POSITION TITLE: Public Engagement and Social Practice Specialist
UNIT: Academic Affairs
REPORTS TO: Director of H&R Block Artspace
CATEGORY: Full-time Exempt
DATE: August 2023
PAY: $45,000 – $50,000
Reporting to the Director of the H&R Block Artspace, the Public Engagement and Social Practice Specialist will create opportunities to bridge student and academic engagement with the public through credit-bearing experiences and public-facing initiatives. They will engage with the community by working collaboratively with Artspace staff and the faculty of KCAI to create opportunities for the community to interact with the Artspace in innovative ways. They will provide leadership for the Social Practice minor.
Social Practice Minor Leadership
- Provide support and direction for the Social Practice minor:
- Monitor student progress and consult with advisement staff as needed to support students
- Coordinate the scheduling of classes and publicize social practice opportunities for students
- Work with faculty and staff to develop new social practice courses
- Conduct exit interviews with outgoing social practice graduates
- Plan social practice events, including workshops, end-of-semester shows, symposia, etc.
- Manage incidental budget for social practice and complete all reporting requirements for grant-funded activities, assessment, etc.
- Promote the Social Practice minor at all recruitment events and internally to all students.
- Teach the 1-credit Social Practice Capstone Seminar and one other 3-credit Social Practice course (elective or required) as needed.
- Guide and oversee documentation and narratives for students’ projects for the archive and for communications purposes
- Cultivate relationships with external entities (non-profits, government agencies, etc) to support social practice student activities and increase the profile of the social practice program and the H&R Block Artspace
Public Engagement
- Participate in regular Artspace staff meetings and contribute to long-range planning efforts for exhibition and public program series to expand opportunities for outreach and collaboration, on and off campus
- Develop and deliver a range of inviting programs to make contemporary art accessible to a wide range of audience members and connect Artspace programming to new partners and existing communities
- Develop and contribute content to introduce contemporary art practices, programs, and initiatives for Artspace newsletter, social media, and, as needed, grant proposals and reporting
- Build a network of regional socially engaged practitioners, including KCAI alumni, develop visiting artist proposals and nominations for cross-departmental opportunities, and research cultural organizations with social practice initiatives
Highly Preferred
- MFA/MA in Studio Art/Art History/Museum or Curatorial Studies/Art Education or a related field
- Teaching experience at the college level
Required
- BFA in Studio Art/Art History/Museum or Curatorial Studies/Art Education or a related field
- Public programming and/or audience engagement experience
- Teaching experience
- Socially engaged creative practice
Requirements when applying:
- Resume, Portfolio, and Writing Samples are required.
Kansas City Art Institute intends the above statements to describe the general nature and level of work performed by an individual assigned to this position. We do not intend these statements to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Management retains the discretion to add to or change the duties of this position at any time. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.
Kansas City Art Institute is fully committed to Equal Employment Opportunity and to attracting, retaining, developing, and promoting the most qualified employees without regard to their race, gender, gender identity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, citizenship status, veteran status, or any other characteristic prohibited by federal, state or local law. KCAI provides reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in the job application process. If you have difficulty using our online system and need accommodation due to a disability, you may contact the Human Resources Department about your interest in employment. Any questions or concerns can be directed to Kansas City Art Institute’s Human Resource Administrator at hr@kcai.edu.
EOE/AA: Minorities/Females/Disabled/Vets