Senior Educator, Creative Spaces

The Art Institute of Chicago shares its singular collections with our city and the world. We collect, care for, and interpret works of art across time, cultures, geographies, and identities, centering the vision of artists and makers. We recognize that all art is made in a particular context, demanding continual, dynamic reconsideration in the present. We are a place of gathering; we foster the exchange of ideas and inspire an expansive, inclusive understanding of human creativity.
OUR VALUES
All staff members are expected to embrace the museum's commitment to creating an inclusive and equitable institution and to adhere to the museum's shared values.

• Our museum reflects and deepens our collective humanity; the arts are integral to an inspired and just society.
• We respect and acknowledge each of our colleagues' contributions and expertise across all roles within our organization.
• We share in the responsibility to create an antiracist culture built on equity, inclusion, and justice for all, acknowledging that these efforts are intersectional and ongoing.
• We encourage and advance a culture of hospitality, empathy, and gratitude for each visitor, supporter, and member of our staff.
• We embrace innovation and foster change with a progressive understanding of-and obligation to reconsider-our past.
• We sustain an open and dynamic civic platform, inviting and advancing the diverse perspectives of our city, staff, visitors, and supporters.

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT
The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Learning Center is a platform for culturally responsive experiences that bring young people and the adults around them into dynamic and inspiring encounters with art and creativity. The Ryan Learning Center team:

• champions the role of art and culture in people's lives,
• promotes access and equitable participation in art and the museum,
• fosters critical and creative thinking.

As a result, youth, teens, families, students, and educators from various backgrounds and abilities engage with each other and with works of art from across time, cultures, geographies, and identities, activating the museum as a place for learning, insight, inspiration, and community. These museum experiences enable young people and the adults around them to feel more connected and confident in their capacity to imagine, create, and make sense of art and their world.
ABOUT THE POSITION
The Senior Educator brings expertise in the realms of multi-disciplinary artmaking, creative practice, developmental stages, and object-based learning to the design and production of studio and artist-centered programming for youth and their adults, with a special focus on programming for multigenerational and family audiences. The Senior Educator, Creative Spaces, plays a leading role in designing multigenerational events and projects led by teaching artists in a variety of formats. They also contribute to the team responsible for enlivening and caring for the physical space of the Ryan Learning Center as a creative platform for museum engagement. The Senior Educator regularly facilitates programs and spaces; mentors and trains interns and volunteers; and manages the logistical details and materials of programs in their portfolio.
The Senior Educator is an active member of the arts and education community of Chicago and the museum field. They build relationships with local artists and teaching artists, collaborate with staff in the RLC department and across the Art Institute to deepen audience connections and position the museum as an important and relevant space in the learning ecosystem of Chicago as well as nationally, capitalize on opportunities to engage living artists with programming, and manage collaborations with local teaching artists.
This position is 35 hours a week and holds a standard Tuesday-Saturday schedule. Occasional evening work may be required. Other duties as assigned.
APPLICATION PROCESS:
Please include the following items with your application as a combined pdf, saving the file as [your full name]_SECreativeSpaces:
1. A resume
2. In lieu of a cover letter, short essay (200 words maximum each) responses to the following
prompts:

• Share why you would excel as a member of our teaching community in the role of Senior Educator, Creative Spaces.
• Describe what you consider the key aspects of a successful, multi-generational art-making program in a museum.
• Referencing the Art Institute's Mission and Values, describe how you embed antiracism and equity into your teaching practice.

3. A teaching artifact or lesson plan representing an art-making activity that you've designed
and taught for children or families.
Grade Level 7 - Union
RESPONSIBILITIES
Event and Program Production: Plan and implement an annual calendar of innovative, high impact art-making programs emanating from the RLC for multi-generational audiences, which may include workshops, drop-ins events, and large-scale festivals; align content development with contemporary arts pedagogy and current research on creative development and practice; hire, manage, and co-create programming with local teaching artists; project manage and coordinate large-scale events with collaborative departmental teams; collaborate with colleagues in the development and design of programming in the Artist's Studio
Learning Space Activation: Supports daily activities and actively works as needed in the Art Exchange; collaborates to develop and maintain the environment of the Art Exchange; identifies, acquires, and manages developmentally appropriate materials and resources; collaborates in the ongoing observation, evaluation, and refinement of Creative Spaces programs, contributes to training and evaluating volunteers.
Teaching and Training: Actively design and teach in art-making programs; write studio lesson plans, collaborate and co-design programs with teaching artists, assist in the training of staff, interns, and volunteers; supervise, collaborate with, and evaluate contracted teaching artists.
Communication and Collaboration: Co-develop print and digital communications for multi-generational programming including promotional materials, learning resources, interpretation labels, and descriptive online content; effectively manage day-to-day communications that are timely, productive, and congenial; contribute to the community of practice within the Ryan Learning Center; collaborate with colleagues across the department on interdisciplinary and cross-audience efforts; maintains clear communication with supervisor and colleagues about ongoing projects and priorities.
Administration: Coordinate meetings, manage multi-generational event calendar, maintain and develop efficient administrative processes and procedures; co-develop, monitor, and track budgets for supplies and contractors; assist with funding reports; identify evaluation opportunities, gather data and documentation, contribute to analysis and assessment, and apply learning to future decision-making; manage divisional digital archive.
Research and Learning: Maintain an awareness and understanding of AIC permanent collections and exhibitions supported by research; contribute to the development of collection and exhibition learning initiatives for the department, engage in ongoing research to support program design - attend local artist events, cultivate a network of teaching artists; benchmark research peer institutions, share learning and encourage connections with the rest of the department, contribute to the field of museum education through by regular presenting and publishing.
QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum 3 years of experience working with a diverse range of audiences in museums or informal education settings preferred
• Experience with artistic practices, working with artists, designing curriculum, teaching with works of art, and/or developing art-related content required
• Experience in event production and/or project management
• Proficiency in MSOffice, Google suite, using database systems, and managing data across multiple platforms
• Energy and enthusiasm for the mission of the museum and demonstrated commitment to advancing the museum's values
• Creative thinker who employs research, collaboration, and imagination to problem-solve
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, including ability to communicate with audiences of different backgrounds, levels of knowledge, and types of ability
• Spanish language fluency is an asset in this position
• Bachelor's degree in Art Education, Studio Arts, or related field, preferred or equivalent experience

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION
The Art Institute of Chicago is an equal opportunity, equal access employer fully committed to achieving a diverse and inclusive workplace. We believe in a staff culture that benefits from a wide range of experience, backgrounds, and career paths, and we encourage nontraditional candidates to apply.