Organizer Information
David Zwirner is a leading international contemporary art gallery representing a broad roster of approximately seventy artists and estates. The gallery operates across both primary and secondary art markets and has played a significant role in shaping the careers of many influential contemporary artists.
Founded in New York, the gallery has expanded into a multi-location global platform with spaces in major art capitals, including Los Angeles, where this position is based. Its programming includes exhibitions, publications, digital initiatives, and artist-centered projects such as David Zwirner Books, Dialogues, Platform, and Utopia Editions. The organization positions itself as both a commercial gallery and a cultural producer, combining market activity with curatorial and editorial experimentation.
The institutional environment is structured, fast-paced, and service-oriented, with a strong emphasis on visitor experience, sales support, and operational excellence within gallery spaces.
Title & Description
David Zwirner Gallery: Gallery Assistant Job Los Angeles
This opportunity is a full-time entry-to-mid-level administrative and client-facing position within a contemporary art gallery setting. The Gallery Assistant serves as the first point of contact for visitors, clients, and external inquiries, ensuring a professional, informed, and welcoming gallery environment.
The role is designed for individuals interested in gaining direct exposure to the commercial contemporary art world, including gallery operations, client relations, exhibition support, and sales coordination. The position requires strong interpersonal communication, organizational discipline, and the ability to maintain composure in a dynamic, high-pressure cultural environment.
The Gallery Assistant supports daily gallery operations while also contributing to exhibitions, events, and internal administrative systems. The role is both operational and representational, requiring a balance between hospitality, logistical coordination, and institutional knowledge of exhibitions and artists.
The Role Overview
- Position: Gallery Assistant
- Contract Type: Full-time employment
- Salary: Approximately $50,000 annually (paid hourly)
- Overtime: Eligible for overtime compensation
- Bonus: Discretionary semi-annual bonuses
- Reporting To: Gallery Associate Director
- Working Days: Tuesday–Saturday
- Working Hours: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (occasional additional hours required)
- Work Setting: On-site, gallery-based role (Los Angeles)
Position & Tasks
The Gallery Assistant is responsible for a wide range of administrative, operational, and client-facing duties, including:
- Greeting and welcoming visitors with professionalism and clarity
- Managing incoming phone calls and directing inquiries appropriately
- Supporting sales communication by handling general visitor and client questions
- Preparing and updating exhibition price lists and viewing materials
- Coordinating calendars for gallery staff and institutional programming
- Managing shipping, receiving, and logistics for gallery mail and packages
- Overseeing office, kitchen, and front desk inventory and supplies
- Maintaining retail book stock and managing the gallery archive library
- Ensuring the front desk and exhibition materials remain organized and visually presentable
- Coordinating hospitality logistics, including gifts, lunches, and visitor arrangements
- Supporting event planning, research, invitations, and execution
- Assisting the sales team with database management and exhibition preparation
- Conducting administrative research and supporting internal projects as needed
The role demands multitasking ability, precision, and a service-oriented mindset in a client-facing cultural institution.
Categories
- Contemporary Visual Art
- Gallery Administration
- Arts Management
- Cultural Operations
- Art Sales Support
- Exhibition Coordination
- Institutional Art Practice
Eligibility
- Open to applicants with varying levels of experience
- Prior experience in galleries or commercial art settings is beneficial but not required
- Suitable for early-career professionals, career changers, and returning workforce participants
- Strong interest in contemporary art and gallery systems is essential
- Must demonstrate strong communication and organizational skills
- Applicants must be eligible to work in the United States (implied by job location requirements)
Program Benefits
- Annual salary of $50,000 plus overtime eligibility
- Discretionary semi-annual bonus structure
- Exposure to a major international gallery network
- Access to exhibitions, private previews, talks, and artist events
- Corporate benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage
- Paid time off and leave benefits
- 401(k) retirement savings plan with employer contributions
- Professional experience within a globally recognized contemporary art institution
- Opportunities to engage with curators, scholars, artists, and cultural professionals
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
- Updated CV or résumé
- Cover letter outlining interest and suitability for the role
- Three professional references (requested later in the process if needed)
- Additional supporting materials may be requested during selection
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: Ongoing
- Start Date: Immediate hiring basis
- Working Schedule: Tuesday–Saturday, ongoing employment
- Notification Timeline: Not specified; dependent on shortlist and interview progression
Location
Los Angeles, California, United States
Additional Details
This position emphasizes professionalism, discretion, and the ability to operate effectively within a high-end commercial gallery environment. The Gallery Assistant is expected to maintain both logistical efficiency and high standards of visitor experience, acting as a key operational interface between the gallery, its clients, and its internal teams.
The role is particularly suited to candidates seeking long-term career entry into the commercial contemporary art sector, including pathways into gallery coordination, sales, or operations management. The environment is structured but offers significant exposure to international art world networks and institutional practices.
David Zwirner’s broader institutional ecosystem includes publishing, digital platforms, and curatorial programming, providing staff with indirect access to a wide spectrum of contemporary art production and discourse.