Lead Educator and Coordinator Art Studio

Position: Lead Educator and Coordinator, Art Studio 

Department:  Programming and Experience Development 

Reports to: Director of Art and Tinkering Studios 

About Chicago Children’s Museum: Chicago Children’s Museum (CCM) is committed to improving children’s lives by creating a community where play and learning connect. We embrace creativity and collaboration, we never stop learning, and we remember to stop and play along the way. CCM’s staff is a dedicated group of curious individuals who embrace the playful spirit of childhood. Every employee is empowered to reach their potential and be recognized for the impact they have on our organization, visitors, and the community we serve. Over its 43-year history, Chicago Children’s Museum has provided innovative exhibits, arts programs, STEM experiments, imaginative play, and more to over 11 million children and their caregivers. Located at Navy Pier, the museum is intentionally designed for experimentation, creativity, and the universal pursuits of childhood. CCM focuses on accessibility, inclusion, and learning for all children, ensuring valuable and memorable experiences for all visitors.
   

Art is why we’re here. Chicago Children’s Museum formed in 1982 in response to cuts in arts education funding in the Chicago Public Schools. Since then, we’ve developed and expanded our arts programming for children, including our cornerstone Art Studio, where visitors can explore a variety of artistic mediums, concepts and processes during workshops led by artist educators. 

Position Overview: 

The Lead Educator and Coordinator, Art Studio, facilitates and develops Art Studio programming while coordinating key aspects of programmatic implementation. They work closely with the Director of Art and Tinkering Studios to ensure that programming, facilitation, materials, tools, art displays and the overall environment meet the museum’s mission, vision, DEAI (diversity, equity, access and inclusion) principles, and foundational values. The success of this role requires a solid knowledge of visual arts processes and art education for young children and their families, coupled with a commitment to collaboration and iterative program development. The Lead Educator and Coordinator, Art Studio focuses on development, coordination, preparation, maintenance, documentation, evaluation and facilitation of a wide variety of visual arts programming in the studio and beyond. 

Principal Job Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Provides high quality facilitation of Art Studio programs, this includes, but is not limited to:  
• Adapting activities to meet the needs of a wide-range of visitors (ages, abilities, interests, backgrounds and perspectives) while considering overall program goals.  
• Connecting with visitors in positive, educational, creative and respectful ways.  
• Readiness to engage with visitors and coworkers at the start of shift.  
• Engaging with program goals which can include exploring art media, concepts, processes the self and community.   
• Connecting with visitors, including children and their caregivers, early learners, school groups and adults participating in special events. 
• Manage daily operations and facilitation of visitor space both independently and as a team, including managing space capacity, cleanliness and safety protocols. 
• Facilitate programming for adults, including staff, professional guests, and outside events. 
• With Director of the Art Studio and Team, research, develop, prepare and prototype new and existing programming, responding to visitor, staff and museum needs. 
• Leads the organization, preparation and maintenance of the Art Studio, storage and materials. Changes day-of program set-up as needed.  
• Communicates with building services, exhibits and housekeeping to maintain a safe, clean and efficient space 
• Leads the communication, both written and verbal, of program and environment changes to Art Studio team. 
• Holds primary role of collecting, documenting and displaying of children’s art. 
• With Director, identifies, sources, purchases, and tracks supplies and tools. 
• Trains and mentors select staff, interns and volunteers, including coordinating ongoing trainings in general art education philosophy and in specific skills related to arts programing. 
• Collects and communicates out attendance numbers, surveys, and documentation of programs, including photo and video documentation of programming.   
• Has authority to make real-time operational and customer service decisions in facilitated program spaces in support of museum objectives (i.e. determining if space needs to close, operational format, etc.) 
• Fields general museum questions from the public and acts as a museum representative.  
• Supports the museum’s work in diversity, equity, access and inclusion and actively ensures that DEAI principles are upheld in all work with fellow staff and with visitors. 
• Enthusiasm for learning and mastering new skills on an ongoing basis; Participates in required trainings and meetings regularly. Willingness to be informed/certified/trained through institution-offered courses and to work within Diversity, Equity, Access, Inclusion (DEAI) frameworks and actively engage in learning about these frameworks.  
• Contributes to other functions of the Art Studio Team in a variety of ways such as assistance in development of a variety of programs; engaging in meetings with broader program staff; serving on exhibit development teams; facilitating special events, and other programs and occasional offsite programs. 
• Is willing to appear in promotional photos, videos, or media on behalf of the museum, as applicable. 

Position Qualifications:  

Education:  

• Undergraduate degree in studio art, art education, art therapy, arts administration or museum education and evidence of ongoing professional development.

Job experience: 

• 2-4 years' experience teaching elementary and/or pre-school-aged children art in a traditional or informal educational setting. 
• 1-2 years' experience training and mentoring volunteers or staff  
• 1-2 years experience coordinating operations for a project, team or practice 
• Experience purchasing, organizing and staging various art materials and tools in an educational setting. 

Specialized knowledge and skills:  

• Knowledge of and experience with diverse visual art forms, processes, tools, techniques, and historical and cultural context of making. 
• Experience working with a variety of authentic art tools, materials and processes, including but not limited to painting, drawing, clay and printmaking.  
• Commitment to child-centered, multi-sensory, process-based, open-ended experiences.    

Demonstrated Competencies:  

• Dynamic facilitator with experience delivering interactive programs to children and adults. 
• Knowledge of child development, experience with Reggio Emilia, Montessori, and progressive learning and art education philosophies a plus. 
• Fine arts curriculum development. 
• Experience working with individuals and families from a variety of backgrounds, abilities, experiences, and perspectives. 
• Growth mindset. Interest in and continuous improvement of outcomes for our visitors and communities, including school groups.  
• Strong organizational skills relating to materials, visuals, space, and ideas.   
• Ability to work on multiple projects at once. 
• Creativity, patience, and flexibility. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, effective verbal communication with staff, children and caregivers. Comfortable leading large group discussions as well as in one-on-one interactions with visitors. Written communication includes creating and disseminating lesson plans, written instructions to staff, and program copy.     
• Facility with standard word processing and spreadsheet software. 
• Ability to maintain a professional demeanor in a variety of situations; demonstrated problem-solving and reliability. 
• Ability to effectively represent the museum internally and externally. 
• Ability to work in team-oriented environment; ability to accept feedback graciously and integrate it; and work independently without supervision. 
• Bilingual skills highly desired.  

View the complete job description by clicking APPLY in the top right.