About the Client
Our client is a reputable contemporary art gallery in London, focusing on presenting the work of established and emerging international artists.
About the Role
Our client is on the hunt for a Press Coordinator to join their team. The Press Co-ordinator will be responsible for all press requests coming into the gallery and the gallery’s artists, including interview requests and articles. The successful candidate will have ideally at least a couple of years’ experience working in Press/ Comms in a similar environment, as well as being educated to degree level in a relevant subject. The job will involve communicating regularly with a roster of artists, so the right candidate would be required to have experience in liaising, as well as working to tight deadlines and present strong writing skills.
Main activities / responsibilities
Press – Covers strategy, research materials, Images and Interviews and press contacts
- Managing the day-to-day running of the press department, ensuring press requests are dealt with in a timely manner and approval sought from appropriate parties.
- Devise strategic approach towards press outreach in good time ahead of internal and external shows – targeting relevant writers and journalists and sharing press materials as required.
- Fielding external requests for interviews/comments from the Director
- Collaborating with external press advisor to the Gallery to implement strategic approach to gallery exhibitions, art fairs and external exhibitions.
- Circulating exhibition dates and short text to press six weeks in advance of shows when possible
- Circulating the press release with press image(s) three weeks in advance of exhibition opening when possible
- Press research for upcoming projects; suggesting press to invite to the gallery’s dinner
- Assist Directors in developing and implementing gallery talks programme. Working with the Digital Media Officer to promote these events
- Press requests: provide writer/interviewer with appropriate research materials in a timely manner
- General press requests: Ensure images are captioned and displayed as approved. Requesting and proofing press articles and gaining studio approval as available in advance of print/online publication deadlines where possible. Requesting archival copies as required.
- NLA Licensing: reviewing annual licensing agreement and options are updated and secured in a timely manner. Ensure staff are aware of licensing rules.
- Press database: updating and maintaining the gallery’s press contact list on Art Logic
Liaise with artists, liaisons and Directors to coordinate press views and walkthroughs where required.
External exhibitions and projects
- Press support for external exhibitions. Provide research materials, press lists, images as requested
- Provide artist biography and artwork texts as requested
- Where required, liaise with artist/artist studios to facilitate press requests, schedule interviews, approve image selection for press/marketing purposes.
Writing
- Writing statements about artist works for museums
- Assisting artists with commission proposals, applications, statements and texts
- Writing artwork / artist texts for Art Fairs and group shows. Where required, providing texts for Art Fair censorship, allowing time for external translation
- Writing press release texts for gallery and external exhibitions
Social Media
- Working with Digital Media Officer to prepare texts and credits to share across social media channels – proof reading accordingly
- Archive: working with image team to coordinate schedule and proofing of designs. Writing accompanying captions.
- WeChat – Support the DMO and appropriate Director to collate and proof materials for WeChat preparing texts, images and credits to share
In collaboration with artist liaison
- General press requests: liaise with artist liaison and artist/studio on interviews, articles and image requests.
- Proofing texts for art fair catalogue entries, external show materials, etc. and obtaining approval from artists / Directors as required
- Write and proof interview materials for artists as required
- Proofing internal publication texts, credit and layouts. Ensure Director and Artist/artist studios are able to review proofs in a timely manner.
- Proof reading and providing suggested edits for external publications
- Write book descriptions for gallery website as required.
- Draft client letters to accompany gallery book send outs as required.
- Publications: assist with provision of images and credits, drawing up licensing agreements. Proofing publication texts, credit and layouts. Ensure Director and Artist/artist studios are able to review proofs in a timely manner
- Proofing exhibition materials and printed matter, liaising with studio for approval. Ensuring materials are provided and reviewed in a timely manner.
Newsletter and mailings
- Supporting the DMO in the production and mail-out of the gallery’s monthly newsletter/ Working with artist liaisons, to ensure relevant and up-to-date content is included, such as gallery exhibitions/external exhibitions/events/publications/projects.
- Assisting DMO with text and proof reading of all public mailings
A great deal of flexibility is required in terms of
– To job share where necessary i.e., holiday and sick cover
– Answering phones, taking and passing on messages
– To work on special projects as requested by gallery staff, such as research
In recognition of The Paris Agreement, our client is actively working to cut carbon emissions by 50% by the year 2030. All staff are encouraged to consider how they could contribute to this goal.
Reporting to: Head of Operations
Hours: 10:00 – 18:00, Monday – Friday
Location: various locations around London
Salary: £30k DOE