About The Kennedy Center
“I am certain that after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities, we, too, will be remembered not for victories or defeats in battle or in politics, but for our contribution to the human spirit.” – President John F. Kennedy
The Kennedy Center is the nation’s cultural center and living memorial to President John F. Kennedy. Located on the banks of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., the Center presents performances across all genres, and is also home to artistic affiliates Washington National Opera and National Symphony Orchestra.
At the Kennedy Center, we strive to foster belonging and empowerment at work. We are able to advance our mission because of our committed and passionate employees. We are fortunate to be able to leverage their diverse perspectives, life experiences and skills to inform how our workplace can be a safe, transparent, and replenishing community. The Kennedy Center is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant based on race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy or related condition, or any other basis protected by law.
Mission Statement: As the nation's performing arts center, and a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, we are a leader for the arts across America and around the world, reaching and connecting with artists, inspiring and educating communities. We welcome all to create, experience, learn about, and engage with the arts.
Why Join Us
We offer a comprehensive range of benefits to all full-time employees including:
Job Description
The mission of the Kennedy Center Archives is to ensure the organization's creative and operational records of enduring historic value are preserved and made accessible in perpetuity to better serve our mission and constituents. Established in 2019, the Archives’ holdings include administrative files, programs, posters, photographs, recordings and some artifacts. As part of the Public Relations department, the Kennedy Center Archives support institutional storytelling across the Center and via social media, fact-checking, general research support, and special projects. The Archives also serves the general public, with users that include educators and students, independent researchers, authors and publishers, members of the media, artists, and patrons. Having successfully contributed to two major exhibits and other 50th anniversary activities, the Archives’ upcoming priorities include establishing policies and workflows for digitization and digital asset management, along with continuing to process and provide access to physical collections.
The Collections Archivist oversees the day-to-day work of arranging and describing physical and digital archival assets in a variety of formats. Primary responsibilities include appraising internal records for transfer, accessioning incoming materials, developing and executing processing plans, writing and encoding finding aids, assisting with the transfer of materials to and from off-site locations, and collaborating with Operations to enforce and maintain the Kennedy Center’s records retention schedules. Other duties include maintaining archival collection management systems and standards, as well as providing research assistance and services to external constituencies as well as internal departments as part of the Archives team.
This position may oversee interns and volunteers and will collaborate with departments across the Center, assisting its mission of informing and educating various audiences about the vision, dedication, and creativity of the United States’ premier performing arts organization and living memorial to President John F. Kennedy. The Collections Archivist will report to the Lead Archivist and collaborate with other departments, occasionally engaged in dotted-line relationships when working on long-term projects.
Key Responsibilities
Collections work:
Content management and metadata standards:
Records management and reference:
Supervision of collections work:
Other duties as assigned.
Key Qualifications
Additional Information
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, located on 17 acres overlooking the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., is America's living memorial to President Kennedy as well as the nation's busiest arts facility. The Center, which opened on September 8, 1971, continues its efforts to fulfill President Kennedy's vision by producing and presenting an unmatched variety of theater and musicals, dance and ballet, orchestral, chamber, jazz, popular, world, and folk music, and multimedia performances for all ages. We are the nation???s beacon for the performing arts, engaging artists and audiences around the world to share, inspire, and celebrate the cultural heritage by which a great society is defined and remembered.