Bonavista Biennale is an innovative, rural-based, public art event occurring every two years in Ktaqmkuk (Newfoundland) on the Bonavista Peninsula. It provides a unique platform for artists and audiences to explore, engage, challenge and express ideas through contemporary art.
Over the course of its five previous iterations, the Biennale has featured over 110 provincial, national and international artists, at over 40 different indoor and outdoor sites along a 165-km coastal loop around the Peninsula.
POSITION: EXHIBITIONS MANAGER, 2027 Bonavista Biennale
Bonavista Biennale is seeking an Exhibitions Manager to work closely with the Executive Director and Curator to realize the 2027 Biennale (August 14 – September 12, 2027). The Exhibitions Manager is a magement level position, charged with ensuring professional execution of all technical and logistical exhibition elements. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Exhibitions Manager will undertake the responsibilities outlined below.
Responsibilities
Exhibition and Artists:
- Support the Curator’s site visits, site selection and communications with site partners, creating tracking documents as required;
- Work with the Curator to coordinate site preparation and installation of artists’ work, including practical assistance to artists as needed, and ensuring health and safety standards are met;
- Work with the Executive Director to ensure artists’ travel, accommodation, and hosting/facilitation requirements are met.
Production:
- Coordinate incoming and outgoing shipping of artworks and materials;
- Oversee installation and de-installation scheduling in collaboration with Lead Installer;
- Visit indoor and outdoor exhibition sites throughout the exhibition period to ensure upkeep; manage maintenance and repairs as required;
- Adhere to production critical path and deadlines.
Budget management:
- Work in collaboration with the Curator to track expenses under the Curator’s discretion including artistic and installation fees, exhibition and art production expenses; report budget updates to the Executive Director.
HR and administrative support
- Oversee Site Ambassador training and daily scheduling during the exhibition;
- Support funding applications and fundraising initiatives;
- Perform additional administrative tasks as required (ie. contracting, storage management, merchandise and inventory tracking).
Other requirements:
- Driver’s license and access to a vehicle
Applicants based in Newfoundland will be prioritized. Securing accommodations on the Peninsula will be the responsibility of the successful candidate. Mileage accumulated while completing Biennale tasks will be reimbursed at the provincial rate.
Commitment and timeline:
- Residency and/or regular visits to the Bonavista Peninsula throughout the first eleven months of the contract;
- Meet virtually on a monthly to bi-weekly basis with the Curator and/or Executive Director to advance tasks and production timeline;
- Residency on the Bonavista Peninsula July – September 2027 to oversee shipping, installation, and daily running of the exhibition (with some flexibility for the right candidate);
- Participation in a post-Biennale debrief.
This is a contract position beginning with a modest weekly commitment, and gradually growing to full-time during installation and exhibition dates. The Exhibitions Manager will receive a total flat fee of $25,000 CAD, plus HST if applicable, payable in installments.
Applicants should have experience working closely with artists and/or curators to realize site-specific installations, new commissions, and/or community-based projects. Knowledge and experience of the arts community in Ktaqmkuk (Newfoundland) and Nunatsiavut and Nitassinan (Labrador) is an asset.
Applicants should be mindful of the unique physical environment of the Bonavista Peninsula, and aware of the unique challenges presented by a remote, rural Biennale. Research, site visits and installation require driving significant distances. Installations must be carefully planned around extreme weather, site limitations, health and safety protocols and the cost and availability of materials and equipment on the Peninsula. Cell phone coverage, and access to electricity are not readily available in all parts of the Peninsula and must be factored into planning. As part of a small team, the Exhibitions Manager will be expected to be actively and physically engaged in installation, trouble shooting, problem solving, and the transportation of artists as needed. Working in this context requires patience, adaptability, and a proactive, collaborative mindset.
Start date: August 4, 2026
To apply: Submit a cover letter (1 page maximum), CV, and contact information for two (2) professional references compiled as a single pdf file by email to Sue Balint, Executive Director: sue@bonavistabiennale.com. We will acknowledge receipt of your application.
Applications are due by June 26, 2026 at 11:59 PM NT.
Bonavista Biennale encourages applications from IBPOC communities, as well as those self-identifying as part of other marginalized and/or vulnerable groups. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Learn more about our organization and programs at bonavistabiennale.com.
Bonavista Biennale acknowledges the land on which we gather is Ktaqmkuk, traditional unceded Mi’kmaw territory. We respect the diverse histories and cultures of the Beothuk, Mi’kmaq, Innu and Inuit of this province, and the ongoing connections with the past, present and future in our relationships with Indigenous and other peoples in Newfoundland and Labrador.