Fall 2019 / Spring 2020 Lead Teaching Artist

ArtWorks for Milwaukee; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 15,000 - 25,000; Part time

Job summary

ArtWorks for Milwaukee is looking for Lead Teaching Artists for its upcoming programs aimed at empowering youth through arts. The Lead Artist plays a pivotal role in executing and enhancing program quality, mentoring teens in arts and offering them crucial workforce skills.

This position includes implementing art-making activities and providing comprehensive development opportunities in an encouraging environment while maintaining effective communication with all parties involved.

Qualifications

• Experience working with youth and communities.
• Ability to communicate effectively with program staff.
• Flexible, detail-oriented, and organized.

Responsibilities

• Implement curriculum and modify as necessary.
• Support social emotional learning through arts and instruction.
• Supervise participants and maintain a safe learning environment.

Skills

Visual arts media

Teaching/mentoring experience

Cultural competency

Communication with staff

Detail-oriented

Time management

Interpersonal skills

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

Fall 2019 / Spring 2020 Lead Teaching Artist

Contract

ArtWorks for Milwaukee’s mission is strengthening Milwaukee’s workforce through arts internships that help teens develop career skills.

In a city working to overcome generations of trauma, poverty, high unemployment, and segregation, Milwaukee youth deserve our attention. ArtWorks provides high school students with paid and unpaid internships in the arts. These internships include mentorship from professional artists, creative independent and collaborative projects, engagement with community issues, one‑on‑one learning, and exposure to workforce skills. ArtWorks aims to make its programs inclusive of all students and does not require that participants have arts experience, but it’s likely that some will have skills in art‑making due to the scope of ArtWorks' programs.

ArtWorks has a three‑tiered structure, beginning with an introductory unpaid internship, followed by an intermediate paid internship, and ending with a paid entrepreneurship internship. Every ArtWorks internship is designed to help teens develop the 21st century skills, transferable job skills that are critical to today’s working world. Each internship also includes reflection, self‑evaluation, and formal feedback to measure the interns’ understanding, demonstration, and application of 21st century skills.

Job Summary

ArtWorks for Milwaukee is seeking lead teaching artists for its Fall 2019, Spring 2020, and Summer 2020 programs. Lead artists play a critical role in the facilitation, execution, and overall success of the organization’s programs. Programs run between eight and 14 weeks, combining art‑making and professional development with an objective to prepare teenagers for their future. The programs will implement art projects to introduce a group of eight to 12 participants to 21st century job skills.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Implement ArtWorks’ curriculum and make modifications where necessary during programming
• Support social emotional learning (SEL) through arts and workforce readiness instruction
• Maintain consistent focus on 21st century skills throughout program sessions
• Supervise participants, managing behaviors with empathy
• Act as a positive role model and mentor to all participants
• Provide group as well as one‑on‑one instruction
• Establish a safe learning and social environment for all students and site staff
• Guide students through projects while also allowing independent decision‑making
• Communicate effectively with program staff and interns throughout programming
• Document successes and challenges after each session for program staff’s review
• Provide feedback and evaluations to interns to maximize individual success
• Submit attendance and other required paperwork to program staff in a timely manner
• Attend all lead artist trainings, meetings, and program sessions
• Adhere to policies and guidelines of ArtWorks and program site
• Perform other duties as assigned

Program Details

ArtWorks for Milwaukee is currently hiring for the below programs. Lead artists must be available during the entire duration of the program.

Program: LGBTQ+ Gender Fluidity Photography Exhibit - Fall 2019

Arts Medium: Photography

Schedule: Week days TBD | 4:30-7pm
1 day per week: September 17th, 2019 - December 13th, 2019
2 days per week: February 10th, 2020 - May 15th, 2020

Location: LGBT Community Center (1110 North Market Street, 2nd Floor, Milwaukee, WI 53202)

Program Description: In a partnership between ArtWorks for Milwaukee and the LGBT Community Center, this program aims to provide emotional, social, and professional support to LGBTQ+ youth in Milwaukee through an academic‑year‑long internship. High school interns will collaborate with a lead artist to create a photography collection and corresponding art exhibition on Gallery Night and Day. All program participants and supervisors will identify as LGBTQ+. The content of the photography collection will focus on gender fluidity, bringing attention and awareness to the beauty of Milwaukee’s LGBTQ+ population. The LGBT Center and ArtWorks will combine their missions to contribute to creating a more inclusive society and workforce, as well as promoting understanding and tolerance between the LGBTQ+ and broader communities.

Program: Intergenerational Storytelling Performance - Fall 2019

Arts Medium: Literary arts and theater

Schedule: Week days TBD | 4:30-7pm
1 day per week: September 17th, 2019 - December 13th, 2019
2 days per week: February 10th, 2020 - May 15th, 2020

Location: TBD

Program Description: TimeSlips is leading a global movement to bring meaning into late life through creative engagement through an evidence‑based storytelling/drama approach. TimeSlips selected ArtWorks as a partner for its national pilot project “NextGen” that focuses on the following two goals: decrease the stigma of aging and break down ageism stereotypes between generations; build a workforce pipeline for young people interested in fields such as art/music/drama therapies, gerontology, healthcare, psychology, social work, etc. In this academic‑year‑long internship, ArtWorks’ interns will work with a lead artist at a to‑be‑determined local aging services facility. Elders and youth will collaboratively practice skills such as communication and creativity while focusing on creative projects in the literary arts and theater. ArtWorks and its interns will receive support from TimeSlips in piloting training, mentorship, career guidance, and engagement work with elders. Interns and elders will celebrate the culmination of their work with a final showcase that they collaboratively design and perform to a live audience.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Highly skilled in visual arts media
• At least one year teaching, facilitating, or mentoring experience in a similar role
• At least one year working with youth
• Cultural competency to work well with all communities and individuals
• Communicate effectively with program and site staff
• Ability to work independently and under minimal supervision
• Flexibility and multitasking skills
• Detail‑oriented with excellent organizational skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills while working on a team
• Effective time management
• High school diploma or equivalent

Preferred Skills & Qualifications

• Knowledge of social emotional learning (SEL)
• Experience working with youth who have experienced trauma
• Experience working with youth with physical, mental, or neurological disabilities
• Experience creating lesson plans or curricula
• Business‑minded, knowledge of and/or experience with entrepreneurship and business administration
• Interest in social justice and social change initiatives
• Access to reliable transportation - this position involves occasional errands, community events, etc.

Schedule

• Programming runs after school (between 3pm and 7pm) during the school year (September - May). Programming runs during the day (between 10am and 3pm) in the summer months (June - August).
• Position includes hours outside of programming for lesson planning and program preparation.

ArtWorks is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.