Creative Teaching Opportunities

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.

 

Consider joining us as a part-time, contract faculty member by submitting your curriculum vitae, electronic examples of your work, and a statement of interest to teach course(s) or workshop(s) in one or more disciplines for the Kirk Newman School, listed below. Please indicate if you are interested in teaching a course (usually the full length of a semester) or a workshop (often 1-3 days/sessions), or both, when submitting your materials.

 

Once complete, these application materials will be shared with the hiring committees and kept on file for one year. The school director and respective department leader will reach out to discuss your submission materials should an opportunity be available within the respective department.
 

• 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 screenprinting.
• 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. 

 

SUMMARY OF TEACHING POSITION
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.
 

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
This position is not expected to directly supervise any staff, classroom monitors, or volunteers.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be flexible and able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.