January 9, 2024
Black Scholar Assistant Professor in Visual Art (tenure-track)
The Department of Art History, Visual Art and Theory invites applications for a tenure-track appointment in Visual Art at the rank of Assistant Professor. The anticipated start date of employment is as early as July 1, 2024.
AHVA seeks to support Black inclusion and excellence at UBC and promote the research and practices of Black visual artists by welcoming an artist-practitioner who can contribute to existing courses as well as develop new and innovative ones on the art of what Paul Gilroy calls the “Black Atlantic.” This faculty hire responds to the university’s Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence Task Force report (2022) and addresses a lack of Black faculty representation in the Department, for which both students and faculty have voiced demand. The candidate will introduce practices, techniques and geographicaland cultural influences that will disseminate ideas of Black aesthetics, agency, and resistance. The candidate will be transformative in practice, teaching, and research and will give the Department a unique focal point on the colonial and post-colonial relationship within Black visual and performance cultures.
In the Department of Art History, Visual Art and Theory, distinguished Indigenous and multi-national faculty teach, research, and produce work in dedicated studio and exhibition spaces, utilizing UBC’s excellent libraries and internationally renowned museums and galleries, and against the backdrop of one of the world’s top-ranked research universities. AHVA is one of the most interdisciplinary and culturally diverse departments at UBC, with faculty drawn from North and South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. A Black faculty hire would expand and develop these strengths further.
The successful candidate will be expected to maintain an active program of research, exhibition, graduate supervision, undergraduate- and graduate-level teaching, and service. A demonstrated record of or potential for innovative pedagogical approaches is considered an asset.
Applicants must possess the following minimum qualifications:
- an MFA degree is preferred; however, in exceptional cases, the equivalent combination of education and professional practice may be considered;
- an active national and international exhibition record or, alternatively, evidence of contribution to an emerging field of practice;
- demonstrated engagement with contemporary art practice, theory, and critical discourse;
- post-secondary teaching experience or evidence of potential for teaching excellence, and the capacity to teach at all levels from foundation courses to graduate-level seminars and studio courses;
- ability to teach and to lead discussions on contemporary art and critical theory with students across all levels.
Application Process
Pursuant to Section 42 of the BC Human Rights Code, this search will be restricted to qualified Black scholars. We welcome applications from Black scholars who may also identify as Indigenous (First Nation, Métis, Inuit) Peoples, multi-racial persons, persons with disabilities, women, and/or members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. Candidates are invited to self-identify through the Applicant Diversity Survey, which takes approximately two minutes to complete. All questions are voluntary, with an option to decline to answer. Applicants who wish to be considered for this initiative must self-identify as ‘Black’ to be considered eligible. All information collected by UBC will remain confidential and any reported data will be in aggregate form and shared with the Search Committee co-chairs to track intersectional diversity and support an equitable and meritorious search process.
Interested applicants must submit all the following documents:
Applicants must submit their application at https://ahva.air.arts.ubc.ca/ and upload the following in the order listed within a single PDF (max size 15MB):
- Cover letter
- detailed curriculum vitae (that includes a listing of relevant publications and exhibitions, including authored works and reviews);
- statement of artistic practice/research (max 1000 words),
- Statement of teaching philosophies (max 1000 words);
- evidence of teaching effectiveness (that includes courses taught or may be offered), teaching evaluations and/or sample course syllabi);
- URL to (and/or a PDF of) visual documentation of current and recent work;
- name, title, affiliation, and contact information of three references*;
- UBC aspires to promote inclusive excellence by supporting and recognizing efforts to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion as well as decolonization (EDID) through the academic and research ecosystem. Please provide a brief (1000-1500 words) statement describing experience working with a diverse student body and contributions or potential contributions to creating/advancing a culture of equity and inclusion. Your comments may relate to lived/living experience, professional work or practice, academic and research activities, and/or community-engagement.
*Please note we do not require letters of reference for your initial application. However, your listed references should be willing to provide a letter of reference at a later date should your candidacy progress.
Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. This position is subject to final budgetary approval.
All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority for the position. To comply with the Government of Canada’s reporting requirements, the University gathers information about applicants’ status as either a permanent resident of Canada or a Canadian citizen. Applicants need not identify country of origin or current citizenship; however, all applications must include one of the following statements:
- Yes, I am a citizen or permanent resident of Canada
- No, I am not a citizen or permanent resident of Canada
Career Interruptions
UBC acknowledges that certain circumstances may cause career interruptions that legitimately affect an applicant’s record of research achievement. We encourage applicants to note in their applications whether they would like consideration given to the impact of any such circumstances due to health, family, or other legitimate reasons to allow for a fair assessment of their research productivity.
Dual Career Inquiries
UBC is committed to supporting candidates within a dual career household. Information about spousal/partner employment may be found with the Office of the Provost & Vice President Academic at https://academic.ubc.ca/faculty-life/recruiting-supporting-top-faculty-students/dual-career-programs
Commitment to Accessibility and Accommodations
The University is committed to creating and maintaining an accessible work environment for all members of its workforce. Within this hiring process we will make efforts to create an accessible process for all candidates (including but not limited to people with disabilities).
If you have any questions regarding accommodations or accessibility during the recruitment and hiring process or form more information and support, please visit UBC’s Center For Workplace Accessibility website at https://hr.ubc.ca/health-and-wellbeing/working-injury-illness-or-disability/centre-workplace-accessibility or contact the Centre at workplace.accessibility@ubc.ca.
Review of applications will begin on February 10, 2024 and will continue until the position is filled.
Any inquiries may be sent to ahva.head@ubc.ca
This position is subject to final budgetary approval. The expected pay range for this position is $9,167 – $10,417/month. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience
UBC’s campuses are located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Syilx (Okanagan) Peoples and of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil- Waututh) Nations.