Public Programs & Partnerships Manager

Public Programs & Partnerships Manager

Hartford, CT, US

4 days ago Requisition

Salary Range: $57,000.00 To $65,000.00 Annually

The Public Programs and Partnerships Manager designs and produces welcoming, inspiring, and culturally engaging experiences that bring the museum’s collections, exhibitions, and civic role to life for broad public audiences. The position is part of a dynamic team that creates programs for all audiences.

Working across departments and with artists, performers, educators, community partners, colleges, universities, and other cultural collaborators, this position develops programs that invite curiosity, conversation, creativity, and connection. This role is central to helping new and returning visitors see The Wadsworth as a place for them—not only as a place to look at art, but a place to gather, wonder, try something new, laugh, and feel connected by the power of art.

Programs may range from talks, performances, gallery experiences, courses, workshops, and campus collaborations to more experimental formats that lower barriers, spark participation, and reflect the museum’s vibrant public voice.

This role supports learning partnerships with colleges, universities, and other educational collaborators, and participates in all aspects of public engagement in the museum setting, including teaching, exhibition development, and interpretation.

• Develop, produce, and evaluate public programs that make The Wadsworth feel welcoming, relevant, surprising, and alive for a wide range of audiences, including first-time visitors, members, students, young adults, artists, lifelong learners, and community partners.
• Create programs in close collaboration with curatorial, learning and engagement, marketing, visitor experience, development, and operations colleagues, as well as external partners. Programs should connect audiences with the museum’s collections and exhibitions while also opening space for conversation, creativity, performance, reflection, joy, and civic imagination.
• Design a balanced mix of program formats, including artist talks, performances, music, film, conversations, gallery experiences, hands-on workshops, drawing courses, social programs, lectures, community collaborations, and experimental formats that invite participation and reduce barriers to museum engagement.
• Approach public programs as both mission-driven learning experiences and audience-development opportunities, helping attract new visitors, deepen relationships with existing audiences, and strengthen The Wadsworth’s role as a cultural gathering place for Hartford and the region.
• Manage program logistics, including schedules, budgets, contracts, travel, payment requests, floor plans, security and visitor services coordination, facilities and AV needs, documentation, attendance tracking, and post-program assessment.
• Work with the communications and marketing team to shape program descriptions and promotional strategies that are clear, compelling, and accessible to audiences beyond traditional museum-goers.
• Serve as a welcoming educator in galleries and off-site for adults, school and university groups, teacher workshops, special courses and talks.

• Build and sustain partnerships with colleges, universities, community organizations, artists, and other collaborators that expand access to The Wadsworth’s collections, exhibitions, and public programs.
• Develop programs and partnerships that connect the museum to learners at many stages of life, from college and university students to adult learners, educators, interns, and curious members of the public.
• Manage the museum’s Internship Program as funding permits, including fundraising, seeking staff mentors, developing projects, promoting positions, and supporting Interns throughout the program.
• Administer the full Intern recruitment process, including: processing applications, coordinating the application review process, scheduling and participating in candidate interviews; preparing paperwork and coordinating with HR to initiate onboarding.

• Work closely with cross-departmental teams to support exhibition…