Design Curator / Partnerships Associate

About VAWAA

At VAWAA.com (Vacation With An Artist), we are on a mission to offer immersive, one-on-one creative experiences with master artists from around the world. In an increasingly digital world, VAWAA provides a unique opportunity to connect with global artists, learn traditional crafts, and experience local cultures first-hand. Our goal is to honor and celebrate craft while helping master artists pass down their knowledge to future generations, making a small but meaningful contribution to preserving these timeless traditions. We've curated over 150 artists across 35 countries, offering life-changing travel experiences that feed creativity and nourish the soul.

We are assembling a team of agile, culturally fluent, entrepreneurial-minded talent to craft the vision strategy and tactics to help scale the brand.

Role overview

The Design Curator & Partnerships Associate will work closely with our Founder and team and play a pivotal role in curating and growing our roster of extraordinary artists from around the world. You'll focus on artist acquisition through digital outreach, vetting potential artists, building relationships, and guiding them through the process of joining our platform. This role requires a blend of creativity, cultural fluency, and business acumen to ensure we are working with the best artists globally while forming valuable collaborations.

What we're looking for

• Background in Art, Design, or Curatorial Practice: 2+ years of experience in art curation, design, or a related field with a strong appreciation for global arts, crafts, and creativity.
  
• Partnerships & Business Development: Experience in forming strategic partnerships with collaborators, talent, or cultural organizations.
• Resourceful Connector: Skilled at finding hard-to-reach artists and establishing contact through email, social, phone, WhatsApp, or Zoom. Persistent, creative, and adaptable in overcoming communication and language barriers.
• Operational Excellence: Proficient in using tools like Airtable, Notion, and Streak to track artist outreach, follow-ups, and applications. You keep everything organized, maintain a well-structured artist database, and ensure smooth processes from lead to launch.
• Cultural Fluency: Ability to connect with artists and partners from diverse cultural backgrounds, respecting and promoting cultural heritage.
• Storytelling Ability: A knack for sharing artists' stories and the impact of creative experiences in a compelling way.
• Entrepreneurial Mindset: Independent work ethic, hardworking, and impact-driven. No complainers here—we want someone ready to step up and make things happen.
• Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills with a strong attention to detail.
• Passion for Creativity: A deep passion for the arts, culture, and travel, with an appreciation for handmade, traditional crafts and immersive learning experiences.

What you'll do

• Research, identify, and onboard established artists from diverse disciplines (e.g., visual arts, crafts, design, etc.).
• Build relationships with artists, ensuring they align with VAWAA's ethos and vision of offering high-quality, immersive experiences.
• Outreach to and manage a pipeline of artists using CRM tools, ensuring organized tracking and timely follow-ups to achieve monthly acquisition and onboarding goals.
• Conduct interviews, collect artist assets, and manage the process of adding new artists to the platform.
• Support the design and programming of each artist's experience, embodying the unique VAWAA approach to immersive learning and creativity.
• Organize and maintain the artist database with detailed information and smart tags to enhance accessibility and insights.
• Advocate for each artist's ongoing success within the VAWAA community through regular feedback loops, growth initiatives, and building trust and rapport.
• Ensure artists meet our criteria in terms of skill, creativity, and ability to offer meaningful, hands-on learning experiences.
• Stay updated on global art and design trends, identifying creative opportunities with like-minded brands, art institutions, cultural organizations, and travel companies to increase awareness of VAWAA.

What you can expect

• Mission-Driven: We are leading the way in crafting the best creative experiences. Growth will be thoughtful but urgent.
• Core Team Impact: You'll be part of the core team shaping VAWAA's future and direction.
• Curiosity & Creativity: Our culture values curiosity, creative thinking, and constant learning—fostering an environment of excellence.
• Ownership & Accountability: We lead with optimism, tenacity, and courage—taking ownership at every level.
• Global Community: Be part of a creative, global community of artists, makers, and diverse thinkers.
• Compensation: $50K–$65K based on experience, plus stock options. For experienced candidates, we can discuss additional equity compensation.

We are based in New York, but open to remote applications from within the US.

Tip: Cover Letters that include a link to a short 5 min video explaining why you are the best person for this role will be given preference.

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As a Equal Opportunity Employer, VAWAA will consider all qualified applicants regardless of color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital or family status, disability, gender identity or expression, veteran status, actual or presumed belonging to an ethnic group, or any other legally protected status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.