Residency Coordinator

MASS MoCA; North Adams (MA); On-site; USD 44,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Life insurance

Long term disability insurance

Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

Dependent Care Account (DCA)

401(k) retirement plan

Roth 401(k) option

Paid Time Off (PTO)

Sick Time

Emergency Assistance Fund (LemonAid)

Retirement planning support

Professional development reimbursement

Educational leave

ROAM

EAP

Student loan repayment assistance

Discounts at Gift Shop and R&D Store

Staff appreciation social events year‑

Job summary

MASS MoCA is seeking a full-time Residency Coordinator for the Studios at MASS MoCA team. The role supports artist residencies, manages applications, scheduling, payments, and events, while maintaining studio spaces and coordinating turnover.

The ideal candidate will have experience with residency programming, strong communication, and familiarity with Airtable. This position requires flexibility to work non-traditional hours and occasional evenings.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred or equivalent experience in education, art administration, art history or performing arts.
• 2+ years experience providing artist support programming and/or studio residency management.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently, as well as collaboratively in a team environment.
• Detail oriented and exceptional organizational skills.
• Experience working with CRM/database systems preferred (Airtable is the system in use by the Studios).
• Must be proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Google docs.
• Must have a valid Driver's License.

Responsibilities

• Create residency application forms on Submittable, and help support the application review and selection process with the Senior Manager and independent reviewers.
• Support scheduling of incoming artists-in-residence, including data entry into Airtable, sending out award letters, processing paperwork and checks as they come in, and creating and monitoring Square invoices for credit card payments.
• Keep the studios, supply closet, sinks, office, kitchenette and communal areas clean and organized; schedule cleanings with maintenance.
• Participate in turnover related duties and assign studios/apartments for new artists, preparing keys and materials.
• Help organize welcome dinners, lunches, outings and Open Studios; attend most Studios-related events.
• Act as a key correspondent for Studios-related questions and inquiries, including on-call support outside office hours.

Skills

People skills

Time management

Artist experience

DEAI commitment

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree preferred or equivalent

Tools

Airtable

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Google Docs

Job description

Description

MASS MoCA is seeking a full-time dynamic Residency Coordinator to join the Studios at MASS MoCA team. Begun in 2015, the Studios at MASS MoCA welcomes approximately 120 artists per year for 2–4 week long Artist Residencies, and 80 artists through our 1-week long Workshop-in-Residence program. Over 1,200 artists have been in residence in the Studios, traveling from around the U.S. and 25 countries. Learn more about The Studios at MASS MoCA.

Areas Of Activity Include, But Are Not Limited To

Application Process: Create residency application forms on Submittable, and help support the application review and selection process with the Senior Manager and independent reviewers.

Scheduling & Payments: Support scheduling of incoming artists-in-residence, including data entry into Airtable, sending out award letters, processing paperwork and checks as they come in, and creating and monitoring Square invoices for credit card payments.

Facilities: Working with the Senior Manager, keep the studios, supply closet, sinks, office, kitchenette and communal areas clean and organized. Schedule cleanings at the Studios with the maintenance crew. Keep an inventory of all tools and supplies that belong to the Studios and office. Keep studio wall paint, spackle and painting tools well stocked and available for artists. Order new tools and office supplies when necessary.

Turnover: In coordination with the Senior Manager, participate in turnover related duties including becoming familiar with incoming groups in order to assign studios and apartments that will best suit the needs of incoming artists, and getting apartments, studios, keys and supporting materials ready for the next artists to arrive.

Meals & Events: Along with the Senior Manager, help organize welcome dinners, lunch-time slide-shares, outings to cultural organizations, hikes, Open Studios, etc. Will be expected to attend most Studios-related events (including some evening events).

Email & Text Messaging Correspondence: Act as a key correspondent for Studios-related questions and inquiries, including on-call support for artists-in residence who have questions and challenges during their residency. (Time is budgeted for communications that must sometimes occur outside of in-the-office hours, and this responsibility is shared with the Senior Manager.)

Key Attributes

• Highly personable & welcoming; able to foster a sense of positive energy, enjoyment and mutual support among the visiting artists; mature, with good judgment and a sense of humor in order to maintain a kind, caring and safe residency environment.
• Effective prioritizer with time management skills; able to balance short term and long term tasks.
• Knowledge of the needs and perspectives of practicing artists.
• Deep understanding of and commitment to Anti-Racism and DEAI work, especially in the context of hospitality.
• Problem-solver, with a gentle way of helping manage issues that artists face while in residence.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred or equivalent experience in education, art administration, art history, or the performing arts.
• 2+ years experience providing artist support programming and/or studio residency management and support
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work independently, as well as collaboratively in a team environment
• Detail oriented and exceptional organizational skills
• Experience working with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) / database systems preferred (Airtable is the system in use by the Studios)
• Must be proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Google docs
• Must have a valid Driver's License

Work Conditions

• Must be able to use a computer and be comfortable with technology
• Some duties of this position require climbing multiple flights of stairs and being able to work outside when artists are being oriented
• Some lifting and carrying is required when helping turn over apartments and studios for the next cohort to arrive
• Flexibility to work both in the Studios and from home, as needed, to help meet the needs of artists at non-traditional hours
• Position may require, from time to time, extended hours, work on weekends, holidays and for festivals and events
• Must be able to wear PPE as needed

As defined by the National Labor Relations Act, this position is part of the bargaining unit for UAW Local 2110.

Compensation And Benefits

This is a non-exempt position with an hourly rate of $24 an hour

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Life insurance
• Long term disability insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Dependent Care Account (DCA)
• Medical deductible reimbursement
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Roth 401(k) option
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Sick Time
• Emergency Assistance Fund (LemonAid)
• Retirement planning support
• Professional development reimbursement
• Educational leave
• Reciprocal Organization of Associated Museums (ROAM)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Student loan repayment assistance
• Discounts at Gift Shop and R&D Store
• Staff appreciation social events year-round
• This position does not offer relocation assistance

About MASS MoCA

MASS MoCA is a vibrant non-collecting art museum with approximately 300,000 square feet of exhibition space dedicated to visual art and projects by contemporary artists. Formerly a 19th century factory, these exhibition spaces are unconventional, vast, soaring galleries spanning multiple buildings. Half of that space is dedicated to rotating 10–16 month exhibitions of which we present 4 to 6 large-scale exhibitions per year, along with smaller projects and commissions. The additional space is dedicated to long-term exhibitions in conjunction with artists, estates, and collections that run from 10 months to 25 years. MASS MoCA frequently works directly with artists on the fabrication of new commissions and large-scale site-specific installations.

MASS MoCA was founded in 1999, not only as a contemporary art museum and performing arts venue, but also as a creative campus with a regional, national and global impact. MASS MoCA is one of the world's liveliest centers for making and enjoying today's most evocative art. With vast galleries and a stunning collection of indoor and outdoor performing arts venues, MASS MoCA is able to embrace all forms of art: music, sculpture, dance, film, painting, photography, theater, and new, boundary-crossing works of art that defy easy classification. From its beginnings as the major textile mill Arnold Print Works in the mid-19th century, to its days as the Sprague Electric Company in the mid-20th century, to its current iteration as a globally renowned contemporary art museum and fabrication center, the 24-acre MASS MoCA campus has a rich history of serving as the economic engine of the city of North Adams and the surrounding region.