Director of Arts

Job Description

Job Ttitle: Director of Arts

Company: Creative Discovery Museum


Description: Institutional Summary
Creative Discovery Museum (CDM) is a nationally recognized nonprofit children’s museum, serving as the gateway to downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee. Since 1995, CDM has served as a leader in hands-on, play-based learning experiences that inspire exploration, innovation, creativity, and play through the arts, sciences, and cultural understanding. CDM connects families through joyful learning and shared discovery, engaging children of all ages and abilities through museum visits, education programs, camps, and other immersive events. The Museum is committed to accessibility and inclusion, creating a safe and welcoming environment for every visitor. Team members at CDM contribute to a dynamic, mission-driven workplace rooted in our values of belonging, potential, relationships, respect, and exceptional service.Occupational Summary
The Director of Arts drives the museum’s Arts program by developing and implementing strategies to ensure high-quality guest and partner experiences. The ideal candidate has skills in program and strategy development, team management, and relationship building with diverse stakeholders. This team leader supports and furthers the museum’s vision for the Arts through a robust, well-rounded, and culturally responsive holistic Arts program that includes a wide variety of mediums, techniques, artforms, and cultural dimensions by collaborating with internal staff and external community stakeholders.Duties & Responsibilities:I.Arts Programa.Develops an Arts programming plan to support CDM’s Vision for the Arts (see document), collaborating with staff and stakeholders to represent Chattanooga’s vibrant arts community.b.Present a robust, exciting, holistic CDM Arts program that is a model of best practices in informal arts education, and engages guests through a wide variety of activities, performances, demonstrations, etc.c.Monitors and evaluates the programming plan and activities to ensure guest expectations and budget outcomes are met.d.Through the guidance of the VP of Education, ensure the Arts Program meets the museum’s Interpretive Framework for guest engagement.II.Programming and Curation:a.Develop exciting and engaging Arts programming, to support and enhance:i.Museum experiences for students, teachers, and general admission guests.ii.Outreach programming in schools, community centers, and partner locations.iii.Accessible Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Media Arts, and Culinary Arts experiences.iv.Registered Arts programs for learners of all ages.v.Engaging professional artists, including plans for resulting art works.vi.Public events, including those lead through the Arts program and other departments,vii.Programming related to permanent and traveling exhibitions.viii.Exploring different cultures through the arts.III.Team Leadership:a.Manages the Art Studio visual arts museum studio, including supervision of the Art Studio Coordinator.b.Responsible for engaging guests with daily arts experiences at Creation Station (museum’s walk-up art table in the Atrium). Guides participation of the Museum Experience Arts Lead position with this space and activity development.c.Member of the Education department Leadership Team.d.Directs and supports museum staff with Arts program facilitation and at Arts-based public events.e.Maintains a visible presence weekly on the museum floor, making themselves available to team members as needed.IV.Collaboration and Communication:a.Works closely with other departments, such as exhibits, marketing & communications, development, and operations, to ensure the artistic vision is supported, communicated, and integrated into the organization.b.Point-person for Arts programming and events, including setting the planning meeting schedule, developing agendas, facilitating planning meetings, event facilitation, and following up to ensure high-quality experiences.c.Supports the exhibits department ideate, plan, and execute arts-related exhibitions, partnerships, and projects as needed. Serves as a thought partner and recommender for ArtSpace gallery in the museum.V.Community Engagement:a.Represents CDM and CDM Arts Program to the public, engaging with guests, volunteers, artists, and fostering relationships with community partners and stakeholders.b.Maintains and cultivates relationships with artists and cultural groups that result in high-quality, distinctive Arts programming; including relationship management, requests for proposals and collaborative planning cycles for artist residencies, scheduling and creating guest artist programs, and managing contracts.i.Connects teams members as requested with artists to support shared goals and projects at the museum.c.Participate in the Arts in our community, region, and the museum field, contributing to CDM’s relevance and reputation as a thought leader; including, but not limited to attending and/or presenting at conferences on behalf of CDM, and contributing to the field in the form of articles, white papers, panelist, etc.VI.Budget Management:a.Develop, in collaboration with the VP of Education, and oversee the annual budget for the Arts Program, ensuring resources are allocated effectively and projects are completed within timelines and budgets.b.Review and provide, as requested, reports, on Arts programs, including expenses related to specific projects and activities, attendance data, and survey/guest feedback collected.VII.Fundraising Support:a.Collaborate with the Development department to provide Arts program information (as requested) to secure financial support for Arts initiatives and programsb.Identify and share discovered funding and grant opportunities with the Development department, acting as a knowledgeable collaboratorKnowledge, Skills and Abilities Required

• Knowledge of visual and performing arts history, content, and techniques. Functional knowledge of culinary arts and developing knowledge of media arts.
• Ability to create engaging, fun programs and activities that are accessible by a wide range of ages and audiences, pursuant to CDM’s Vision for the Arts (see document)
• Knowledge of best practices in informal art education, particularly in relation to the developmental levels of children.
• Knowledge and/or awareness of diverse cultural arts related traditions, with eagerness to steward relationships and learn from others with first-hand experience. Ability to build a culturally- responsive and competent holistic Arts Program.
• Ability to communicate effectively with oral, written, and visual directions, to an audience of staff, guests, and community stakeholders. Ability to write effectively about the holistic Arts Program for grant applications (as requested).
• Demonstrated skills in project management, budgeting, and meeting deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a team setting, engaging colleagues in the creative process and meeting group deadlines. Ability to develop and provide tools to facilitate the process (meeting agendas, checklists, meeting schedules)
• Demonstrate ability to motivate and inspire others to grow a high-quality, distinctive and robust CDM Arts Program

Education/Experience Required

• Bachelor’s degree in an Arts related field preferred
• Five (5) years of experience working with children aged 5 – 10 years in arts related program or similar environment required. Experience with intergenerational groups preferred.
• Five (5) years of experience cultivating and managing relationships with community groups, artists, and/or non-profit partners, including creating contracts and/or MOU’s.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Visual and Performing Arts. Some experience in Media and Culinary Arts (may be informal).
• Management experience required.

Supervises

• Art Studio Coordinator

Working Conditions

• Standard office environment.
• Noisy museum floor and busy, informal Art Studio.
• Weekends, evenings, and some holiday work based on planned activities and events.

Physical Demands

• Some lifting and carrying of supplies and equipment
• Ability to sit, stand, and walk for required periods of time
• Ability to climb ladders.

Job Posted by ApplicantPro

Salary: $50000 – 65000 per year

Location: Chattanooga, TN

Date: Sat, 28 Jun 2025 22:18:19 GMT


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