Tate Britain has defended advertising for a head of coffee with a salary of nearly £40,000 – more than the average wage of a London-based curator – after critics said the role highlights how low museum professionals’ wages are. The wage comparison site Glassdoor states that the average annual wage for a curator based in London is £37,300. The Prospect union said the pay discrepancy was a reminder of how badly paid museum professionals are in comparison with other jobs in the arts sector. It found that curator pay spanned from £17,524 at its minimum acceptable annual rate to £50,078 for a minimum wage as a senior head of collections. The head of coffee role requires blending and roasting coffee for use in all Tate Eats’ sites and managing the hot beverage team, while being responsible for “all aspects of tea and coffee”, and managing a slot-roasting programme, plus wholesale and white label contracts.

Source: The Guardian January 29, 2020 18:33 UTC