VIP & Institutions Relations Manager, Americas

Frieze is the world’s leading platform for modern and contemporary art, dedicated to artists, galleries, collectors and art lovers alike. Frieze comprises three magazines – frieze, Frieze Masters Magazine and Frieze Week – and seven international art fairs – Frieze London, Frieze Masters, Frieze New York, Frieze Los Angeles, Frieze Seoul, The Armory Show and EXPO Chicago. Legacy art fair brands The Armory Show and EXPO Chicago were acquired by Frieze in September 2023. In October 2021, Frieze also launched No.9 Cork Street, a permanent space for visiting international galleries in the heart of Mayfair, London.

At Frieze we believe art is vital to communities and cultures. Bringing together galleries, artists, institutions, and art lovers all over the world to make art flourish.

Reporting to the Head of VIP, Americas, the VIP & Institutions Relations Manager, Americas, will play a key role in cultivating and maintaining strong relationships with top institutions, including museums and galleries, with the goal of driving institutional engagement across all Frieze fairs, including recent additions Expo Chicago and The Armory Show. This role will work to ensure that key institution stakeholders, such as Museum Directors, Development staff, and Curators, are all actively attending the fairs and are involved in Frieze events and programming. 

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities:

Strategy 

• Work with the Head of VIP and Fair Directors on building and implementing a cultivation strategy for institutions. 
• Research and identify key museums actively acquiring contemporary, modern and historical art in the region and those who have solid patron support. 
• Create and develop tracking systems to stay informed and share knowledge within the VIP team. 
• Identify opportunities and execute outreach for new in person and digital initiatives that respond to institutional needs and encourage and deliver Institution attendance to all Frieze fairs. 

Relations and Engagement 

• Form strong relationships with Directors, Curators, and Development personnel at institutions and museums. 
• Create a travel plan to be signed off with Head of VIP, in connection to full VIP cultivation strategy, and travel in the region to build relationships with key contacts at institutions. 
• Attend key international art events including major exhibition openings and dinners; make regular visits to institutions. 
• Identify and coordinate opportunities with local and regional institutions; Host targeted initiatives with institutions across Americas as agreed with Head of VIP and Director of Americas. 
• Support preparation and delivery of VIP events in the region including input on invitation drafting, guest lists and guest profiles, working closely with the Events team and Frieze VIP consultants. 
• Create detailed reports after each trip or meeting and contribute actively to adding and refining in depth intel into the database. 
• Coordinate and initiate tailor-made itineraries for institution groups from the region, ensuring the success of their trips to all fairs. 
• Provide weekly updates on progress and KPIs. 
• Share regular updates on attendance before fairs with Head of VIP and Directors and create thorough reports post fair to highlight successes and areas for improvement. 
• Develop VIP program of events with partner institutions in collaboration with Frieze Events team for all American fairs. 
• Be the dedicated contact for institutions in your region, regularly engaging and encouraging their attendance at all fairs. 

Gallery relationships 

• Build knowledge of exhibiting galleries and their programs, attend gallery openings in the region. 
• Speak to exhibiting galleries from the region to gain intel on active institutions and patron groups. 
• Deliver introductions of institutions to participating galleries at the fair and year-round. 

Data & Communications 

• Working closely with the Central VIP team, agree and monitor an annual communications plan. 
• Oversee VIP communications with institutions and their personnel including VIP invitations, nominations and targeted touchpoints. 
• Contribute to the review of guest lists for events and VIP lists for fairs. 
• Support the management of the VIP Institution inbox. 
• Support the creation and mailing of relevant invitations and newsletters. 
• Actively support with the development of institution audiences and updates to the database. 
• Source contact details and implement into database; offering guidance of what access and invitations they should receive to Frieze fairs. 
• Act as point of contact in correspondence from Frieze to Institutions in the region, tailoring correspondence when necessary. 

Onsite 

• Create key moments throughout fair week for institutional engagement working closely with partnerships, leadership and participating curators thus ensuring attendance at the fairs. 
• Facilitate onsite tours with Directors and Curators of sections for institution groups. 
• Initiate and host hospitality events at the fairs for targeted institutions.

Please Note e.g. shift(s)/ unsocial hours/ travel etc

• International travel required to attend Frieze fairs and meet clients / prospects
• Flexibility and longer hours often required

Knowledge and Experience

Mandatory 

• In-depth understanding of the art world and the key institutions and players in the Americas. 
• Proven experience in managing projects within the arts and cultural space. 
• Background in a museum, gallery, or similar cultural institution, with a focus on development, outreach or institutional relations. 
• Experience building external and internal relationships. 
• Excellent organisational and time management skills. 
• Ability to work under pressure and collaboratively work as part of a team. 
• Experience working with data, analytics and a database. 
• Experience of using Microsoft applications and CRM databases. 
• Proven track record of building and maintaining relationships with museum and gallery professionals, including museum directors, development staff and curators. 
• Flexibility to travel and work weekends/events as required. 

Our Diversity & Inclusion Statement

Frieze unites people in our love of the arts. We understand this can only be accomplished when we harness the entirety of our company and lead with a lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion in everything we do. As a global company that drives culture, we are committed to practicing anti-discrimination including race, gender identity, sexual orientation and disability, together with artists, writers and cultural practitioners from all backgrounds. There is still much work to be done to address systemic inequality and discrimination within the arts and culture industry, and we are dedicated to making progress to both within our own organization and the art world at large.

Per local requirements and in the interest of transparency, the range shown below reflects the prevalent current hiring range for this position. Hiring pay rates are based on a number of factors, including location and may vary depending on job-related qualifications, knowledge, skills and experience. The company strives to provide locally competitive rewards packages, which include base rate along with, as applicable, short- and long-term incentives, growth and developmental opportunities, and robust benefits, such as health care, retirement, vacation and other paid time off, and additional offerings.

Hiring Range Minimum:$78,750 annually

Hiring Range Maximum: $105,000 annually

Please apply via the apply now link.