content.
Participating in this program offers more than financial rewards. It fosters personal and professional growth, encouraging collaboration and learning for both Community Curators and MoPOP staff. By joining this initiative, you will contribute to the museum’s evolution, ensuring it remains at the forefront of cultural exploration and interpretation.
Qualifications
- A Bachelor’s degree in African American studies, cultural studies, museum studies, journalism, or a related field with a focus on Hip-Hop culture (preferred).
- In-depth knowledge and experience in writing, teaching, and research on Hip-Hop culture, including its history, music, dance, art, and social impact.
- Cultural awareness and understanding of the diverse backgrounds and experiences within the Hip-Hop community.
- Strong organizational and project management skills.
- Excellent communication and teamwork abilities.
- A passion for engaging with diverse audiences.
- Applicants must be local to Seattle or the surrounding area.
Application Requirements
- Resume/CV
- Writing Sample (150-200 words): Respond to the prompt: “How will you use MoPOP’s permanent collection to demonstrate Hip-Hop’s role in social and political activism?”
- Optional: Include samples of your curatorial work, such as exhibition plans, research papers, journal articles, or related projects/workshops.
- References: Provide contact information for two professional or academic references who can speak to your qualifications.
Application Deadline: August 31, 2024
Please submit your application materials to guestcuratorprogram@mopop.org with the subject line: “Hip-Hop Community Curator Application – [Your Name].”
We look forward to receiving your exciting proposals and collaborating with you to shape the future of pop culture exhibitions at MoPOP!
