Slade Professorship of Fine Art

The Department of History of Art and the Board of Electors is seeking candidates for the Slade Professorship of Fine Art from 2025-26 to 2029-30.

The Slade Professorship of Fine Art was established in 1869 as the result of a generous bequest in the will of Felix Slade. A list of former holders of the Professorship in the past forty years is attached at the end of these further particulars. It is the intention of the Board of Electors to elect a Professor for each of the academic years 2025-26 to 2029-30.

The duty of the Professor is to deliver a series of public lectures as well as seminar classes on aspects of the History, Theory and Practice of Fine Arts (which can include architecture). It is expected that the lectures will form part of a new scholarly project and that they will not have been given in the same format elsewhere (or published) before they are given in Cambridge. The lectures must be given in Full Term and are open free of charge to all members of the University.

It is expected that eight weekly public lectures will be delivered during the course of either the Michaelmas (October-December) or Lent (January-March) terms, and that the Professor will offer up to four additional seminars to the Faculty of Architecture and History of Art during the same period.

If the successful candidate wishes to reside in Cambridge, arrangements can be sought for an association with one of the Colleges, which may provide accommodation for term in which the Slade lectures are given, however the form of the lodging and any associated charges are at the discretion of the Colleges.

The Professorship is bestowed for an academic year, with payment made monthly. As a member of the University the Slade Professor of Fine Art has access to the excellent facilities such as the large Faculty Library shared with Architecture and the library of the Fitzwilliam Museum, the world-class copyright University Library, and Cambridge Collections including the Fitzwilliam Museum, MAA, and Kettle's Yard.

Fast rail links normally give access to London in 50 minutes.

Informal enquiries about this Professorship may be directed to the current Head of Department, Professor Alyce Mahon by email: am414@cam.ac.uk.

Information on Slade Professors is available at the following address: http://www.hoart.cam.ac.uk/aboutthedept/sladeprofs 

To apply online for this vacancy and to view further information about the role, please click the 'Apply' button above.

Further information on the role and recruitment is available at: http://www.hr.admin.cam.ac.uk/professorships

or contact the Human Resources, University Offices, The Old Schools, Cambridge, CB2 1TT, (email: professorships@admin.cam.ac.uk).

Applications, consisting of a letter of application together with a statement of the proposed theme and possible topics for the Slade lectures, a curriculum vitae, along with details of three referees should be made online no later than midnight (BST) 9 October 2024. Candidates are also invited to indicate the year(s) in which they would be available to serve as Slade Professor between 2025-26 to 2029-30 in their cover letter.

Please quote reference GD43183 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

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