Running a museum takes a whole team of professionals whose different skills help make the Rubin Museum of Art one of the premiere places to visit. To get to know us a little more, and to explore different careers in the arts, each month we will be asking a Museum staffer/intern to answer six questions about their position at the Museum, their favorite artworks or exhibitions on display in the museum and other personal attributes. As the fourth installment we’re going to be introduced to Sarah Blumberg!
RMA: What is your title and what do YOU do here at the Museum?
My title is Coordinator, Institutional Giving. Although I work as a part of the museum’s Development Department on fundraising and donor cultivation, my job is specifically related to the grants and sponsorship that the museum receives from a variety of different institutions – from foundations and corporations, including corporate membership, to the local, state and federal government.
RMA: Where are you originally from and how did you end up at the Rubin?
I grew up near Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and moved up north for college. I moved to NYC for a graduate program in decorative arts and design history in 2005, and it was during this time that I was exposed to grant writing and the whole fundraising process. I love museums and have always wanted to work for one, but the first development job I found after graduate school was at a small classical music non-profit. After three years of familiarizing myself with development work and being immersed in classical music, I jumped at the opportunity to join the staff of the Rubin, where I’ve been working for a little over a year now.
RMA: What is your favorite thing about your job?
I absolutely love working in an art museum, especially one where there’s so much going on, and it’s great to have a job that’s all about helping make that happen.
RMA: What is your favorite piece of art or exhibition in the museum and why?
I’ve really been enjoying the Modernist Art from India exhibition series, and am particularly impressed with Approaching Abstraction. Not only are the paintings incredible, but the layout, colors and overall design of the exhibition are absolutely gorgeous and work so well together. Plus, it’s in my favorite gallery – love that skylight!
RMA: What advice would you give to someone who wanted to follow the same career path?
There are so many different directions from which one can approach a development career, but it seems that most people who work in the field have a degree in either arts administration or art history. Of course, in terms of gaining experience and just finding out what the job entails, internships are a great way to start.
RMA: Do you have a secret talent or a hobby that you enjoy?
In addition to my love of all things art history and museum-related, I also spend a lot of my time making art. Glassblowing, in particular, is one of my favorite things in the world. I used to teach and assist glassblowing classes and workshops quite a bit, but the studio that I was working out of for many years recently closed its doors, and because it’s such an expensive hobby, it’s been a while since I had anywhere to work on a regular basis. I was also working out of a ceramics studio for a while, and I have experience making stained glass and mosaics, but nothing beats working with hot glass.
RMA: If you could travel anywhere in the Himalayas where would you go and why?
In terms of the Himalayas, Bhutan and India are both at the top of my list. Honestly though, I love to travel, and would never pass up an opportunity to see a new country, no matter how remote.