Job Description

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

Responsible for delivering engaging, inclusive, and curriculum-connected art instruction for K–12 audiences. Teaching Artists facilitate hands-on studio workshops that complement docent-led gallery tours and align with museum collections and exhibitions.
Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Instruction & Curriculum – 

• Facilitate interactive, thematic art workshops for K–12 students that complement docent-led gallery tours.

• Collaborate with School & Educator Program staff to develop and deliver arts-integrated lessons inspired by SAM’s collections and exhibitions.

• Align instruction with 21st Century Skills (Collaboration, Communication, Creativity, and Critical Thinking), Common Core, Washington State learning standards, and SAM’s equity and inclusion goals.

• Provide instruction, encouragement, and culturally responsive teaching to students of all backgrounds.

Studio Oversight & Volunteer Coordination – 

• Oversee Art Studio Volunteers during workshop preparation, facilitation, and cleanup.

• Create and maintain a welcoming, inclusive, and safe creative environment for students, teachers, and chaperones.

• Ensure cleanliness, organization, and readiness of all studio spaces and materials.

Program Communication & Development – 

• Participate in training sessions, professional development, and departmental meetings.

• Share audience feedback and observations with School & Educator Program staff to support program improvement.

• Provide support with student wayfinding and general navigation during school visits.

• Deliver additional instruction within SAM’s school partnerships and educator programs as needed, based on availability.

Other Duties – 

• Contribute to an institutional focus on exceptional, welcoming, and inclusive customer service—creating positive, meaningful experiences for all visitors, every time.

• Perform other related duties as assigned to support SAM’s mission and educational goals.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Required Qualifications

• Background in Art Education, Fine Arts, or equivalent experience.
• Active visual arts practice and ability to translate artistic concepts into classroom instruction.
• Demonstrated experience with K–12 students, particularly in culturally responsive and inclusive teaching environments.
• Strong classroom management and facilitation skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with staff, volunteers, and students.
• Effective communicator with a dynamic and empathetic presence.
• Skilled in a variety of art materials and techniques.
• Ability to pass and maintain security background check clearance

Preferred Qualifications

• Multilingual fluency is highly desirable.
• Prior experience in museum education settings.
• Experience working with diverse and historically underrepresented communities.

APPROACH TO WORK
We come together to contribute our unique talents towards connecting art to life. We take our passion for the arts and personal connections to the mission, and channel it into our employee, visitor, and partner experience. We hold with care our impact on the local community, the arts and culture sector, and beyond. We know we’re at our best when we create an inclusive and equitable workplace and museum that reflects our plurality. The following are ways we agree to work together – they play an essential role in fulfilling our mission.

Be Accountable : Our work is ambitious – it requires us to stay organized, hold multiple responsibilities, maintain an eye for the details and the big picture, and consistently deliver exceptional work. We rely on our colleagues when working collaboratively and independently. We practice expert time management, are responsible for our commitments and deadlines, and proactively communicate when we need extra support. We know being accountable matters – it’s a commitment to care for everyone we work with.

Be Collaborative : We know that the success of the collective is paramount – we’re all working towards a common goal. Our diverse perspectives strengthen our work, so we default to inclusion. We’re eager to work in partnership cross functionally and create the space for others to contribute to the work.

Cultivate Innovation : Our success is rooted in the creation and adoption of new ideas that make a positive impact. Change is inevitable, so we stay open to the possibilities that come with it. We bring a commitment to navigating new circumstances with flexibility, adaptability, creativity, and persistence. We’re not afraid to meet the moment – taking strategic risks and maximizing resources to create positive change. We lean on each other as we experiment and build new ways of working together.

Bring A Learning Mindset : We know that curiosity and humility are key to our individual and collective growth and ultimately, improving our work. We regularly seek new inputs and perspectives that can expand our thinking. When met with something we don’t understand, we remain open to learning from colleagues and our community. Most importantly, when we encounter an inevitable stumble, we seek feedback and reflect on how to learn from the experience.

Lift Each Other Up : We practice helping each other be successful by empowering, supporting, and celebrating the work of our colleagues, teams, and the institution. An optimistic and inspiring attitude makes our work better – for our colleagues, our visitors, and the broader community we’re part of. We bring integrity and joy to our interactions with others – centering welcoming, engaging, and inspiring interactions with and within SAM.

WORK  SCHEDULE

This is an on-call position with scheduling based on program needs. Sessions typically occur during the academic year.
Current Needs Include:

• Olympic Sculpture Park | Thursdays, 9:30 am–1:00 pm (September–November 2025 and April–June 2026)
• Seattle Art Museum Special Exhibitions | Thursdays and Fridays, 9:30 am–1:00 pm (starting October 23, 2025)

COMPENSATION

• $57.20 per hour for instruction
• $26.00 per hour for training or meetings

BENEFITS

On-Call SAM Staff have access to an onsite fitness facility and SAM’s museum library, can access a no-cost Employee Assistance Program resource, enjoy a 20% discount at the SAM Museum Shop and a 15% discount at SAM’s MARKET cafe, receive 2 SAM guest passes per quarter worked, have a Tier III membership to the American Alliance of Museums, can access 8 Home Free Guarantee cab rides home per year, and accrue paid sick leave at a rate of .0385 per hour worked.

WORK CONDITIONS

• Instruction takes place indoors and occasionally outdoors.
• Requires mobility and the ability to set up classroom environments.
• Some lifting of supplies up to 25 lbs may be required.
• Ability to clearly communicate with children and adults in classroom and public settings.

ACCOMMODATION

The Seattle Art Museum will consider reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions/duties of this position. If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation to best enable your success in the role, please discuss this possibility with a member of our HR team at [email protected].

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Celebrating difference . At Seattle Art Museum, our members, visitors, and local community come from all walks of life, and so do our employees, volunteers, and interns. The plurality of our identities and experiences strengthens our mission: connecting art to life. Our mission and vision call us to be responsive to a multitude of cultural contexts and lived experiences, and as such, our Strategic Plan directly addresses the role art plays in empowering and elevating social justice movements, and promoting structural change to further equity in our society. SAM is particularly dedicated to racial equity in the workplace, because we know that people of color are the most impacted when it comes to both historical and present inequities. We know that equity is not a single fixed destination, it’s ongoing reckoning. As SAM continually strives to be a more inclusive and equitable workplace, we are particularly interested in engaging with those who have been historically underrepresented in the museum field. We are dedicated to building a diverse workplace, and a sense of belonging for each and every employee, because we know our organization is at its best when we celebrate difference.

SAM is an equal opportunity employer . We are an equal opportunity employer, and consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), marital status, ancestry, sensory, physical, or mental disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, citizenship or immigration status, or other applicable legally protected characteristic. If you need assistance applying for a role due to a disability or additional need, please let us know at [email protected]. The Seattle Art Museum will consider reasonable accommodations for all employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions/duties of the role. If you need an accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact [email protected]. For candidates, we ask that, if possible, you wait until you're invited to a screen, online technical assessment or interview before requesting an accommodation.

We encourage you to apply . We are dedicated to building a diverse workplace, and a sense of belonging for each and every employee, because we know our organization is at its best when we include, celebrate and embrace difference. We encourage you to submit an application, even if your experience doesn’t feel like a 100% match with the position. We know applying for a job can be intimidating, and research tells us that womxn and folks of color are less likely to apply if they don't see themselves meeting or exceeding every single qualification listed. We encourage you to apply, even if you feel unsure about whether you meet every requirement in this job post. You could very well be a great fit for this role or others.

Requirements for employment. In order to be employed by the Seattle Art Museum, you must reside in the state of Washington. Employment at SAM is contingent upon successful clearing and maintenance of clearance in both a federal and state criminal background check.

Want to learn more? If you haven't already, check out our Careers page for more on working at SAM.

Though we'd love to be able to reply to every question that crosses our desk, due to the high volume of applications we receive, our HR team is unfortunately unable to offer a response to inquiries requesting search status updates, inquiries about hiring timeline, or requests to be put in touch with directly with the Hiring Team. If your experiences and capabilities are well suited to an open role, our Recruiter or the Hiring Manager will reach out directly to schedule an interview. Thanks for your understanding!

Job Tags

Hourly pay, Part time, Local area,

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