Teaching Artist | Part-Time Seasonal Position

THE ORGANIZATION 

The Frye Art Museum is a living legacy of visionary patronage and civic responsibility, committed to artistic inquiry and a rich visitor experience. A catalyst for our engagement with contemporary art and artists is the Founding Collection of Charles and Emma Frye, access to which shall always be free. 

DEPARTMENT: Education 
REPORTS TO: Manager, School & Family Engagement 
SUPERVISES: N/A  
FLSA STATUS: Non-exempt  
HOURS: 4-16 hours per week, requires availability Wednesday-Friday, 9 am-1 pm during the school year 
STATUS: Variable schedule, depending on program sign ups. Candidates may be considered for multiple positions within the organization if interested. 
RATE: $50/hr (paid as W2 earnings) 
BENEFITS: As this is part-time, we do not offer medical benefits. Other staff benefits include free museum membership, discount in the museum store/cafe, and exclusive invitations to museum openings and events.  

Candidates may be considered for multiple positions within the organization if interested. 

POSITION SUMMARY

The Teaching Artist provides both studio instruction and in-gallery facilitation. Their primary duties will be leading K-12 students through a guided tour + art-making field trip experience, but teaching artists may have opportunity to engage with the broader community through community days and outreach programs. The Teaching Artist has experience with a variety of art mediums and a passion for engaging youth in dialogue. This position is in the education department and supports the Frye’s mission to build an equitable and accessible museum for a diverse audience.   

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS 

• Leads interactive guided tours and hands-on artmaking experiences for groups of young students 
• Interacts with diverse communities in engaging and respectful ways 
• Works with the Manager for School & Family Engagement to develop lesson plans and tours and reflect on teaching approaches 
• Collaborates with teaching artist cohort to build cohesive programs and activities 
• Communicates effectively with educators, community members, and other Frye staff  
• Maintains studio materials and equipment, including preparing materials, clean up, and taking inventory when needed 
• Stays up to date with best practices in gallery teaching and art education through training and self-directed research 
• Prepares to discuss rotating exhibitions with student groups, including attending artist talks and walkthroughs 
• Other duties as assigned 

QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED 

• Personal visual arts practice 
• Ability to instruct on and model art techniques when working with a variety of materials 
• Experience working with children, with a focus on kindergarten-3rd grade students 
• Experience with developing and leading hands-on lessons for a variety of abilities 
• Self-directed, proactive, and communicative style of working 
• Comprehensive understanding of the barriers that exist for inclusive, accessible, and equitable museum spaces 
• Embodied commitment to institutional goals of having positive social impact and creating a welcoming environment for all 
• Multilingual, or the ability to teach in a language other than spoken English is a plus. We also may be able to offer opportunities to those who can only teach in Spanish, ASL, and Japanese.  
• Experience with facilitating Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) discussions is helpful 
• Basic proficiency in Microsoft Office and Teams 

SCHEDULE 

This seasonal position requires availability 9 am-1 pm, Wednesday-Friday during the school year, September-June. Additional opportunities may be available outside of these hours throughout the week and weekends as well as during the summer, as needed. Teaching Artists can work up to 16 hours per week during the academic school year, but shifts are dependent on program sign ups. 

WORKING CONDITIONS 

Teaching Artists will be expected to maintain safe and clean art studio conditions and may need to move furniture, equipment, or materials. Most of their time will be spent engaging students in a studio classroom and gallery environment. There may be some offsite and outdoor programs, for example, tabling at festivals or working in public schools.  

The museum building is wheelchair accessible, and we welcome candidates with disabilities who can meet the other job requirements. The Frye Art Museum will consider reasonable accommodation for those applicants with disabilities to perform the essential functions/duties. Please contact the Human Resources Department (jobs@fryemuseum.org) for additional information.  

COVID-19 CONSIDERATIONS 

The Frye Art Museum mandates that all employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Note that all employees are asked to adhere to museum guidance and policies for COVID-19, which may change over time. 

TO APPLY 

Candidates should send their resume with "Teaching Artist" in the subject line to education@fryemuseum.org. Your email will serve as your cover letter. In it, tell us about your teaching philosophy, explain how you meet or exceed the minimum qualifications, and describe your current availability. No phone calls or drop-ins please.  

This job description is a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of this role at the Frye Art Museum. Employees must maintain a high degree of flexibility in our rapidly changing environment and, as such, may be required to perform additional duties beyond the scope described here from time to time.