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Moonshot Studio Resident Artist (Part-Time)

Employer
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Location
Washington, DC
Closing date
Dec 13, 2019

View more

Industry
Nonprofit
Function
Administrative
Hours
Part Time
Career Level
Experienced (Non-Manager)

Job Details

About the Organization:

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts ("The Kennedy Center") is a world premier performing arts organization and our nation's cultural center. Diversity is a critical component of our mission, vision, and values. Our staff exhibits a wide variety of perspectives and experiences which enable us to foster and strengthen an environment of diversity and inclusion.

Mission Statement: As the nation's performing arts center, and a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, we are a leader for the arts across America and around the world, reaching and connecting with artists, inspiring and educating communities. We welcome all to create, experience, learn about, and engage with the arts.

The Kennedy Center, which opened on September 8, 1971, is located on 17 acres overlooking the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. The Center continues its efforts to fulfill President Kennedy's vision by producing and presenting an unmatched variety of theater and musicals, dance and ballet, orchestral, chamber, jazz, popular, world, and folk music, and multimedia performances for all ages.

Job Description:

The Moonshot Studio Resident Artists develop, design, and implement hands-on, educational programming for families and visitors of all ages and students, pre-K through college, in the Moonshot Studio. Resident Artists also attend trainings for educational programming to support engagement with the public. Resident Artists are integral to the Moonshot Studio's core mission of providing opportunities for all to explore and engage with the artistic process. Moonshot Studio Resident Artists are part-time and will be engaged for a term of one year with the option to renew.

Under the supervision of the Manager, Moonshot Studio & Experience Design and the Coordinator, Moonshot Studio and Experience Design, Moonshot Studio Resident Artists develop and directly facilitate hands-on, interactive, process-based art making activities in the Moonshot Studio and Kennedy Center classrooms. Resident Artists will interact with all levels of Kennedy Center staff, artists, arts leaders, and patrons, sometimes in high-pressure situations, remaining flexible, proactive, resourceful, and efficient, with a high level of professionalism.

The ideal candidate: has a passion for art and arts education and appreciation for the power of art to engage learners of all ages, abilities, and experience levels in the process of discovery; is eager to experiment with new techniques and has the capacity to adapt them and teach them to others; is able to problem-solve, be flexible, imaginative, and innovative; is enthusiastic, hardworking, and reliable with a good sense of humor.

Resident Artists must be available to work on weekends and occasional evenings throughout the year in order to be considered. Resident Artists must also be available for scheduled job training and meetings. Must be able to create safe, inclusive, supportive, and creative environments for children, youth, adults, and volunteers

About the Moonshot Studio: The Kennedy Center's new REACH Moonshot Studio (opening September 2019) will provide visitors of all ages an opportunity to "try on" art forms, explore stories and themes from the Center's stages, and take individual ownership of the creative process through a dedicated arts learning laboratory. Dedicated to the exploration of learning and creativity through art-making, the Studio will function as both a weekend drop-in, immersive learning center where families and visitors can explore the artistic process and create works of art and a weekday, timed, hands-on experience that connects to and supplements the Center's performances for student audiences and educators.

Duties and Responsibilities:

45% Ideation, Development, and Design: Resident Artist will be part of a cohort of Resident Artists who work both independently and collaboratively to ideate, develop, and design a minimum of 15 performing arts-focused activities and interactive installations per year for the Moonshot Studio. Artist is responsible for creating work that aligns with the Moonshot Studio mission and curriculum, advances the vision of the Moonshot Studio, and is accessible to participants with a wide range of ages, experience, and abilities. Resident Artist also supports the development and design of Moonshot Studio commissioned artists' activities and installations.

30% Implementation and Facilitation: Resident Artist works with the Moonshot Studio staff and commissioned artists to plan and implement activities in the Moonshot Studio, and is responsible for providing arts instruction and direct facilitation of activities for participants of varying ages, backgrounds, experience, and abilities during weekend drop-in hours, field trips for student groups, evening programming for adults, and special events. Duties include, but are not limited to, preparing, coordinating, and obtaining equipment, materials, and supplies; creating activity lesson plans and set-ups; assessing need for volunteer support; training volunteers to support participants during activities, etc.

15% Fabrication and Installation: Resident Artist works with Moonshot Studio and Kennedy Center staff including, but not limited to, Production and Facilities, and external contractors and vendors, as needed, to execute the design, fabrication, and installation of Moonshot Studio activities.

5% Meetings and Training: Resident Artist participates in an introductory training as part of the full Resident Artist cohort and additional trainings, as needed. Resident Artist participates in regular, ongoing meetings with the Moonshot Studio staff. Resident Artist trains Moonshot Studio staff, other Resident Artists, and volunteers to support activities they create for the Moonshot Studio.

5% Evaluation, Iteration, and Data Collection: Resident Artist will work with Moonshot Studio staff, the Research and Evaluation team, and other cohort members to develop evaluative measures for the activities in the Moonshot Studio and support data collection for evaluation purposes. Resident Artist will work with the Moonshot Studio staff to refine and revise activities, as needed.

N/A Special Events: Resident Artist has the opportunity to present and facilitate activities during special events (parties, conferences, etc.) held in the Moonshot Studio. Resident Artist receives an additional fee for special events.

N/A Responds to the needs and requests of Kennedy Center management and staff in a professional and expedient manner, adheres to all employer policies and procedures, and other duties as assigned.

Key Qualifications:
  • Demonstrated experience in art discipline (Bachelor's degree, MFA, or related training preferred) and a minimum of two years' experience in an arts and teaching environment.
  • Experience working with children and families in an educational environment.
  • Teaching experience in a makerspace, camp, out-of-school time program, classroom, or similar setting.
  • Deep working knowledge of a performing arts discipline (dance, music, theater, interdisciplinary visual art, media arts, etc.)
  • Experience working with and engaging the public.
  • Experience working with various software platforms and programs, such as iOS and Windows, Photoshop and other Adobe Suite programs, audio and video recording and editing programs, etc, preferred.


Who You Are:
  • You have the ability to perform in busy, non-traditional classroom and other settings.
  • You have strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with a proven ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities, plan ahead, anticipate and articulate program needs, and work independently while keeping open communication and providing status reports.
  • You have the ability to connect with visitors of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.


Physical Demands:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to communicate in person and on the telephone. The employee is frequently required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel in order to operate computer keyboard, office equipment, and other essential tasks. The employee is frequently required to sit, stand, walk, bend, stoop, crouch, and reach with hands and arms. This position infrequently lifts, carries, or otherwise moves and positions objects weighing up to 40 pounds.

Work Environment:

The noise level in the work environment can be loud depending on number of participants, and the activities taking place, in Moonshot Studio.

Company

The Kennedy Center is America's living memorial to President Kennedy and the nation's busiest arts facility. The Center presents and produces a variety of theater, musicals, dance and ballet, orchestral, chamber, jazz, popular, world, and folk music, and multimedia performances for all ages. We are the nation’s beacon for the performing arts, engaging artists and audiences around the world to share, inspire, and celebrate the cultural heritage by which a great society is defined and remembered. 

The Center serves as a catalyst among American arts organizations, eager to explore new directions and inspire audiences locally and worldwide. Whether through our NSO In Your Neighborhood initiatives, our expansion of Hip Hop programming, or the carefully curated programs intended to reflect the rich diversity of our culture, we are committed to reaching new audiences through innovative programs.

Through numerous free events, our national impact in arts education, and the diverse array of programs, art forms, and guest artists on our stages, we pride ourselves in reflecting and making a difference in our community and world today. The Kennedy Center is an institution and gathering place where all are welcome. Our expanded programming palette and the ongoing development of our new building expansion, called The REACH, are indicators of a growing, thriving organization. We have named this new extension of our campus The REACH for the words that inspire us: Renew, Experience, Activate, Create, and Honor.

FY 2017 Annual Report

Company info
Website
Location
2700 F Street, NW
Washington
DC
20566
US

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