Senior Exhibition Designer, Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, Little Rock, AR - Southeastern Museums Conference

Description

Senior Exhibition Designer, Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, Little Rock, AR

Reports to: Director of Collections and Exhibitions

Department: Collections

Organization: Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts

About AMFA

The Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts (AMFA) is the largest cultural institution of its kind in the state, offering a unique blend of visual, performing, and educational arts experiences.

AMFA is committed to creating an inclusive cultural space that inspires and builds community through the visual and performing arts. Its new facility in MacArthur Park symbolizes its ambition to push boundaries, innovate, and deepen connections with diverse audiences. With a new 133,000-square-foot facility in MacArthur Park, designed by Studio Gang and SCAPE, AMFA stands at the forefront of architectural ambition and cultural transformation in the region.

Position Summary

The Senior Exhibition Designer will serve as a pivotal creative leader within AMFA's Collections Department, reporting directly to the Director of Collections and Exhibitions. This position will collaborate closely with curators, the executive director, preparators and other museum staff to design and execute groundbreaking exhibitions that push creative boundaries and embody AMFA's vision.

The ideal candidate will possess both a visionary approach to exhibition design and advanced technical expertise, from conceptualizing innovative experiences to creating detailed digital renderings and production documentation. Beyond shaping the physical layout of exhibitions, the Senior Exhibition Designer will showcase original artwork and influence the entire guest experience, ensuring that each exhibition aligns with AMFA's commitment to inclusivity and community engagement. The designer will craft experiences that resonate with diverse audiences, inspire meaningful dialogue, and encourage long-term connection with the Museum.

In collaboration with the Director of Collections and Exhibitions, the Senior Exhibition Designer will manage the project timeline, ensuring that deadlines are met and that exhibitions are produced efficiently and to the highest standards. This partnership will ensure a smooth workflow, aligning with the museum's goals and ensuring that each exhibition is delivered with precision and creativity.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design vision for major temporary exhibitions, permanent collection rotations, and site-specific installations, closely collaborating with the curatorial department to ensure that each exhibition experience is intuitive, holistic, emotionally impactful, and represents curatorial intent.
• Translate curatorial narratives into immersive spatial experiences by integrating architecture, lighting, media, materials, and visitor flow to create engaging environments.
• Collaborate with curators and registrars to develop design solutions that meet the highest standards of collection care, object safety, and conservation protocols, ensuring the integrity of the artworks throughout the exhibition process.
• Work in partnership with curatorial, marketing, and community engagement departments to align design with both internal strategies and public-facing objectives, ensuring exhibitions resonate with diverse audiences.
• Coordinate the final editorial proofing process for exhibition text panels and labels, ensuring that all content is grammatically correct, factually accurate, and appropriately formatted before being sent to print.
• Create detailed digital renderings, 3D visualizations, and schematic plans of each display, including artwork and fabrications, using industry-standard software and emerging technologies, presenting these to curators and the executive director to guide decision-making.
• Working directly with contractors, vendors, and the collections team, place and track orders for design elements and restocking supplies, including processing invoices and tracking expenses.
• Coordinate with vendors to schedule, fabricate, deliver, and install design and display elements, including text panels and large vinyl graphics.
• Research prices and quality of products, materials, and vendors, ensuring projects are completed on time, within budget, and to the highest standards.
• Mentor and lead junior designer, fostering a culture of creativity, innovation, and collaboration to maintain a high standard of design.
• Advocate for inclusive, sustainable, and accessible design solutions, ensuring that all aspects of exhibition development embrace universal design principles and reflect the museum's commitment to social responsibility.
• Stay informed on trends in exhibition design, immersive media, and visitor experience, bringing fresh, boundary-pushing ideas that align with AMFA's innovative vision.
• Ensure accessibility and safety in design by working with the collections department to guarantee that objects are presented in a way that is both secure and accessible to all visitors, including those with ADA limitations.
• Manage production deadlines and budgets, working closely with the Director of Collections and Exhibitions to ensure smooth execution from concept to installation.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Exhibition Design, Architecture, Interior Design, Art, Art History, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 7 years of professional experience in exhibition design, preferably within an art museum or cultural institution.
• Proven ability to lead large-scale projects from concept through completion, balancing visionary design with logistical rigor. Must have a design portfolio, demonstrating creative range and skills.
• Mastery of digital design tools: strong proficiency in CAD/Vectorworks/AutoCAD, 3D modelling and rendering software (Rhino, SketchUp, 3ds Max or equivalent), Adobe Creative Suite, and ability to produce photorealistic visualizations.
• Deep understanding of museum-display standards, art handling, conservation considerations, fabrication, lighting design, and visitor circulation.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills: ability to articulate design vision to curators, arts handlers, and external contractors.
• Strong organizational and time management skills for meeting tight deadlines and managing competing priorities.
• Demonstrated experience leading interdisciplinary teams and collaborating across departments (e.g., collections, curatorial, marketing, education, development), including openness to feedback, to achieve a good design solution.
• Have basic familiarity with a collection management system, such as TMS Collections or similar.
• Attention to detail to ensure accuracy and consistency across design and production.

Physical Requirements

• Regular use of visual acuity to review written materials and view computer monitors
• Regularly sit at desk for prolonged periods of time, up to 5 five hours at a time
• Must be able to view full spectrum of color, with or without corrective lenses