Digital Media Arts Instructor
Full-Time, Non-Exempt
Creative Growth Art Center is committed to being an inclusive work environment through diversity of people, ideas, talents, and experiences. We highly encourage people of color, individuals with disabilities, and members of other historically excluded groups to apply. We are committed to providing a culturally safe workplace, and recognize that this looks different for everyone. We will work with existing staff and new hires to identify and ensure respect for cultural safety needs and increase opportunities to connect, engage, and thrive. Creative Growth is actively working on increasing fluency in equity issues, and has been participating in ongoing organization-wide training in justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
The Opportunity
Creative Growth is seeking to add a new Digital Media Arts instructor to its Studio team. Client artists in Creative Growth’s video and digital media lab work with technology to create a wide range of digital artwork, from live action videos to 3D renders. The Creative Growth Digital Media Lab is a place to explore new tools to create innovative forms of artistic expression. The program is designed to support client artists in developing independence, self-direction, and creative expression while acquiring digital skills for art making, professional development, and self-publishing. As an inherently cutting-edge art practice, the creation, application, and exhibition of digital art is constantly evolving, and the instructor is expected to respond in kind.
The right candidate will be fully aligned with Creative Growth's core values of creativity, respect, care, self-expression, and accessibility and commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
The Organization
Creative Growth Art Center is the oldest and largest nonprofit art studio for artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and concurrent disabilities. Our mission is to advance the inclusion of artists with developmental disabilities in contemporary art and strengthen community through a supportive studio environment and gallery representation.
Founded in 1974 on the idea that all people are capable of producing works of high artistic merit and that the act of creating can be transformative, Creative Growth now serves 140–160 artists with disabilities (primarily adults, with an ancillary youth program) and positions their work within the contemporary art world. At Creative Growth, the process of creating is honored and celebrated, and the impact of that recognition and appreciation transforms the lives of the artists. Most Creative Growth artists receive funding to attend Creative Growth's programs through the California Regional Center system, and all artists receive 50% of the net proceeds from sales of their artwork.
The Creative Growth Studio provides professional-grade art-making classes in a variety of media. At the heart of the program is a team of working artists/instructors who support and encourage individual creativity by creating an open, adaptive environment with few rules and no judgment—a space where a community of creators work side by side inspiring, encouraging, and celebrating one another. The Gallery presents public exhibitions in Oakland and online and represents the artists at national and international art fairs. Work made by Creative Growth artists is included in major collections and institutions worldwide, such as MoMA (New York), SFMOMA, the Smithsonian Institution, the Studio Museum of Harlem, American Folk Art Museum, the Centre Pompidou (Paris), the Collection de L’Art Brut (Switzerland), and The Museum of Everything (London).
Duties and Responsibilities:
Provide Creative Growth client artists with opportunities to explore and apply, and develop engaging instructional strategies incorporating, traditional and new media technologies, including digital graphics, video, 2D and 3D visual effects, and analog/digital hybrids.
Stay current on video and digital media exhibition opportunities and platforms and work with the Creative Growth Gallery and Communications teams to support client artists’ creation of exhibition-ready digital assets.
Maintain a safe, organized and functional work area and positive classroom environment that supports client artists’ independent learning, collaboration, and choice; work with other staff to maintain Studio safety.
Set artistic goals and evaluate client artists’ progress from an artist-/person-centered perspective.
Monitor and document artist behavior, well-being, and attendance.
Assist Client Services team with creation and presentation of Individual Service Plans (ISPs) and Development team with information gathering for grant reporting.
Maintain computers, video equipment, and Digital Media Lab technology.
Work cooperatively and professionally with other staff, volunteers, and client artists.
Maintain client artist confidentiality in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).
Provide support for client artist web portal, Zoom classes, video editing and production, and technical support to other classes and departments, when needed.
Attend staff meetings and participate in special events.
Other duties as assigned by Studio Director.
Qualifications
You are an ideal candidate if you:
Have a master’s degree in fine arts (MFA) or a closely related field.
Have experience working with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Familiarity with and ability to implement person-centered principles.
Are a self-starter and work independently, and are inventive and able to multitask.
Find satisfaction in helping others achieve their goals.
Are enthusiastically committed to the vision, mission, and core values of Creative Growth.
Possess compassion and respect for the community we support.
Enjoy working in a diverse, creative, collaborative, and fast-paced environment.
Share with us a respect for diverse backgrounds and voices and a commitment to inclusion, accessibility, and equity.
Have strong project management and collaboration skills.
Proficiency with Google Suite and Zoom.
Are a practicing, professional digital media artist with a diverse portfolio and exhibition history.
Requirements
Bachelor’s degree in fine arts (BFA) or a closely related field, or equivalent experience
Minimum 2 years’ experience in video production and other digital media arts
Minimum 1 year of teaching experience
Working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite, and Apple products
Ability to research, learn, and train others to use software that serves the needs and desires of Creative Growth client artists
Flexibility, ability to adapt to frequently changing circumstances
Successful completion of the following background checks and clearances, as mandated by the State of California, Community Care Licensing (CCL) Division, for all employees of licensed facilities such as Creative Growth: record of criminal history obtained from California Department of Justice, i.e., clearance to work in a licensed facility; record of health screening, including negative TB test results; and current First Aid and CPR certification (Creative Growth will provide necessary training and cover the cost of acquiring these certifications)
COVID-19 vaccination or legally valid exemption
Special Environmental Factors
While work is remote:
○ The Creative Growth Studio is temporarily closed due to COVID-19 and staff and client artists are primarily working remotely from locations they choose. This position requires frequent meetings and other communication/engagement with current and potential new client artists, artist families and care providers, Regional Center case managers, and Creative Growth staff using Zoom, Google Meet, and telephone.
When the Studio is open:
○ The Studio is a busy, active, open, and sometimes loud environment, with an average of 75 client artists with disabilities working on artistic projects each day.
○ The Studio is equipped with heavy machinery in the woodshop, which occasionally makes loud noise and generates dust.
○ While Creative Growth has made great efforts to minimize toxic fumes and ask staff, volunteers, and artists to refrain from wearing perfumed products, the Studio contains art supplies that may trigger chemical sensitivities.
○ Several of the administrative offices and meeting areas are on the second floor, accessible by two sets of stairs and one elevator. Weekly management team meetings and other occasional meetings also take place on the second floor.
Artist Susan Janow working on a video with Studio Instructor Helena Gonzalez
This position reports to: Studio Director
The Digital Media Arts Instructor position is a full-time (35 hours per week), non-exempt position; the hourly rate for this position is $28 per hour. Creative Growth’s operational hours are 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, with occasional programs and events on evenings and weekends. Duties may be performed in part on site and in part remotely. Creative Growth is unable to provide housing or travel assistance.
This position includes the following benefits:
100%-premium coverage for medical/dental/vision insurance
Medical and dependent care FSA and commuter benefits plan
Life insurance and long-term disability
Chiropractor and acupuncture benefits
Generous paid time off: 22-32 days (154-224 hours) per year, based on length of employment with Creative Growth, with a maximum accrual of 224 hours
11 paid holidays (including birthday)
Employee Assistance Program (counseling, financial, and legal services, training through an outside vendor)
Please submit cover letter and résumé in PDF format via email to jobs@creativegrowth.org (with “Digital Media Arts Instructor” in the subject header). Due to the volume of applicants, only candidates who will be invited to interview will be contacted. Position is open until filled.