Organizer Information
The National Gallery of Ireland was founded by an Act of Parliament in 1854 and officially opened to the public on 30 January 1864 in Dublin, following the success of the 1853 Great Industrial Exhibition and a campaign to establish a permanent national art collection as a memorial to the exhibition's underwriter, railway magnate William Dargan. Located on Merrion Square, the Gallery is Ireland's major national cultural institution devoted to the collection and care of fine art, comprising more than 19,000 paintings, drawings, watercolours, miniatures, prints, sculpture, and decorative arts, including the most representative collection of historic Irish art alongside masterpieces of western European art. The institution has grown through successive extensions, including the 1903 Milltown Wing, the 1968 Beit Wing, and the 2002 Millennium Wing, and completed a major refurbishment of its historic Dargan and Milltown Wings in 2017. Funded mainly by the State, the Gallery employs more than 180 staff, provides free access to the public 361 days a year, and has received accreditations including NSAI SWiFT 3000 certification and the RIAI's Silver Medal for Conservation and Restoration.
Title & Description
Curatorial Fellow — National Gallery of Ireland Fellowship
The National Gallery of Ireland is recruiting a Curatorial Fellow through its Fellowship Programme, which provides opportunities across curatorial work, conservation, education, and library and archive studies. Fellows are appointed to undertake projects delivering on clearly defined objectives in areas such as collection management and care, exhibition and public engagement, and research and education, and are assigned a mentor with access to colleagues' expertise and the Gallery's collections and research facilities. This Curatorial Fellow will support the Curatorial Department in planning and realising a comprehensive, scheduled rehang of the permanent collection, working as an integrated member of the department and reporting to the Head Curator. The Fellow will gain first-hand experience of managing and displaying the permanent collection, public engagement, and the Gallery's wider operations, working closely with individual curators while liaising with staff across other teams.
The Role Overview
- Position Type: Full-time
- Contract Type: 1-year fixed-term contract
- Salary: €32,000 per annum (pro-rata for the duration of the contract)
- Reports To: Head Curator
- Department / Programme: Curatorial Department, Fellowship Programme
- Working Hours: 35 hours per week (net of breaks), 5 days a week
Position & Tasks
- Support the Head Curator and curatorial team in the preparation and realisation of the rehang of the permanent collection, scheduled to begin across the Gallery in early 2027
- Undertake research into specific works as pertains to the rehang of the collection
- Assist in the preparation of labels, panels, and other interpretive text relevant to the rehang
- Support the Head Curator and curatorial team in the realisation of the exhibition programme
- Assist in updating the catalogue of the permanent collection and related curatorial files
- Carry out provenance research
- Take part in the Gallery's public programme if required
- Undertake other duties within the Curatorial Department as required
- Apply, alongside other Fellows, for travel and subsistence funding to undertake research away from the Gallery during the course of employment
Categories
- Curatorial Practice
- Art History
- Museum Studies
- Collection Management
- Provenance Research
- Exhibition Production
- Public Engagement
Eligibility
- Third-level qualification in Art History or a related discipline
- Experience of working in a museum, gallery, or equivalent environment
- Particular and demonstrable interest in and knowledge of the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland
- Strong research and analytical skills, with excellent attention to detail
- Advanced writing skills
- Excellent IT and digital media skills
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills
- Capacity and willingness to work both independently and as part of a team
- Strong administrative skills coupled with an ability to meet deadlines while maintaining accuracy
- Positive attitude and proactive approach, with readiness to learn and develop a career in the arts
- Must be fluent in English and eligible to work in Ireland
- Must be compliant with NGI screening and Garda Vetting procedures, and pass a satisfactory medical check and probationary period
- Citizenship requirements: candidates must be a citizen of the European Economic Area (EEA), the United Kingdom, or Switzerland, or a non-EEA citizen holding Stamp 4 or Stamp 5 permission (a 50 TEU permission is considered equivalent to Stamp 4)
Program Benefits
- Salary of €32,000 per annum (pro-rata)
- Assigned mentor with access to colleagues' expertise and the Gallery's collections and research facilities
- Eligibility to apply for travel and subsistence funding to undertake research away from the Gallery during employment
- Hands-on experience managing and displaying the permanent collection and contributing to public engagement and Gallery operations
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
- CV (no more than three pages) detailing relevant achievements and experience to date
- Cover letter (no more than two pages) outlining motivation for applying and how skills/experience meet the role's requirements
- Both documents uploaded in PDF format via the online application system
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 22 July 2026
- Interviews: Scheduled for July/August 2026
Location
Dublin, Ireland
Additional Details
- Only fully completed applications submitted before the closing date will be accepted
- Canvassing will disqualify a candidate
- A panel of successful candidates may be formed at the end of the assessment process, based on order of merit, from which future positions may be filled
- The Gallery values equity, diversity, and inclusion, and welcomes requests for reasonable accommodation at any part of the application process
- Personal data provided during the application process is processed in accordance with the Gallery's Privacy Notice
- The job description provided is a guide to broad areas of responsibility and may be subject to review in light of new structures or the Gallery's changing needs