Curator Apprenticeship Standard

Interested in a simple Skills Scan and Learning Progress Tracker tool for the Curator standard?

Knowledge

K1: The Accreditation standards under the Arts Council England’s Museum Accreditation scheme
K2: The current UK collections management standard, overseen by the Collections Trust
K3: Organisation’s collections management and documentation policies and procedures
K4: Museum Association Code of Ethics, including the theory of ethical curating
K5: Collections care best practice including professional standards for preservation, preventive and remedial conservation
K6: Research methodology/techniques and knowledge management processes, and up-to-date knowledge on the debates affecting the sector eg. sustainable collections, the future of collecting
K7: Content development, interpretation and application strategies across a wide variety of internal/external engagement methods e.g. exhibition and display, collections interpretation, digital curation, online and electronic portals, screenings, tours, events and talks
K8: Business and project planning processes including long, medium and short-term e.g. business continuity, exhibition and display planning and programming
K9: Understand how to identify their key stakeholders and how to most effectively engage with and manage them
K10: Visitor experience processes which may include interpretation/exhibitions/display and audience access
K11: Partnership building to share knowledge/best practice, internally and/or externally
K12: Project management processes including an understanding of brokering, commissioning, managing external consultancies, creative, design and build services. This may include both small and/or large-scale projects and could be internally or externally focused.
K13: Fundraising principles, policies and processes in relation to their organisation
K14: The strategic goals of the organisation and the wider context in which it sits, and where their personal activities support these goals
K15: Theory and practice of presentation, interpretation and programming, including established and emerging digital skillsets
K16: Appropriate financial processes which may include budget preparation and management
K17: People (staff) management policies and procedures
K18: Written and verbal communication techniques to engage, in accordance with brand guidelines, with internal and external colleagues and provide appropriate communication content e.g. in reports, making presentations, attending/speaking at conferences and conveying information to others.
K19: Negotiation strategies to achieve a breadth of successful outcomes for the organisation for example delivering an exhibition; budget savings; signing of legal agreements
K20: Influencing techniques which take in to account others’ views and considerations along with the organisation’s objectives
K21: The significance and importance of your role to the success of the organisation
K22: Engagement and relationship building techniques to enable effective communication including developing and delivering audience-appropriate talks and tours to wide ranging and diverse audiences
K23: Organisation process and procedures, relative to their role e.g. data management, GDPR, health & safety and security

Skills

S1: Lead on the application and/or development of collections management processes including cataloguing whilst ensuring suitable handling,storage provision and audits
S2: Deliver new exhibitions, projects and collections displays as appropriate and with authenticity, e.g. research, development, organisation, administration, installation
S3: Refresh and/or re-present permanent, temporary and online displays/ exhibitions, determining and using appropriate interpretation methodologies
S4: Lead on and/or manage collections development which may include acquisition, disposal and loans, including national/international inter-organisation loans as appropriate. Ability to evaluate the long-term implications of collections development decisions.
S5: Commission, undertake and/or disseminate collections-related research
S6: Interpret and respond to research, intelligence and analysis of audience feedback and preferences
S7: Work with subject experts to develop creative interpretation/story telling approaches and content for exhibitions, displays and digital content
S8: Build subject specialist and sector networks internally and/or externally to keep abreast of emerging trends and developments that may impact medium and long-term plans
S9: Relate collections to a wider historical or contemporary understanding
S10: Recruit and select, as required by their organisation, subject experts, internal/external agencies, contractors and other organisations to work with collaboratively
S11: Work with others to achieve projects from inception to completion meeting agreed outcomes
S12: Develop exhibitions and display through internal/external designers as appropriate for their organisation
S13: Analyse and respond to visitor research when planning exhibitions, displays and digital content
S14: Manage teams, which may include some/all volunteers as required
S15: Set/agree milestones, deadlines and workflow for colleagues (in other departments or members of project/programme teams) to ensure delivery, as required by the organisation.
S16: Contribute/signpost to fundraising/income generation through grant applications, sponsorship and charging activities as appropriate for the role
S17: Interrogate, interpret and evaluate data sets on audience engagement
S18: Negotiate with stakeholders in order to achieve desired outcomes and to align with institutional objectives
S19: Communicate, both in writing and verbally, to a range of stakeholders to achieve shared goals, objectives and solve problems
S20: Write reports, for a range of internal/external audiences, regarding activities
S21: Act as an Ambassador for the organisation to raise its profile and communicate the importance of its work. This may mean representing the organisation including attending and/or presenting at conferences and workshops as well as developing/contributing to publications for the organisation
S22: Share best practice and/or deliver training to internal staff and external organisations e.g. Museum Association regarding accession activities.
S23: Deliver talks/tours/presentations/events to continue to engage existing audiences e.g. members and supporters as well as to broaden the participation base
S24: Contribute to the institution’s on-line and social media presence, and digital content in accordance with the organisation’s objectives

Behaviours

B1: Passion and commitment: acts with purpose by being enthusiastic and enthusing others
B2: Trust: acts with integrity and high ethical standards
B3: Innovation: proactively uses initiative and imagination to develop and identify new ideas where appropriate
B4: Results focus: achieves tasks in a timely manner
B5: Problem solvers: has a can do approach
B6: Expectation management: diplomatically manages the differing expectations of others, both internal and external, regarding what is practically achievable in terms of stipulated requirements e.g. time scales, budgets.
B7: Interpersonal skills: gets along well with others, establishes effective working relationships with co-workers, managers, clients and/or the public.
B8: Team working: by personal example, encourages and facilitates cooperation and collaboration; takes into account inclusion and diversity factors; ensures group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit; identifies and works to others’ strengths
B9: Work under pressure: works well in an environment where there will be many tasks and situations to deal with at once. There may be constraints outside their control or unforeseen changes or problems to deal with.
B10: Continuous Professional Development: Proactively keeps industry and best practice knowledge and skills up-to-date, having an eye to the future.

Duty 1

DUTY: Develop creative interpretation approaches and approaches to content development to make sure that objects/collections will captivate audience interest and increase audience subject knowledge and engagement

Duty 2

DUTY: Advise on and manage collections development which may include acquisition, disposals and loans.

Duty 3

DUTY: Identifies intended audience requirements by proactively reaching out to them, ensuring access and inclusivity and demonstrating that all developed and delivered activities are relevant to those requirements

Duty 4

DUTY: Work collaboratively with and motivate teams which may include direct staff and/or volunteers

Duty 5

DUTY: Manage and lead internal/external projects from inception to completion including temporary and permanent Exhibitions

Duty 6

DUTY: Undertake research to develop knowledge , and specialist knowledge in relevant fields of study of objects/collections to support all internal/external stakeholders and taking into account audience feedback and indicators

Duty 7

DUTY: Advise and make recommendations to technicians, conservators and operational colleagues such as building managers to inform them about collections and help them provide better storage, presentation and authenticity, secure movement and access arrangements

Duty 8

DUTY: Respond to public enquiries and/or research requests

Duty 9

DUTY: Deliver all activity objectives in-line with resource constraints

Duty 10

DUTY: Act as Ambassador for their organisation to raise its profile and communicate the importance of its work to the public through media, attending/speaking at conferences/workshops

Duty 11

DUTY: Acquire and share best practice and/or deliver training to internal and external staff to increase their knowledge, competence and latest thinking about the sector

Duty 12

DUTY: Supervise safe and secure installations, including handling and movement, of objects, art work and exhibitions.

Curator

Interested in a simple Skills Scan and Learning Progress Tracker tool for the Curator standard?

Knowledge

Skills

Behaviours

Duty 1

Duty 2

Duty 3

Duty 4

Duty 5

Duty 6

Duty 7

Duty 8

Duty 9

Duty 10

Duty 11

Duty 12

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Interested in a simple Skills Scan and Learning Progress Tracker tool for the Curator standard?