Teaching Artist Lead

Frye Art Museum•Seattle, WA

1d•$44 - $44•Hybrid

About The Position

The Frye Art Museum is seeking an experienced, innovative, detail-oriented, and community-connected teaching artist to join our Learning & Engagement: Inclusive Learning team as the Teaching Artist Lead. In this role, you will support the development, coordination, and implementation of diverse learning programs at the Frye Art Museum. These programs engage K-12 students, families, adults, intergenerational community groups, and educators through inquiry- and object-based teaching methodologies. In collaboration with the Inclusive Learning Manager, you will explore the museum’s collection and exhibitions to create dynamic, exhibition-inspired learning experiences that bring the museum’s galleries and art studio to life. Lesson planning and curriculum development will emphasize building strong connections to exhibitions while elucidating the history, technique, and artistic trajectories that inform the work on view. The Lead brings a creative, audience-centered approach to lesson planning and facilitation, elevating Frye programs through distinctive experiences. You will plan learning activities that surprise and delight a wide range of audiences—using high-quality and unconventional materials, sensory-based experiences, and other inventive approaches that help define what makes Frye programs unique. In addition, you will play a key role in designing curricula, building local community partnerships, facilitating in-gallery discussions and studio instruction, and participating in museum outreach activities. You will also support and help guide a cohort of on-call teaching artists by modeling strong facilitation practices, contributing to training and shared resources, coordinating communication and schedules as needed, and ensuring program quality and consistency across sessions. This position plays an active role in advancing the Frye’s commitment to diversity, equity, accessibility, inclusion, and belonging by collaborating with a wide range of artists, students, teachers, and community members to deliver arts-based learning and engagement programs.

Requirements

Commitment to supporting diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging, with a demonstrated motivation to develop accessible programs and work with diverse audiences.
3+ years of related work experience in museums, schools, arts, and/or cultural organizations with a focus on art-making activities and inquiry- and object-based learning.
1+ year of experience supporting teaching artists, docents, and volunteers.
Ability to interpret art collections and contemporary exhibitions for in-gallery discussions and in-studio art-making activities, effectively conveying their significance to diverse audiences to generate excitement and achieve learning goals.
Personal visual arts practice, with demonstrated expertise in at least one art medium, and the ability to instruct and model art techniques across a broad range of art materials and practices.
Outstanding public presentation skills, with a strong ability to engage audiences through both verbal communication and interactive, hands-on instruction for diverse abilities.
Experience working with children and developing and facilitating hands-on lessons for diverse abilities.
Knowledge and willingness to learn about the museum’s collection and exhibitions.
Demonstrated creativity, curiosity, collaboration, and strong work ethic.
Strong administrative skills, with the ability to prioritize and multitask across multiple projects independently and collaboratively.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to represent the museum with professionalism and enthusiasm.
Demonstrated positivity, flexibility, and ability to manage stress with humor, focus, and friendliness.
Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Zoom, and database systems.
Professional fluency in English
Availability to work a flexible schedule to support select programs, including but not limited to:
1st Wednesday morning of the month
Thursday and Friday mornings
Select Thursday evenings
Select Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in art, art education, art therapy, museum education, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Demonstrated strong relationships and active engagement with the local artist community to build new partnerships that expand Frye programs and generate new, mission-aligned opportunities.
Experience with Visual Thinking Strategies.
Proficiency in additional languages.
Experience working with older adults and intergenerational groups, and continued interest in working with these audiences.

Responsibilities

Support the development of a comprehensive strategy for learning programs, incorporating access-centered and revenue-generating components, in collaboration with the Manager.
Assist in creating an annual slate of inclusive and cross-disciplinary learning programs for K-12 students, families, intergenerational community groups, and educators, in collaboration with the Manager.
Aid in the expansion of legacy programs (e.g., Field Trip to the Frye, Small Frye, and Educator Workshops) and build new initiatives that increase access for underserved schools, families, and intergenerational groups.
Assist in developing curricula and teaching strategies for adult programs, with assistance from teaching artists, contract educators, the Manager, the Associate Director of Creative Aging Programs, and the Public Engagement Manager.
Build and maintain strong relationships—prioritizing local artists and the broader arts community—while also sustaining partnerships with educators, schools, and community organizations to collaborate on program planning and grow audiences.
Support a diverse cohort of part-time seasonal teaching artists through lesson planning, aligning on shared expectations, and strengthening team systems
Conduct outreach to new and underserved communities to build awareness of the museum’s learning programs and invite input to inform future programming possibilities.
Stay informed about and share best practices in museum learning and engagement.
Support other Learning & Engagement programs and initiatives as needed.
Facilitate inclusive learning programs that engage diverse audiences, including school groups, families, adults, and community organizations, as assigned by the Manager.
Support the day-to-day operations of inclusive and culturally responsive learning programs, including artwork discussions, project-based art-making classes, professional development workshops, and community events that connect participants to Frye programs and exhibitions in ways that reflect their identities, experiences, and communities.
Assist in developing learning program titles and descriptions, program timelines, and interface with various museum departments for successful program implementation, in collaboration with the Manager.
Serve as a contact for learning program presenters, in coordination with the Manager.
Coordinate registration and track program attendance, conduct surveys, and collect feedback for program evaluations.
Collaborate with the Communications Department to document programs via photos and other media.
Manage registration for learning programs that require advance registration, make reminder calls, send reminder emails, and prepare program rosters.
Schedule K-12 school group field trips. Send confirmations, photo releases, invoices, and bus reimbursement forms.
Enter learning program details into museum calendars, databases, and project management tools.
Maintain clear, professionally written documentation of learning programs, including lesson plans, talking points, class objectives, and reflections on outcomes.
Source and create new content for the Frye website, blog, and quarterly newsletter, in coordination with the Manager and Communications team.
Compile and format reports and presentations for the Manager, including content for board updates and other cross-departmental projects.
Maintain art studio materials and equipment, including preparing materials, clean-up, taking inventory, and advising on studio setup and materials orders, in coordination with the Manager.
Participate in weekly Teaching Artist Cohort and Learning & Engagement team meetings.
Support other Learning & Engagement administration as needed.
Assist with proposal design and grant writing as needed.