Western Art Manager

The National Western Stock Show is in search of a detail-oriented, highly motivated professional to join our team as the Western Art Manager.

This opening is a promotional opportunity for current Western Art Coordinator, Grace Weihs. Candidates outside of the National Western Stock Show organization will not be considered.

Overview

The Western Art Manager is primarily responsible for all day-to-day and year-round logistics of the events, exhibitions, and communications related to the Coors Western Art Exhibit and Sale, Young Guns, and art oversight in the National Western Stock Show’s new Legacy Building (to be completed Fall 2025).

The ideal candidate will have a background in event planning as well as a strong knowledge and familiarity with art of all kinds. This individual has the ability to interact in business settings with clients, patrons, donors, buyers, artists, and others. Candidate must have high attention to detail, be able to multi-task, and be comfortable working in a fast-paced and at times stressful environment while still maintaining a positive, professional demeanor is a must.

Reports to: President & CEO

Primary Duties/Responsibilities

• Solicits donations and table sales from patrons; follows up with potential leads.
• Creates all patron communications, including table solicitation letters and emails, general e-blasts, buyer and patron thank-you letters, and tax documents.
• Acts as the primary point-of-contact for all Coors Art-related events, including show previews, Young Guns Reception, Blue Jean Preview, Red Carpet Reception, and any other events such as anniversary celebrations or patron parties. This includes overseeing the logistics and planning for all events, selling patron packages, and determining flow of events, layouts, & décor/design.
• Works closely and effectively with other NWSS Departments to ensure smooth operations for all Coors Art functions.
• Manages event timelines, artist timelines & communications, and installer schedules. Opens and closes the gallery for installation crew as needed in November and December.
• Determines signage and print requirements, including wall tags and directional signage.
• Oversees all artwork shipping logistics, including contracting with freighting companies, manually transporting (or supervising the transportation of) art to/from the lobby or freight loading area, creating and attaching all shipping documents, and ensuring all shipping costs are paid in a timely manner.
• Manages the Coors Art gallery during Stock Show, including assisting with opening and closing the gallery, managing volunteer needs and expectations, creating the children’s scavenger hunt, dusting/cleaning, selling art, greeting patrons, working open shifts, fixing transaction errors, and coordinating curator/artist tours.
• Maintains art gallery storage including closets and shared storage spaces. Manages Coors Art digital and physical files & archives.
• Maintains the Coors Art website and Masterpiece Manager database, including artist biographies & contact information, news items & updates, awards & event pages, and poster, ticket, & donation links. Designs all updates of Coors Art page on National Western website.
• Processes artwork images for website, print, and social media. Designs Facebook and Instagram posts as well as website content.
• Drafts the Coors Art Buyer’s Guide. Writes and distributes 4-6 press releases per year and responds to all media inquires for images and information. Compiles pertinent information for NWSS Staff and Visitor Guides.
• Performs timely and accurate data entry for artworks, contacts, table sales, and products. Creates and maintains reports and year-end statistics. Completes daily account reconciliation. Creates and maintains the annual budgets for Coors Western Art and Young Guns.
• Attends all committee meetings for Coors Art and Young Guns; creates meeting agendas and takes minutes. Works with Coors Art Committee to organize the selection of artists as needed for a successful show.
• Attends all department head meetings, staff trainings, year-end recaps, volunteer thank-you events, development committee meetings, and other requires staff meetings at the National Western Stock Show.
• Oversees up to 100 volunteers at a time. Develops training documents and curriculum; schedules and completes training sessions as needed.
• In conjunction with the Director of Human Relations & Hiring, selects and oversees 1-2 interns every Stock Show. Ensures each intern experience is unique, useful, and beneficial to the interns’ learning and professional development.
• Oversees the Artist in Residence Program; making all pertinent decisions.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this position. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.

Skills & Abilities

• Fluency in the English language is a must.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to manage delicate or sensitive situations with tact, professionalism, and diplomacy.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software. Familiar with or able to learn the management of websites, accounting databases, and social media pages.
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines.
• Ability to function well in a high-paced and at times stressful environment.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree strongly preferred; will consider experience in lieu of education.
• One-year previous event planning experience strongly preferred.
• Previous experience in Arts-related roles, specifically working with artists is strongly preferred.

Physical Requirements

• The National Western Complex is a multi-purpose indoor and outdoor commercial and agricultural complex where animals may be present and dusty conditions may exist. Candidates must be comfortable working in such environments.
• This position requires various degrees of lifting (30-50 pounds), bending, standing for long periods of time, and walking great distances during special events.

Scheduling Requirements

While the schedule for this position is primarily Monday-Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm, there will be certain occasions in which early morning, late evening, weekend, or holiday availability will be required to perform the essential functions of this position.

Like almost all NWSS team members, this position will need to be on-site every day during Stock Show, typically for 12-16 hours at a time.

Compensation & Benefits

• This is a full-time salaried/exempt position.
• Base compensation will range from $65,000.00 to $72,000.00 annually, dependent on relevant experience.
• Full-time employees qualify for partial paid Medical, Dental, and Vision; family coverage is available at group rates.
• Voluntary benefits including Accident, Critical Illness, Short-Term Disability, Hospital Indemnity, and pet insurance available at discounted rates.
• 100% paid Long-Term Disability and Voluntary Life Insurance.
• Paid sick leave and vacation time.
• Upon meeting plan qualifications, a competitive 401(k) retirement plan is available with up to 7% matching.

WSSA/NWSS is a drug & alcohol-free employer with a zero-tolerance drug policy, including marijuana.

WSSA/NWSS is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity.

All offers are contingent on the successful completion of a criminal background check.

Anticipated Job Posting Close Date

05/01/2025; open until filled.

Established in 1906 in the heart of downtown Denver, the National Western Stock Show is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Our mission is to strengthen American agriculture through enrichment programs and nourishing agriculture education. The annual Stock Show is the nation's premier livestock, rodeo, and horse show, serving agricultural producers and consumers worldwide.
Our employees are the most essential part of everything we do. From Event Operations to Finance or Livestock to Marketing, our team is the force behind the name and the reason for our successes.
There's no place like Stock Show, and there's no team like it either.

Pay: $65000 - $72000 / hour

Pay:

• Other

Benefits:

• Flexible schedule
• Paid time off
• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Disability insurance
• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Referral program
• Mileage reimbursement
• Other

Job Type: fulltime

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday
• Weekend availability
• Day shift

Education: High school degree

Work location: On-site