Executive Director, The Resnick Center for Herbert Bayer Studies

Position Title:                   Executive Director, The Resnick Center for Herbert Bayer Studies

Program/Department:     Aspen Campus Administration

Position Location:            Aspen, Colorado

Reports To:                       President & CEO, The Aspen Institute    

FLSA Status:                     Exempt

The Aspen Institute
The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the most important challenges facing the United States and the world. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the Institute has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, and an international network of partners.

The Aspen Meadows Campus in Aspen, Colorado sits on 40 acres and consists of offices, conference facilities, and the Aspen Meadows Resort. The Bauhaus-inspired campus offers 22,000 square feet of modern event space, 98 guest suites, three restaurants, a health center, five tennis courts, an auditorium, offices, gardens, walking trails, and ponds. Since its founding, the organization has honored its artistic and architectural heritage by stewarding and celebrating the campus and the legacy of its designer, Herbert Bayer.

The Resnick Center for Herbert Bayer Studies:

The new Center, scheduled for completion in the fall of 2021 on the Aspen Institute campus in Aspen, Colorado, is established in dedication to the work of Herbert Bayer. The new Resnick Center for Herbert Bayer Studies will allow the Institute to preserve and honor the art of Bayer, who designed the Institute’s historic campus and whose multifaceted work represents the fullest expression of the Bauhaus movement in America. The creation of the Center is especially timely as the Aspen Institute and the town of Aspen recently participated in the 2019 global celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Bauhaus movement.

Besides exhibiting Bayer’s artwork, the new Center will enhance the programming of the Aspen Institute in significant ways. It will honor the work of the artist, whose emphasis on the integration of form and function is remarkably relevant to the processes of innovative thinking and problem solving that are central to the Aspen Institute today: creativity, experimentation, and “revival of the rich human relationship to nature.” Campus visitors and members of the Aspen community will be able to visit the Resnick Center for Herbert Bayer Studies to learn the principles of design and creativity and apply those principles to their work – whether in art, entrepreneurship, or social improvement.

The Center and its 11 galleries, encompassing 7,465 square feet over two floors, will enable the Aspen Institute to celebrate and feature Herbert Bayer, as well as his connection to and influence on other artists with a multidisciplinary humanistic approach to art and design. The Center will showcase and exhibit its collection of more than 150 objects in various media from among a diverse art collection of 706 works. Emphasis will be on growing the collection, borrowing from major cultural institutions, and creating new exhibitions to educate the public about Bayer’s artistic and design output, his impact and influence on other artists and designers, and the lasting influence of the Bauhaus on his career and that of others.

The Center will also house an archive of Herbert Bayer material that will be made available for scholars and interested individuals to conduct research on the artist and his creative output.

Overall Function of the Role:

The Executive Director manages all aspects of the Resnick Center for Herbert Bayer Studies, and provides vision and leadership to fulfill its educational and curatorial mission. Overall leadership of the Center includes development and execution of strategic vision, collection development, exhibition planning, outreach and educational programming, fundraising, marketing, and financial management. The Executive Director represents the Center and the organization at-large with local, national, and international communities, and leads efforts to partner with other museums and cultural institutions.

In addition to overseeing the Resnick Center galleries, this individual will also be responsible for two other existing art galleries on campus – the Paepcke Art Gallery (700 square feet) and Resnick Gallery (1,536 square feet) – as well as any outdoor art installations, of which currently seven are by Bayer. The Executive Director will be the primary contact for stakeholders on broad issues related to the Center, reporting to the President & CEO of the Aspen Institute, working in close coordination with senior leadership of the Aspen Institute, and serving as primary staff liaison to the Aspen Institute Board’s Art Collection and Exhibitions Committee.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Successfully launch and oversee the Center’s operation, including its collection, exhibitions, press, partnerships, maintenance, and educational outreach.
• Ensure the ongoing relevance and appeal of Herbert Bayer through creative and compelling programming and collaborations that leverage his multidisciplinary oeuvre, international reach, and aligned opportunities among the Institute’s varied on-campus programming.
• Plan, coordinate, and direct the operation of the Center and all art galleries on the campus, including carrying out the policies and programs as determined by the Board of Trustees’ Art Collection and Exhibitions Committee.
• Institute best practices and maintain proper conditions for the conservation, preservation, secure exhibition, and storage of Bayer artwork and the ever-growing collection. Consult and advise on objects of art brought to the Center for analysis and research possible Center acquisitions.
• Ensure and oversee the upkeep, maintenance, and accessibility among scholars and the public of the Art Database and the Bayer Archive.
• Cultivate relationships with major stakeholders for the development of the Center collection.
• Secure the future health of the Center through operation and endowment fundraising, in collaboration with and with support from the Aspen Institute’s Office of Institutional Advancement.
• Apply sound financial practices, including oversight of the Center budget and strategic employment of assets; recommend opportunities to grow and develop new revenue streams for the Center.
• Develop relationships with organizations, public officials, schools, and staff throughout the Roaring Fork Valley to engage its residents and communicate the Center’s work.
• Prepare annual report, strategy reports, and other special reports as prescribed.
• Work with the Vice President of Aspen Campus Facilities and Operations to ensure the operations and administration of the Center follow City policies, City ordinances, and local, State, and Federal regulations.
• Serve as the primary liaison for the Board of Trustees’ Art Collection and Exhibitions Committee and play an integral role in these meetings.
• Interact and develop relationships with potential donors and institutions that house Bayer’s work nationally and internationally, particularly with peer museums in Denver, Linz, and Berlin.

Knowledge, Education, and Experience

• MA or PhD in art-related field preferred and at least five years of experience in curatorial management in an art museum.
• Experience with stewardship and donor cultivation, with ability to cultivate donations for collection.
• Awareness of Herbert Bayer and Bauhaus movement and keen interest in developing connections and relevance between this rich history and the present.
• Ready networks, experience, and field credibility for organizing international loan exhibitions.
• Ability to consistently perform in a fast-paced environment, under deadline, exercising sound judgement, and exacting personal as well as institutional standards.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; authentic, persuasive, and engaging in diverse contexts.
• Strong leader with gravitas to work across, with, and under various and diverse stakeholders, with awareness and respect for differences.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule including extended hours, weekends, and holidays.

Level of Authority

• Budgetary authority.
• Board engagement.
• This position will have at least one direct report: a trained art professional who serves as a registrar and helps design educational programming.

Applications and nominations should be sent to the attention of Sarah James at ResnickCenter@PhillipsOppenheim.com.