Organizer Information
Aspex Portsmouth (also known as Aspex) is a contemporary visual art gallery and educational charity located in the Vulcan Building, a former Royal Navy storehouse at Gunwharf Quays on Portsmouth's waterfront. Formed in 1981 as the exhibitions arm of Art Space Portsmouth in a converted chapel on Brougham Road, Southsea, the gallery became a separate legal entity in the early 1990s before moving to the Vulcan Building in 2006. The organisation has since become known for championing early-career artists, with figures including Cornelia Parker, Lindsey Mendick, David Blandy, Mona Hatoum, Richard Wilson, and Susan Collis all receiving Aspex support at formative points in their careers. The Vulcan Building itself is a historic naval storehouse built between 1811 and 1814, converted for the gallery's use by Glenn Howells Architects in a project that won a RIBA award. As stated in the job posting, Aspex Visual Arts Trust is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee, governed by a board of Trustees, and is a National Portfolio Organisation of Arts Council England, South West, also receiving annual financial support from Portsmouth City Council. The gallery is currently led by Director Joanne Bushnell.
Title & Description
Curator — Aspex Portsmouth
Aspex Portsmouth is seeking a Curator to take on strategic and operational responsibility for the organisation's seasonal programme of exhibitions, projects, residencies, artist support activities, and associated on- and off-site events, while contributing to audience development. The role also includes oversight of the gallery's Crafts & Retail business.
This is a management-level position reporting to the Director, with line management responsibility for the Crafts & Retail Co-ordinator, freelance staff, interns, volunteers, and — funding permitting — Project Co-ordinators/Assistants. The gallery describes itself as more than an exhibition space, framing the role within its wider identity as a creative hub for the Portsmouth region, and situates the hire within a period of institutional ambition tied to the Portsmouth100 celebrations in 2026 and the city's bid to become UK City of Culture in 2029. Aspex positions the role as a training and development opportunity, noting that it supports staff growth as it does for the artists it works with.
The Role Overview
- Position Type: Full-time
- Contract Type: Permanent (implied; not explicitly labeled in the source)
- Working Hours: 35 hours per week
- Salary: £28,000
- Reports To: The Director
- Line Management: Crafts & Retail Co-ordinator, freelance staff, interns, volunteers, and (funding permitting) Project Co-ordinators/Assistants
- Department / Programme: Arts Programme and Crafts & Retail
- Relocation Support: Up to £1,000 available, to be discussed at interview
Position & Tasks
- Curatorial & Programming
- Initiate and develop exhibitions and projects, including researching potential artists for the programme on- and off-site
- Research new opportunities for the development of the programme
- Develop an artist support programme and residencies
- Collaborate with the Creative Engagement Manager to develop a programme of exhibitions in the Communal space showcasing Aspex's activities and partnerships
- Work with the staff team to plan and deliver audience development events
- Fundraising & Advocacy
- Research and identify appropriate sources of funding for the programme
- Work with the Director to make funding applications in support of the programme
- Promote and maintain productive relations with external organisations, including funding bodies, organisations, and galleries
- Represent Aspex Portsmouth through attendance at events, giving talks/tours, and attending meetings, seminars, and conferences
- Oversee the development of Crafts & Retail as an income-generating aspect of the business
- Exhibition & Project Management
- Organise and administer all aspects of the exhibition programme, including liaison with artists, other galleries and agencies, transportation, insurance, and preparation of contracts
- Manage all aspects of project delivery and installation, including condition checking, supported by freelance technicians and volunteers
- Prepare copy, images, and video for the promotion of exhibitions and interpretative materials, working closely with the Marketing & Communications Manager
- Organise documentation, evaluation, and archiving of materials for all projects, including collection of activity data for seasonal reports and submission to Arts Council England
- Budget Management
- Manage the Arts Programme budget
- Oversee the Crafts & Retail budget
- General
- Train and support volunteers to undertake tasks
- Identify and undertake professional/personal development opportunities aligned with Aspex's priorities and the role's responsibilities
- Support office administration, including keeping internal documentation up to date and to a high standard
- Take part in the rota of Duty Managers during daytime opening and regular special events, including evenings and weekends
- Undertake other appropriate duties for the effective administration and operation of the gallery as reasonably required by the Director
Categories
- Curatorial Practice
- Contemporary Art
- Arts Administration
- Exhibition Production
- Artist Support & Residencies
- Fundraising & Development
- Community Arts
- Gallery Management
Eligibility
- No nationality or country-of-residence restriction stated in the source
- At least 3 years of experience working within a gallery, arts organisation, or a professional freelance curatorial practice
- Significant experience working with artists
- Experience curating/producing art projects
- Experience writing texts about art for general audiences
- Experience handling and installing artworks
- Experience managing budgets and preparing monthly budget monitoring reports
- Fundraising experience
- Preferred but not mandatory: experience negotiating contracts
- Preferred but not mandatory: experience managing people
- Preferred but not mandatory: experience working with diverse teams
- Good knowledge of and enthusiasm for contemporary visual art
- Familiarity with the UK arts funding system
- Working knowledge of Google Workspace
- Preferred but not mandatory: holds a UK driving licence
- Applications welcomed from all members of the community irrespective of gender, race, disability, age, and socioeconomic background
Program Benefits
- Salary: £28,000 per year
- Full-time position, 35 hours per week
- Relocation budget of up to £1,000 available, to be discussed at interview
- Access to Work application support, potentially including a grant toward practical workplace or home support costs, travel support, support worker services, and/or mental health support
- MacBook provided for work at Aspex Portsmouth and from home
- Flexible working arrangements to accommodate personal/caring responsibilities and artistic practice, including consideration of job share partnerships
- Training and professional/personal development opportunities aligned with the role
- Materials available in alternative formats (e.g., large print) on request
- All other benefits: Not specified in the source
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Email jobs@aspex.org.uk with a CV and cover letter (or video/audio recording alternative), using the subject heading "Curator." Applicants must also complete a separate anonymous Equal Opportunities Monitoring form.
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 7 September 2026
- Interview Date: Monday, 28 September 2026 (with Joanne Bushnell, Director; Karl Bailey, Creative Engagement Manager; and Dr Leo Burtin, Co-Chair of Trustees)
Location
Portsmouth, United Kingdom
Additional Details
- Aspex is a registered charity (no. 1007620) and company limited by guarantee (no. 267597), governed by a board of Trustees
- The gallery is a National Portfolio Organisation of Arts Council England, South West, and receives annual financial support from Portsmouth City Council
- Candidates may request an informal conversation about additional support needs, before or after being hired, by contacting Joanne Bushnell; this will not affect application eligibility or strength
- Questions about the application process can be directed to jobs@aspex.org.uk or by phone at 023 9277 8080
- The organisation frames the hire within its institutional values of "Communal, Open-hearted and Radical," and its current strategic context includes the Portsmouth100 celebrations (2026) and a bid for UK City of Culture 2029
- Useful access resources referenced in the source: gov.uk/access-to-work and accessdocsforartists.com