Fall​/Lead Teaching Artist

Art Works for Milwaukee’s mission is strengthening Milwaukee’s workforce through arts internships that help teens develop career skills.

In a city working to overcome generations of trauma, poverty, high unemployment, and segregation, Milwaukee youth deserve our attention. Art Works provides high school students with paid and unpaid internships in the arts. These internships include mentorship from professional artists, creative independent and collaborative projects, engagement with community issues, one-on-one learning, and exposure to workforce skills. Art Works aims to make its programs inclusive of all students and does not require that participants have arts experience, but it's likely that some will have skills in art-making due to the scope of Art Works' programs.

Art Works has a three-tiered structure, beginning with an introductory unpaid internship, followed by an intermediate paid internship, and ending with a paid entrepreneurship internship. Every Art Works internship is designed to help teens develop the 21st century skills, transferable job skills that are critical to today’s working world. Each internship also includes reflection, self-evaluation, and formal feedback to measure the interns’ understanding, demonstration, and application of 21st century skills.

Job Summary

Art Works for Milwaukee is seeking lead teaching artists for its Fall 2019, Spring 2020, and Summer 2020 programs. Lead artists play a critical role in the facilitation, execution, and overall success of the organization’s programs. Programs run between eight and 14 weeks, combining art-making and professional development with an objective to prepare teenagers for their future. The programs will implement art projects to introduce a group of eight to 12 participants to 21st century job skills.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Implement Art Works’ curriculum and make modifications where necessary during programming
• Support social emotional learning (SEL) through arts and workforce readiness instruction
• Maintain consistent focus on 21st century skills throughout program sessions
• Supervise participants, managing behaviors with empathy
• Act as a positive role model and mentor to all participants
• Provide group as well as one-on-one instruction
• Establish a safe learning and social environment for all students and site staff
• Guide students through projects while also allowing independent decision-making
• Communicate effectively with program staff and interns throughout programming
• Document successes and challenges after each session for program staff’s review
• Provide feedback and evaluations to interns to maximize individual success
• Submit attendance and other required paperwork to program staff in a timely manner
• Attend all lead artist trainings, meetings, and program sessions
• Adhere to policies and guidelines of Art Works and program site
• Perform other duties as assigned

Art Works for Milwaukee is currently hiring for the below programs.Lead artists must be available during the entire duration of the program.

Program Name:LGBTQ+ Gender Fluidity Photography Exhibit - Fall 2019
Arts Medium:Photography
Schedule:Week days TBD | 4:30-7pm
1 day per week:
September 17th, 2019 - December 13th, 2019 | 2 days per week:
February 10th, 2020 - May 15th, 2020
Location:LGBT Community Center (1110 North Market Street, 2nd Floor, Milwaukee, WI 53202)
Program Description:In a partnership between Art Works for Milwaukee and the LGBT Community Center, this program aims to provide emotional, social, and professional support to LGBTQ+ youth in Milwaukee through an academic-year-long internship. High school interns will collaborate with a lead artist to create a photography collection and corresponding art exhibition on Gallery Night and Day. All program participants and supervisors will identify as LGBTQ+.

The content of the photography collection will focus on gender fluidity, bringing attention and awareness to the beauty of Milwaukee’s LGBTQ+ population. The LGBT Center and Art Works will combine their missions to contribute to creating a more inclusive society and workforce, as well as promoting understanding…