EXPRESSION OF INTEREST - Art Director

Sphere Entertainment Co.; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 205,000 - 228,000; Full time

Job summary

Sphere Entertainment Co. is seeking an experienced Art Director to lead design and storytelling across Sphere’s experiential content. You will craft visual concepts, direct a team of designers and animators, and collaborate with partners to deliver bold, world-class experiences on a dynamic canvas.

The role sits within the Creative & Design team, requiring collaboration with writers, motion artists, technologists, and strategy leads. Occasional travel and non-conventional hours may apply.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of Design and Art Direction in a creative studio or agency.
• Strong portfolio across experiential concepts for digital and physical platforms.
• Proven ability to lead design and animation teams and pitch ideas.

Responsibilities

• Design and direct visual execution of concepts with strategic art direction.
• Lead design and animation teams on projects.
• Develop pitches and proposals for brand partnerships and moments.
• Collaborate with Creative Director to respond to feedback and ensure design excellence.
• Partner with production to deliver concepts within budget and timescale.
• Champion cross-functional design goals and processes.
• Lead a team of designers and nurture talent.
• Create bold concepts for non-traditional installations and experiences.
• Experience with emerging tech and real-time content is a plus.
• Ensure guest experiences align with on-site appearance guidelines.

Skills

Design

Art Direction

Creative storytelling

Photoshop

Illustrator

After Effects

Premiere

Unreal

Presentation skills

Communication

Tools

Microsoft 365

Unreal Engine

Job description

Sphere Entertainment Co. is a leader in immersive experiences, technology and media. The Company includes Sphere, an experiential medium powered by advanced technologies. The first Sphere opened in Las Vegas, with a second venue planned for Abu Dhabi. In addition, the Company includes MSG Networks, which operates two regional sports and entertainment networks, MSG Network and MSG Sportsnet, as well as a direct-to-consumer and authenticated streaming product, MSG+, delivering a wide range of live sports content and other programming. More information is available at www.sphereentertainmentco.com.

Please note: This is a temporary assignment expected to last approximately 12 weeks. The role generally requires a minimum of 40 hours per week. Due to the nature of the project, additional hours, including evenings and weekends, may be required based on project deadlines and operational needs.

Who are we hiring?

The Art Director at Sphere is a hands‑on craftsperson and innovative thinker with diverse artistic sensibilities and a solid portfolio of work. The ideal candidate is a proven creative with exemplary aesthetics, design and storytelling skills that thrive on the challenge of creating dynamic content for new formats. This role requires a honed eye, a skilled hand and experience in shaping world class design, ideas, and experiences across a range of surfaces that excite global audiences. They have their pulse on visual trends, pop-culture, innovation, and emerging technology and can pitch big ideas that push the edge of what’s possible. Expressing their vision verbally and in presentation format is a must.

As a part of the Creative & Design team, they'll be a key contributor to the design and art direction of breakthrough ideas that help define what Sphere is and what it can become. They will collaborate with Experience Designers, Writers, Motion Graphic Artists, Technologists, Content Strategists and other Storytellers on concepts, innovation, creative strategy, and pitches. The role spans across Sphere’s creative canvas, from programming an ongoing content library of art and promotional content to brand design, storytelling, activation and experiences for the world’s most dynamic canvas. They will create dynamic content for the Exosphere, the atrium and the Media Plane, helping define brand moments, marquee experiences, and artist residencies through breathtaking programming.

What will you do?

• Design and direct the visual execution of creative concepts and deliverables across Sphere’s entire portfolio of output and experiences, with a strategic approach to art direction, design and innovation
• Ability to spearhead projects, leading and directing design and animation teams
• Be a key player in the research, visual development and delivery of creative pitches & proposals for brand partnerships and brand moments
• Work with the Creative Director to respond to client & stakeholder feedback, fulfill strategic objectives, and help steward the creative excellence of projects
• Partner with the production team to ensure that concepts and designs are delivered within budget and timescale
• Champion and support the Design cross-functionally, ensuring design goals, principles and processes are upheld across all projects
• Be a foundational lead of art direction for the design team, leading a team of exceptionally talented designers
• Nurture young and upcoming talent, teaching, building and inspiring them to deliver the highest standards
• Creating bold, iconic concepts and designs for non-traditional, digital and physical installations, experiences and screens
• Experiential design and deep knowledge of emerging tech and/or real-time content is a huge plus
• Provide exceptional experiences for our guests, partners, and team members, including by adhering to our appearance and presentation guidelines while on-site.

What do you need to succeed?

• 5+ years’ of Design and Art Direction experience in a creative studio or agency, developing innovative and engaging experiential concepts across digital and physical platforms
• Demonstrated creative and design excellence with career progression in your portfolio
• Proven track record of working in experiential activations at scale, with experience in artful storytelling content, live events, and immersive experiences with brand and cultural clients
• Adept at visualizing concepts across a wide range of styles and mediums
• Advanced proficiency in relevant design software (eg., Microsoft 365, Photoshop, Illustrator, Keynote, After Effects, Premiere, and/or 3D software etc.) Unreal knowledge a plus
• Proven ability in Design and Art Direction, written communication and presentation
• Articulate and charismatic speaker who can lead discussions and captivate a room
• Objective listener with the ability to formulate information into concepts, design and innovation that are technically and economically viable
• Reliable decision‑making capabilities, based on solid understanding of how to balance creative expression, pragmatic design, and business needs
• Strategic and agile thinker who can pivot the creative and evolve design to meet shifting needs
• A driven “self‑starter,” eager to innovate and change the world

Special Requirements

• Occasional travel, as needed
• Non‑conventional work hours, as needed

Pay Range

$4500-$5000/Week

At MSG, we recognize the importance of upskilling employees’ talents and strengths so they can drive their careers forward. We are proud to offer a robust set of tools and resources to help employees understand their interests and purpose, harness their talents and obtain the skills they need to reach the next step in their careers. Growth and longevity for our employees are top priorities here.

We value diversity and are looking for extraordinary employees of all backgrounds! MSG is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, sexual and reproductive health choices, national origin, citizenship, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. MSG complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination, including considering requests for reasonable accommodations as required.