Creative Teaching Opportunities

Kalamazoo Institute of Arts is a mission-driven, equal opportunity employer

Updated 8.13.26

The Kirk Newman Art School is one of the leading community-based art schools in the United States. Founded in 1931, the school has nurtured the creative passions of tens of thousands of students around the region, state, and beyond, annually welcoming more than 3,400 enrollments. Students of all ages engage with our talented and committed faculty as a part of an exciting fine arts curriculum.

Our spring and summer camps welcome approximately 500 youth and prepare the next generation of creative and passionate citizens. Intensive workshops, visiting artists, and other creative learning opportunities contribute to the vibrant community within the school.

• Ceramics:
  Electric, gas, salt, and raku kilns plus one off-site anagama kiln. Glaze lab and onsite clay mixing facilities, Brent electric pottery wheels, slab rollers, extruder, and molds.
• Sculpture:
  Clay, metal welding, wood, and bronze casting foundry. Plaster room, plasma cutter, vacuum tables, sand blaster, work tables, and welding benches.
• Jewelry:
  Fabrication equipment, vacuum and centrifugal casting, sand blaster, rolling mills, lapidary equipment, and kilns. Professional jewelry benches.
• Drawing/Painting:
  Facilities for drawing, oil and acrylic painting, watercolor, and mixed media. Ventilated painting studio, easels, taborets, and storage.
• Printmaking:
  Intaglio, photo etching, woodblock, lithography, and screen printing.
• Fiber: 24 floor looms, inkle and rigid heddle looms, spinning wheels, and equipment for felting and dyeing.
• Photography: 12 enlargers, chemistry, and systems for alternative processes. Fully-equipped darkroom and available lighting studio.
• Glass Fusing:
  Facilities for kiln-formed and kiln-fused glass. Onsite glass kiln.
• Enrichment:
  Languages and creative writing, wellness, and creative practice.
• Children’s Department:
  Family programs, classes for ages 3-4, 5 to Kindergarten, grades 1-3, grades 4-6, middle and high school, and youth spring and summer camps.

We are particularly interested in instructors who possess expertise in: hand sewing, fiber design, basketry, clothing construction, paper making, 3D mixed media, jewelry making, creative professional development, wellness, movement, and youth arts education.

• For Spring 2027 Teaching:
  Application materials are reviewed no later than October
  1. Spring semester runs Apr 5 to May 28, 2027. Application link for winter will close on October
  2. Please note that the dates listed here are subject to slight adjustments.

Working under the respective Chair and/or Department Head for your discipline, Kirk Newman Art School faculty serve a wide range of students from across the Kalamazoo region and are responsible for instruction that inspires students' creative process, self-expression, and artistic skill building. Faculty members are expected to design and deliver high quality instruction in your area of expertise and professional discipline.

Faculty may also work in close collaboration with other faculty, institutional staff, and stakeholders when necessary. Classes are offered during winter, spring, summer, and fall semesters and may span several weeks or be designed to deliver shorter one-day or multi-day workshop experiences. Faculty work with respective Chair and/or Department Head by season to teach core curricular classes or to develop courses that enhance the curriculum and fit into the availability of classrooms, studios, equipment, and interests.

Courses are generally offered Mondays through Thursdays with daytime and evening options available until 9pm or on Saturdays and Sundays from mornings until mid afternoon.

• Develop and deliver engaging course descriptions to be submitted in a timely manner for feedback and approval by the respective Chair and/or Department Head for your discipline, in collaboration with the School Director and KIA staff, as needed; collaborate with colleagues on course curriculum where necessary.
• Communicate…