I applied for the position of Communications Associate at Uprise Art and was not offered the position. Uprise Art seems like a great company -- relative to other galleries/advisories. There seems to be a great hierarchy and sound business plan in place, and from the outside, it looks like a healthy work environment.
However, I only advanced to the second round, so I can only speak to that. There are a few important red flags in the application process I felt the need to point out.
1)
In the job posting, there was no salary listed which I find especially off-putting considering they value transparency and accessibility in the arts . Another reviewer mentioned they were not offered the job after a three-week interview process. Spending that much time interviewing for a company with no salary listed is unacceptable. While It is common for employers to not list pay in job postings, it is an unjust practice that I would not expect from Uprise Art. This practice reinforces the homogeneity in the arts that the gallery strives to diversify. It is counterproductive to equity and inclusion. Similar to art world low/no- pay internships, it also encourages young and wealthy individuals to apply, who can afford to build out their resume in underpaid junior positions.
2)
After submitting my application, I advanced to the next round. I was asked to record two short digital interview videos for them to watch later. I answered two behavioral interview questions about a time I was successful working on a team and a time I exceeded expectations in my career. Digital Interviews are not indicative of an applicants ability to perform a job, unless of course, they are expected to perform monologues. There is no conversation, all it shows is what an applicant sounds like, how they speak to a camera and what they look like. It is not a fair hiring practice. If the company values teamwork and the job entails client relations, then why am I recording a video of myself?
More than many other fields, looks and wealth put you way far ahead in the art world. I have experienced discrimination, but only a tiny fraction of what others experience. It is something you will never forget, and it does put you on high alert. I am not accusing Uprise Art of bias, but in my opinion, these hiring practices are risky.
It was disappointing to not move forward in the interview process, because I do think that Uprise Art is a great company. I wish the gallery and their new Communications Associate the best of luck.