Freelance Museum Educator

The Whitney Museum seeks Freelance Museum Educators to work with K-12 School, Access and Community Groups for the 2023-2024 school year.

Whitney Programs connect the Whitney’s collection and exhibitions to K-12 classrooms. They ask K-12 students to consider the role of the artist in multiple ways—as observer of the world around us, as storyteller presenting a unique point of view, as experimenter of materials and processes, and as critic of American history, politics, and contemporary culture. Customized tours and workshops invite students to learn about the Whitney’s art and artists in an inclusive and welcoming environment.

Responsibilities:

• Creating and leading Guided Visits for K-12 School groups. During these one-hour and ten-minute-long thematic gallery tours, Whitney educators introduce students to three to five works of art through discussions and activities that incorporate the artists’ voice and process. Freelance educators are responsible for doing research on artists and creating engaging, developmentally appropriate inquiry-based lesson plans that are tailored to what the students are working on in the classroom
• Creating and leading Guided Visit + Studio Programs for K-12 School groups. Freelance educators lead a 1-hour and 10-minute thematic gallery tour followed by a 1-hour art making session in our Studio. They are responsible for developing these lesson plans and integrating the gallery and studio components into a cohesive lesson
• Creating and leading Online Lessons for K-12 School groups, in which Freelance Educators will introduce students to two works of art through close looking exercises, guided discussions and activities
• Creating and leading Guided Visits and Studio Programs for students with a range of physical, developmental, and sensory disabilities
• Creating and leading Guided Visits and Studio Programs for community groups serving diverse audiences such as low-income seniors, residents of the nearby NYCHA houses, immigrants, and LGBTQ+ youth
• Communicating effectively with teachers to tailor museum lessons to classroom curriculum
• Working and communicating effectively with School, Access, and Community Programs, and Group Services staff, and working thoughtfully with other educators
• Being reflective and thoughtful about the Whitney’s approach to gallery-based teaching
• Submitting invoices in a timely fashion
• Attending training sessions and curator-led walkthroughs of exhibitions.

Requirements:

• B.A./MA/M.F.A./ in art history, contemporary art, American studies, and/or museum education;
• 3+ years teaching experience, including work with K-12 students and teachers;
• Bilingual a plus
• Strong organizational and communication skills
• Successful candidates will have sound knowledge of educational and developmental theory
• A passion for modern and contemporary art
• Flexible and able to work well in a group
• An interest in working with diverse groups of students
• Available to teach at least 3 mornings a week

Compensation:

• Freelance Educators will be paid differently for each program led; for example, $110 per tour, $350 for full-day trainings and special projects

If interested, please submit cover letter and resume by November 10th, 2023.

The advertised pay rate is not a promise of a particular wage for any specific employee. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may be dependent on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, education, special licensing or qualifications, and other factors.

About the Whitney

The Whitney Museum of American Art, founded in 1930 by the artist and philanthropist Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, houses the foremost collection of American art from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. From her vision arose the Whitney Museum of American Art, which has been championing the most innovative art of the United States for 86 years. The core of the Whitney’s mission is to collect, preserve, interpret, and exhibit American art of our time and serve a wide variety of audiences in celebration of the complexity and diversity of art and culture in the United States. Through this mission and a steadfast commitment to artists themselves, the Whitney has long been a powerful force in support of modern and contemporary art and continues to help define what is innovative and influential in American art today.

EEO Statement

The Whitney Museum of American Art is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Museum does not discriminate because of age, sex, religion, race, color, creed, national origin, alienage or citizenship, disability, marital status, partnership status, veteran status, gender (including gender identity), sexual orientation, or any other factor prohibited by law. The Museum hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled. The Museum encourages all qualified candidates to apply for vacant positions at all levels. This description shall not be construed as a contract of any sort for a specific period of employment.

COVID Guidelines

The health and safety of our Museum community is the highest priority. As such, the Whitney Museum is requiring all newly hired staff members to be fully vaccinated and boosted with an FDA authorized and/or approved COVID-19 vaccine as a condition of employment. Requests for reasonable accommodations for medical, religious, or other reasons will be considered in accordance with applicable law.