Under the supervision of the Co-Directors, the Programs and Editorial Associate will coordinate and create various programs and editorial contents for Skowhegan. The position will primarily provide direct support and will collaborate with the Co-Director Ruth Estevez in strategizing and managing the different aspects of the NY program with Alumni, guest artists, writers and other collaborators, while creating new editorial content related to Skowhegan’s legacy and mission. The incoming Programs and Editorial Associate will contribute to the overall institutional vision for Skowhegan as a leader organization in promoting more equitable and inclusive cultural spaces.
This newly created position involves the possibility of transmitting, translating, and making visible the school’s work philosophy through various programs and publications. The Programs and Editorial Associate will collaborate with former Skowhegan participants and guest artists and writers, create new digital and print content, establish relationships with other organizations that share a similar ethos, and provide a platform to consider alternative forms of community, learning, and artistic production.
This position requires excellent detail-oriented organization, communication, a commitment to advancing equity and exchange, and an interest in art and education. This position also requires very strong editorial skill and experience writing content both for programmatic events, publications and other different contexts in contemporary art.
SKOWHEGAN’S MISSION
For nearly eight decades, Skowhegan has offered artists the opportunity to engage within an experimental framework based on the idea of sharing knowledge and skills within and among artists. The main program at Skowhegan is the School in Maine. During the nine-week Summer Program, participants working across all disciplines have the opportunity to live as a community of peers on our 350-acre campus in rural Maine. Participants devote time to their studio practices while participating in a collective learning process through a variety of skill-sharing and theoretical workshops, group and individual studio visits, performances, lectures, and reading groups. Based on a transversal open structure, Skowhegan creates a space in which the participants design the program’s contents in full collaboration and alongside an international and distinguished group of residents and visiting artists who serve as faculty. In a continuously work-in-progress environment that prioritizes process and exchange, each individual’s practice influences the collective experience discussing what “making” means to artists.
The School has its headquarters offices in New York. During the off-session it ensures that the School’s mission is accomplished through different efforts and initiatives: by creating community and facilitating engagement with former Alumni, faculty and collaborators; by creating on-site and digital programs focusing on education; by establishing a robust philanthropic network that can ensure that the School and its various programs remain accessible to all in order to promote education and exchange.
RESPONSIBILITIES
PUBLIC PROGRAMS AND EDITORIAL CONTENTS
- Manage and coordinate public programs (talks, performances, walking tours, etc.) This includes but is not limited to: working in collaboration with the Co-director in conceptualizing, contacting and maintaining correspondence with artists/speakers/performers etc; facilitating audience Q&As; and other tasks related to the events.
- Conduct research on artists archives, books, authors, films, and speakers for future public programs and editorial projects aligned with the Skowhegan philosophy and ethos.
- Conduct extensive research on Skowhegan’s archive, bringing fresh perspectives into the narratives and presentations of Skowhegan’s legacy through scholarship, and through their engagement with colleagues across the field.
- Assisting in creating new relationships with international platforms and schools for possible collaborations.
- Affirm Skowhegan’s commitment to artists of diverse backgrounds and practices by creating a broad selection of cross-media content about the program—past, present and future. Contribute to the development of future digital and printed publications both coordinating the contents and providing ideas for their realizations
- Collaborating with the Communications Coordinator in organizing and coordinating texts for outreach for events, or any other campaigns organized by the School.
- Provide assistance in the preparation of program descriptions for printed and virtual materials. Obtain information from collaborators, publishers, and speakers, including headshots, speaker biographies, and books;
- Creating texts, review and copy for publications, e-news mailings, and other material.
- Works within a team environment and promotes dialogue, engagement, and collaboration with colleagues.
SKILL & EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS
- Bachelor’s degree. MA in Art History, Curatorial Studies or MFA preferred and at least 4 to 5 years of related experience. Experience working in art nonprofits is desirable.
- Proven experience in public programming and project management in an art institution.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage effectively with students, faculty, and external partners.
- Strong editorial skills. Experience in writing and editing within the field of contemporary art.
- Experience in making research and working with archives is desirable.
- Relationships and networks with learning institutions and artist-led-spaces that share Skowhegan’s ethos; experience collaborating with such institutions and spaces. International experience is a plus.
- Astute design sensibility, experience in Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Premiere, Acrobat
Skowhegan is an equal opportunity employer. Skowhegan’s community is diverse, and we wish to foster that diversity in this workplace. Toward that end, Skowhegan does not discriminate against individuals in hiring, employment or promotion on the basis of race, religion, color, sex/gender, gender identity and gender expression, age, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, citizenship, disability status, veteran or military status, political belief, pregnancy, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by law.
Position Type: Full-time, Non-Exempt.
Work Schedule: 40 Hours per week. 4 days on site and 1 day remote.
Salary: The salary range for this position is $70,000 – $75,000 with competitive benefits including paid time off, health, dental, and matching 401k plan.
HOW TO APPLY
Interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume in a single PDF with the subject ‘Associate Programs and Editorial’ to jobs@skowheganart.org
