Curator of Indigenous Collections

Bata Shoe Museum Curator of Indigenous Collections

In the spirit of respect and friendship, the Bata Shoe Museum recognizes that the land on which we are situated is the Treaty lands and territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the ancestral home to many nations, including the Huron‑Wendat, the Haudenosaunee and the Anishinaabeg, since time immemorial. Today, this area remains home to many, diverse Indigenous communities, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.

As a staff, we at the Bata Shoe Museum are grateful to have the opportunity to meet, work and learn together on this land. We encourage you to learn more about the land you are on by visiting Whose Land as a starting point.

The Bata Shoe Museum, located in Toronto, Canada, is an internationally recognized cultural institution dedicated to exploring human history and identity through footwear. Regularly displaying over a thousand shoes and related artifacts selected from a collection of nearly 15,000 objects spanning more than 4,500 years, the Museum communicates the central role of footwear in shaping social and cultural life. Through gathering, conserving, researching, interpreting, and exhibiting material evidence of the history of footwear and shoemaking, the Museum illustrates the changing habits, lifestyles, and customs of communities around the world.

It is within this context that the Bata Shoe Museum invites nominations and applications for the role of Curator of Indigenous Collections, a full‑time, permanent position within the Curatorial Department that will play an important role in shaping the Museum’s future direction and impact.

The Curator of Indigenous Collections will help advance thoughtful and visitor‑centred approaches to researching, interpreting, and exhibiting Indigenous material culture, with particular focus on Indigenous footwear from what is now known as North America. Working collaboratively with colleagues across curatorial, conservation, programming, marketing and education functions, the successful candidate will research and develop exhibitions, write interpretive texts, select artifacts and supporting media for display.

The Curator will also support the care and interpretation of Indigenous belongings in alignment with ethical museum standards, train education guides on gallery content, respond to media inquiries, and participate in public programming connected to exhibitions. A strong knowledge of Indigenous material culture is essential, as is a demonstrated commitment to advancing the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the standards recommended in the Canadian Museum Association’s Moved to Action report in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

• A) a degree, certificate, or equivalent experience in history, art history, anthropology, or a related field, and/or Traditional Knowledge related to Indigenous fashion or history;
• B) a minimum of three to five years of experience conducting research on topics related to Indigenous arts and culture, or equivalent lived and professional experience in Indigenous creative and cultural spaces;
• C) demonstrated experience writing, speaking, or presenting on Indigenous arts and culture, including experience working with Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Keepers, or Cultural Advisors;
• D) strong communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively within a team environment that includes individuals from a range of cultural backgrounds and lived experiences; and
• E) experience working in a museum or cultural setting, familiarity with exhibition interpretation, knowledge of fashion history, and experience within the non‑profit arts and culture sector would be considered assets.

The expected salary range for this position is $70,000 – $80,000 CAD per year, commensurate with experience and qualifications, plus employer‑paid benefits.

This posting reflects an existing position within the organization.

The Bata Shoe Museum condemns racism, injustice and violence. We have taken time to reflect on how we can effectively and meaningfully make…