Museum Education Fellowship Program 2022-2023

Application Form

The Museum Education Fellowship Program is a ten-month program designed to support the professional education of highly motivated individuals who have recently completed undergraduate or graduate studies. The first six weeks of the Fellowship are comprised of an intensive training period designed to provide foundational skills and knowledge for supporting programs across the Museum’s Education Division. After the training period, Fellows will gain in-depth fieldwork experience by designing, facilitating, and teaching programs that address the needs of adult, school, teen and family audiences. Additionally, all Museum Education Fellows conduct original qualitative research exploring the intersection of theory and practice. Fellows leave the program with extensive experience teaching and programming for a variety of audiences, and with a completed professional teaching portfolio.

Successful candidates must be able to demonstrate an interest in art, education, and museums; an investment in working with diverse museum audiences; a commitment to teaching with art objects; support for the Brooklyn Museum’s mission and collections; and experience teaching and/or programming in formal or informal learning environments.

Application deadline: NEW! Deadline has been extended through May 11 at 11:59pm.

If you have any questions, please consult our FAQ and feel free to contact us at bkm.fellowship@brooklynmuseum.org.

The Museum Education Fellowship Program is a hands-on experience where, along with research, workshops, and reading discussions, fellows receive rigorous on-the-job training and intensive mentorship in the theory and practice of museum pedagogy. The Fellowship Program is intellectually demanding; successful candidates demonstrate diligence, critical thinking, and creativity. Fellows forge professional contacts, hone their career goals, and develop marketable skills in teaching and programming.

Each of the Fellows lead in-gallery lessons for K-12 school groups through the Guided Gallery Visits and/or Virtual Gallery Visits, and have responsibilities specific to their respective tracks (School and Family Programs; School and Public Programs; School and Teen Programs).

Responsibilities:

●        Attend a six-week training program at the beginning of the Fellowship, which may require time spent outside work hours on reading and practicum preparations

●        Design and teach up to two Guided Gallery Visits and/or Virtual Gallery Visits (VGV) for school groups per day, honing a personal pedagogical approach while maintaining School Programs’ standards of excellence. During in-person GGV’s Fellows typically stand for up to 1.5 hours and travel throughout the galleries with a bag of materials weighing 5-10 pounds; accommodations can be made to support individuals with barriers to these physical aspects of teaching.

●        Participate in professional development sessions facilitated by our experienced Education and Curatorial staff, in order to complete the program with extensive experience teaching and programming for a variety of audiences

●        Conduct qualitative research throughout the year to learn about museum education theory and practice, and present a completed research project in June 2023

●        Complete a professional teaching portfolio

Requirements:

●        Bachelor’s degree or commensurate experience preferably in fine arts, art history, cultural studies, education, and other humanities, though candidates from other academic backgrounds are welcome to apply

●        Experience teaching and/or programming in-person or virtually, in formal or informal learning environments

●        Familiarity with art-making and experience looking at and discussing art objects

●        Investment in working with diverse museum audiences and supporting our mission, and a commitment to equity and social justice

●        Ability to manage time effectively, including prioritizing tasks, maintaining calendars, blocking out work time, and balancing academic and logistical responsibilities

●        Willingness to learn as part of a community, and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team

●        Ability to actively move throughout the museum with or without accommodations for up to 2.5 hours at a time, and spend periods of time interacting with children who are seated on the floor

●        Proof of ability to work in the United States is required. We do not sponsor visa applications, though past applicants have worked with international student organizations to secure visas for themselves.

 Additional Qualifications (preferred but not mandatory):

●        Experience teaching in an art museum, non-profit organization, or similar institution

●        Experience with and ability to personally reflect on issues of race, class, gender, identity, sexuality, and dis/ability

 Start and end dates: September 12, 2022 - June 23, 2023

 Department: Education

 Reports to: Adult Learning Manager

 Position type: Full-time, temporary

 Union status: Non-union

 FLSA status: Non-exempt

 Salary: $22/hour ($32,340 for 10 months) (subject to payroll taxes) plus benefits

Schedule: 35 hours per week, Monday through Friday, Tuesday - Saturday, or Sunday - Thursday. Guided gallery visits occur on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, from 10 am to 1 pm. Some evening hours and one Saturday/month may be required.

 

Position tracks:

We will host three different positions for the 2022-2023 Fellowship Program: School and Family Programs; School and Public Programs; School and Teen Programs.  In addition to the above responsibilities and qualifications, each of these positions have additional responsibilities and qualifications specific to the position track.  Please review these carefully to determine which position(s) you would like to apply.

School and Family Programs Fellow:

The School and Family Programs Fellow offers logistical and pedagogical support to our Family & Community Programs department. Family Programs focuses on weekly or monthly classes and workshops for children 0–6 and their caregivers. Past programs have included Stroller Tours, Meet the Museum, and F.A.M. (Family Art Magic), as well as larger initiatives such as the Family Benefit Party and Cool Culture Family Festival; programs for the 2022-23 year will be determined by summer 2022.  Family &Community Programs also include art classes and camps as well as access programs.

Requirements:

●        Enthusiasm for multigenerational learning, especially with early childhood audiences

Additional Qualifications (preferred but not mandatory):

●        Experience teaching art-making to K-12 audiences

●        Experience teaching toddlers and early elementary-aged children in school or out-of-school contexts

●        Studio art practice (such as drawing, painting, sculpture, or photography) and knowledge of traditional art mediums and techniques.

The School and Public Programs Fellow:

The School and Public Programs Fellow provides administrative and production support for a robust and dynamic Public Programs department. The Fellow joins our industry-leading team of cultural producers in bringing our eclectic schedule of free and low-cost art, culture, and social justice programs to Brooklyn communities and beyond, particularly our renowned First Saturdays and Thursday evening programs. They leave the intensive program with a skillset in event production, collaborating with artists, public speaking, and engaging diverse communities and age groups.

Requirements:

●     Demonstrated writing, research, and communication skills, and excellent attention to detail

●     Problem-solving skills and capacity to exercise flexibility; event production or hospitality management experience is particularly helpful

Additional Qualifications (preferred but not mandatory):

●     Familiarity with cultural trends in Brooklyn and New York City, such as recent developments in literature, art, music, fashion, nightlife, or academic scholarship

School and Teen Programs Fellow:

 The Teen Programs Fellow offers logistical and pedagogical support to our Teen Programs department, specially the Teen Night Planning Committee, a paid teen internship in public programming. The Fellow plays a key role in mentoring teen staff, who develop arts based public programs for NYC teens, including large-scale Teen Nights, grounded in art and activism.

Additional Qualifications (preferred but not mandatory):

●        Experience teaching art-making to K–12 audiences

●        Experience teaching and mentoring teens in school or out-of-school contexts

●        Experience planning events, parties, and/or other public programs

●        Experience with social media and graphic design

●        Studio art practice (such as drawing, painting, sculpture, or photography) and knowledge of traditional art mediums and techniques.

Optional: How would you describe your gender, sexual orientation and racial/ethnic background?

At the Brooklyn Museum, we are committed to equal opportunity and diversity in our recruitment and hiring. Qualified candidates of varied backgrounds are welcome and encouraged to apply. To this end, we invite you to answer the personal identification questions below. Submission of this information is voluntary and will not affect the terms and/or conditions of employment. Refusal to provide this information will not subject you to any adverse treatment.

Please check off any & all that apply:

References and Letters of Recommendation

At this time we ask for the names and contact information for two references.  We do not require letters of recommendation for the initial application; however, please note that you may be required to submit two letters of recommendation if you are a semi-finalist.

Resume tips: Please 'curate' your resume to help the hiring committee easily read and understand how your skills and experiences prepare you for the Fellowship Program. Jobs outside of the art world (eg. retail, administration) draw upon many valuable skills--please help the hiring committee by highlighting those skills that most clearly align with the Education Fellowship job description(s).

We encourage you to have a mentor, professor, or someone else familiar with internship and fellowship application processes review your application and resume before submitting.  Additionally, don't forget to review your resume for typos.