Resident Visual Arts Faculty, Full Time, 11 months/year position

Community Access to the Arts; Great Barrington (MA); On-site; USD 49,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental & vision insurance

Retirement with 401(k) match

Paid vacation & holidays

Mileage reimbursement

Professional development funding

Job summary

CATA is seeking a talented visual artist and teaching artist to design and teach workshops for participants with developmental and intellectual disabilities across Berkshire and Columbia counties. The role involves adapting curricula, leading group and one-on-one sessions, and collaborating with partner sites to foster creativity and inclusion.

The position emphasizes trauma-informed teaching, DEI, and universal design, with opportunities for professional development and involvement in

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts, Arts Education, or related field, or equivalent life/work experience.
• Working visual artist with a minimum of three years teaching experience in a range of settings.
• Knowledge of painting, drawing, printmaking, collage, sculpture/tactile arts, fiber, photography, and more.
• Excellent time management and communication skills.
• Ability to adapt and modify teaching for people of all abilities and ages.
• Commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility; training in Universal Design for Learning, trauma-informed teaching, and DEI preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop, plan, and teach group workshop series nurturing creativity using adaptive, inclusive techniques.
• Develop innovative curricula and assessments under supervision, tailor projects to needs of CATA artists, evaluate progress.
• Lead one-on-one workshops in adaptive painting for higher-support participants.
• Model CATA values and maintain strong relationships with partner staff and caregivers.
• Support CATA art exhibits and events by curating, framing, and installing artworks.
• Participate in ongoing professional development and apply learning to teaching.
• Mentor artists in roles like curating and guest artist recruitment.
• Other tasks as assigned

Skills

Teaching experience

Adaptive instruction

Time management

Communication skills

Empathy and inclusion

Cultural competence

Education

Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts / Arts Education

Equivalent life/work experience

Job description

CATA is seeking a talented, versatile visual artist and teaching artist eager to contribute to an innovative arts organization that is changing the lives of people across our community. Under the direction of CATA Program Directors, the Resident Visual Arts Faculty designs and teaches visual arts workshops for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities, autism, and brain injuries, giving them opportunities to explore painting, drawing, printmaking, collage, photography, sculpture/tactile arts, and more. Individuals participating in these workshops include people with disabilities across a wide span of ability and ages, including children, teens, adults, and elders. Most CATA workshops are designed for a specific age group, such as high school students with special needs or adults with autism and developmental disabilities. Faculty teach in CATA studios, special education classrooms, day programs, and other partner sites across Berkshire and Columbia counties.

Responsibilities:

• Develop, plan, and teach compelling group workshop series that nurture the creativity of CATA artists in alignment with our strategic goals, using adaptive, inclusive techniques to engage participants across a wide spectrum of ability in painting, drawing, printmaking, collage, sculpture/tactile arts, photography, and other visual art forms
• Develop innovative curricula and assessments under the direction of supervisors: create written project descriptions with key learning outcomes; tailor projects in response to needs and interests of CATA artists; assist in researching and developing adaptive tools; evaluate progress toward goals through feedback provided by supervisors, CATA artists, and program partners
• Lead one-on-one workshops in adaptive painting for people with disabilities who require a higher level of support in the creation of their work, using adaptive painting techniques tailored to individual needs
• As a faculty artist working in CATA partner settings, exercise strong listening and communication skills and model CATA’s organizational values, including respect for partner staff, leaders, and direct care workers; communicate clearly to supervisors about successes and challenges to support strong relationships with partners
• Support CATA art exhibits and events by helping curate, frame, and install art exhibits and by working with a team to ensure the success of events
• Actively participate in ongoing professional development, trainings, and meetings, and apply learnings to develop your teaching. Openly receive performance feedback from supervisors, and use feedback to drive growth and improvement
• Mentor and support CATA artists in exploring roles including curating and installing exhibits, assistant teaching workshops, and assisting in public programs; help recruit guest artists including curators and art installers
• Other tasks and responsibilities as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts, Arts Education, or a related field, or equivalent life/work experience
• Working visual artist with a minimum of three years teaching experience in a range of settings
• Knowledge and ability to teach a broad range of studio practices including but not limited to: painting, drawing, printmaking, collage, sculpture/tactile arts, fiber, photography, and more
• Excellent time management and communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to work within a management structure, reporting to supervisors
• Ability to adapt and modify teaching for people of all abilities and ages, exercising empathy, sensitivity, and inclusion to successfully engage a broad age range of participants from elementary school to elder care
• Ability to successfully engage with people who are diverse by race, class, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, neurodivergence, and ability; demonstrate cultural competence and foster inclusion; and commit to deeper learning and professional development in areas including racial and social justice and disability rights. Candidates with previous training in Universal Design for Learning, trauma-informed teaching, and DEI preferred
• Reliable transportation and willingness to travel throughout Berkshire County, MA and Columbia County, NY with mileage reimbursement

Compensation:

A compensation package of $31.50 per hour for a 36-hour workweek, 11 months a year (with August off but pay and benefits continuing), totaling $54,432 annually.

• 100% employer-paid health, dental & vision insurance premiums for employees, retroactively effective to hire date (valued between $8,000 - $9,500 annually depending on plan)
• Family health, dental and vision packages
• 401k retirement savings plan with 4% employer match
• Generous paid vacation (two weeks in first year increasing to three weeks after second year, plus separate sick time)
• Paid holidays including all federal holidays plus days before and after Thanksgiving; three extra December days, two floating religious holidays, birthday holiday, and extra “restorative days”
• Mileage reimbursement for qualifying travel
• Short- and long-term disability coverage; Life insurance; Paid family leave
• Dedicated training to develop teaching skills, including trauma-informed teaching, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, and autism-informed training, plus the opportunity to apply for funds to support your individual professional development
• Invitations to special events and programs
• CATA is a qualified employer under the PSLF federal student loan forgiveness plan
• Active participation in a mission driven organization with a positive and inclusive work culture and a strong impact on the community

CATA is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and actively seeks a diverse pool of candidates. CATA welcomes people from all racial and ethnic backgrounds, abilities, gender identities, religions, ages, and sexual orientations to apply.