Curator and Team Leader at the Allard Pierson

Come work at Allard Pierson

The Performing Arts collections originate primarily from the Theater Instituut Nederland and the Muziek Centrum Nederland and encompass (the history of) all performing arts in the fields of theater, music, and circus. Classical and contemporary composed music, jazz, theater, cabaret, opera, musicals, mime, dance, puppetry, and circus are particularly well represented. Last February, we celebrated the 100th anniversary of the theater collections.

What you will be doing

You have a broad network and know how to leverage it to benefit the collections in the context of research and education, as well as through presentations and activities aimed at a wider audience. As a curator, it is important to identify and fill gaps in the collections, particularly those related to the Eurocentric collection policy. You will do this with a permanent team of ten staff members and a dedicated, flexible pool of temporary staff and volunteers, as well as with other colleagues from the Allard Pierson Museum and the UvA/HvA Library. In addition, you will be one of four team leaders managing a team within the Knowledge & Collections department and reporting to the Head of Knowledge & Collections.

• Leads and supports a team of professionals based on trust.
• Develops a vision for the collection policy, aimed at creating a diverse and inclusive collection.
• Identifies, advises on, and facilitates potential acquisitions of collections within the performing arts field.
• Facilitates the (digital) accessibility of collections in the performing arts so that they are available to researchers, students, artists, creators, and a wider audience.
• Ensures the proper preservation, management, and accessibility of the entire collection.
• Drafts and justifies complex (grant) applications, particularly the BIS application.
• Maintains relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders. These include foundations that own collections, (potential) donors and lenders, colleagues and peers in the field both domestically and abroad, artists, auctioneers, and antique dealers.
• Organizes or contributes to exhibitions and other presentations, and writes for print and online publications produced by and through the Allard Pierson.
• Works with the team to develop and implement initiatives to make previously unpublished music accessible, as well as other outreach activities such as podcasts and radio.

Here’s what we’re asking

For this position, we are looking for someone with:

• Master’s-level education or equivalent professional and intellectual ability;
• extensive experience leading a team of professionals;
• extensive experience with heritage in the field of the performing arts;
• Experience with collection management systems, preferably Axiell Collections
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in Dutch and English.

You are:

• organizationally and culturally sensitive and inclusive;
• an open and people-oriented team leader;
• skilled in project management.

Our core values (openness, professionalism, innovation) and core competencies (customer focus, teamwork, and a commitment to learning) form the foundation of our services. In addition, you should possess the following competencies for this position:

• A coaching-style, collaborative leader who sees the person behind the professional. Inspires, supports, provides broad guidance, and enjoys achieving results as part of a team.
• A broad perspective on the performing arts (theater, music, circus) and the associated consortia and networks; A vision for how “live” performing arts can be incorporated into the Allard Pierson’s programming.
• A solid understanding of cultural heritage and the opportunities, possibilities, and implications associated with it.
• A networker who can bring together diverse perspectives and who works both collaboratively and independently in the best interests of the Allard Pierson.

Here's what we offer

For this position, we are offering a temporary contract for 32 hours per week for a period of one year, with a two-month probationary period. If you prove to be a good fit, this will lead to a permanent position.

Depending on your relevant experience at the start of employment, your salary will range from €4,537 to €6,209 gross per month, based on a full 38-hour workweek. This does not include the 8% vacation pay and 8.3% year-end bonus. The Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities applies.

We also offer a two-month training period with the current team leader/curator, who will be retiring on November 1, 2025. Plus, a great workplace in downtown Amsterdam and at the storage facility in Amsterdam-Zuidoost, with a dedicated and passionate team.

You will be working on this team

The Allard Pierson collects, manages, makes accessible, researches, and presents valuable and relevant cultural heritage from antiquity to the present day. We make this accessible to everyone, in the service of science and society, for learning and inspiration. The Performing Arts team is part of the Allard Pierson’s Knowledge & Collections department. The team includes collection specialists, curators, registrars, and conservation and management staff.

The Allard Pierson is part of the UvA/HvA Library and manages the UvA’s heritage collections. We make these collections available for education and research, and present them to a wider audience. The UvA/HvA Library is an inspiring and welcoming place for study, research, and socializing for students, researchers, and faculty, both on-site and online. We support education and research for the University of Amsterdam and the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (HvA) and provide our users with personalized assistance to help them find the right sources within the extensive range of information for use in education and research. 

We “advance knowledge” and help improve the quality of higher education in Amsterdam, thereby contributing to our students’ academic success. Here you can read more about working at the Library.

Your application & contact information

If this profile sounds like you and you’re interested in the position, we look forward to receiving your application. Please send us a cover letter and resume as PDF files. You can apply via the link.

The application deadline is June 9, 2025. Unfortunately, we cannot considerapplicationsreceived after the deadline, those not submitted via the link, or those that are incomplete.

Would you like to know more or do you have a question? Please contact Mieke de Vos, Interim Manager of Knowledge & Collections, a.devos@uva.nl.