Job Description
Department:
Museum Linde Family Foundation School and Teacher Programs - JM
Pay Rate Type:
Hourly
Employee Type:
Job Summary:
Colby College Museum of Art
Part-Time, Non-Exempt, Hourly, Support Staff Appointment
Viewing and discussing art is a vital part of the Museum’s educational mission of transforming lives through art. As the individual welcoming our youngest visitors to the Colby College Museum of Art, the gallery educator will play a critical role in creating a dynamic, positive, welcoming, and enriching experience. Reporting to the Linde Family Foundation senior coordinator of school and teacher programs, the person in this role will collaborate cross-departmentally to develop, implement and teach age-appropriate, curriculum-based gallery experiences for about 3,000 Maine K-12 school children each academic year. The ideal candidate is curious, punctual, friendly, detail oriented, and adaptable to changing situations. This position is 6 to 15 hours/week, primarily Tuesday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. -1:30 p.m. Colby College is committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment where every member of the community feels a sense of respect and belonging.
THE MUSEUM AND ITS MISSION
Located in Waterville, Maine, the Colby College Museum of Art opens access to art and artists, creating a forum for experimentation, research, dialogue, and joyful connection.
The Colby College Museum of Art will be a dynamic forum for exploring American art and its histories in ways that will inspire students and those who engage with the museum to value art in their lives and to embrace the complexity of the American experience within a contemporary, globalized world.
How we work influences our ability to enact our mission and realize our vision. We aspire for these values to define the Colby Museum’s work culture and how our audiences see themselves as part of the museum:
A COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND INCLUSION
Working to advance equity and inclusion in the field of American art—and, by doing so, in the wider world—is core to our mission. We feel the urgency of national and campus conversations on inequality and are keenly aware of the unique responsibility that we have as an academic art museum—as a place where we can listen, ask questions, and challenge assumptions—to engage in this dialogue, and to act. We affirm the Colby Museum’s commitment to multidisciplinary teaching and learning and our potential for deep engagement with students will be leveraged in this effort toward fighting racialized violence, injustice, and inequality.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Design and implement arts-integrated gallery experiences for K-12 audience.
- Greet and manage museum visit logistics at the campus museum and downtown at the museum’s Joan Dignam Schmaltz Gallery of Art in the Paul J. Schupf Art Center.
- Work closely with staff and teaching artists to coordinate the logistics of a museum visit, which typically includes a gallery experience, studio project, and lunch.
- Lead or co-lead tours, workshops, and professional development programs for area K-12 educators.
- Provide support for existing and new education programs.
- Facilitate interactive in-person and virtual tours for schools.
- Lead art activities in area schools, in collaboration with classroom teachers, for a multiple-visit program for 3rd, 5th, and 8th grade students.
- Assist with data collection and evaluation of participant feedback.
- Participate in scheduled training sessions and become trained in all exhibitions and programming.
- Conduct independent research on artists and artworks in Museum exhibitions and the Museum's permanent collection
- Ability to work occasional weekends and/or evenings.
- Follow policies and procedures to ensure a safe work environment.
- Other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- High school diploma or equivalent required; professional coursework or post-secondary education are a plus
- Strong oral communication, interpersonal, and public communication skills to interact with all levels of visitors, staff, and trustees.
- Excellent verbal and written communications skills, with the ability to complete clear, concise, and accurate reports and other documentation.
- Unwavering commitment to fostering an antiracist, equitable work environment supportive of people from different cultures, backgrounds, and life paths.
- Highly motivated, flexible, and comfortable with all audiences.
- Strong attention to detail and problem-solving skills with the ability to handle situations with tact and diplomacy.
- Able to work independently as well as in a team, exercise judgment, establish priorities, and complete projects with minimal supervision and to adjust as new projects are assigned.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (e.g. Word, Excel) and Google Suite (e.g., Mail, Calendar, Docs, Sheets, and Slides); proficiency and/or ability to learn Airtable, Adobe Creative Suite, EventBrite, SurveyMonkey, Workday, or others specific to Colby College.
- Bachelor's degree and two years recent, relevant experience or any equivalent education and experience in Art History, Studio Art, Classroom Teaching, or Museum Studies.
- Experience in the development of arts-integrated education programs, art-making workshops, and curriculum is preferred.
- Familiarity with gallery-based discussions that combine visual arts and academic subjects focusing on contemporary art and utilizing visual thinking and inquiry-based learning strategies preferred.
- Knowledge of and/or experience in contemporary art preferred.
- Relevant engagement and/or administrative experience preferred.
KEY RELATIONSHIPS:
Reporting to the Linde Family Foundation senior coordinator of school and teacher programs, the educator also works closely with all members of the engagement team, and has ongoing interactions with all museum teams as well as K-12 students, K-12 educators, community partners, and museum guests.
WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
General open office and campus environment. Position involves walking to multiple buildings on campus, sitting, standing, and frequent movement. Occasional lifting is required. Computer usage involving repetitive hand/wrist motion is also necessary. Reliable transportation is required.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
Successful and satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check).
TO APPLY:
Interested candidates should apply electronically by clicking the "Apply" button on the Colby Careers website. Please submit a letter of interest, resume, and the contact information of three professional references. Materials should be addressed to:
Gallery Educator (part-time) - Search Committee
Office of Human Resources
Colby College
5500 Mayflower Hill
Waterville, ME 04901-8855
