Director of Visual and Performing Arts

Description

The Blake School seeks to hire a Director of Visual and Performing Arts. The ideal candidate will be an educator at heart, bringing to the role relevant teaching experience, deep emotional intelligence, and a passion for sharing best-practice pedagogy in the fields of visual arts, instrumental and vocal music, theater arts, and debate. Experience supporting arts education through the lenses of global and intercultural competence is deeply important. Blake seeks candidates who will enrich the diversity of identity, lived experience and thinking that makes our community strong and empowers students to engage across differences. The Director will work closely with department chairs and division directors and report to the Associate Head of School.

Requirements

Curricular and Programmatic Leadership  

• Assess the scope and efficacy of current arts programs and identify opportunities to amplify and extend opportunities for students. 
• Collaborate with department faculty to oversee the evolution and alignment of the arts curriculum and co-curricular program, consistent with Blake’s mission. 
• Collaborate with other department chairs and with division directors to design, coordinate and integrate course content and offerings.
• Oversee artist-in-residence programs and the work of the Macmillan Performing Arts Center Technical Director.
• Teach or co-teach courses as the desire and opportunity arise.
• Design PK-12 and divisional department meetings.
• Coordinate calendar of visual and performing arts performances and shows.
• Represent the department’s program on school committees and in scheduling decisions. 
• Oversee department budget.
• Develop and manage short- and long-range maintenance and replacement plans for instruments and equipment. 

Faculty Support and Evaluation

• Build community and collegiality by being a reliable presence at department events outside of the school day (e.g., concerts, theater performances, debate tournaments).
• Envision and support professional development for Arts faculty, so that each teacher can effectively implement a wide range of best-practice instructional and assessment strategies.
• Collaborate closely with administrators on hiring, retaining, coaching, and evaluating department faculty.
• Oversee the hiring of Arts contractors (e.g., sectional music assistants, musical choreographers, debate coaches judges).  

Partnerships 

• Collaborate with Admissions and Communications departments to share with constituents and prospective families the department’s philosophy, vision, and offerings.
• Collaborate with the Institutional Advancement office to oversee arts gift accounts.
• Serve as liaison to Twin Cities Arts organizations such as Walker Arts Center, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, MCAD, Young Audiences, etc.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in visual or performing arts.
• Strong preference for advanced degree or work toward an advanced degree in a relevant field.
• Teaching experience. 
• Substantial professional experience in arts leadership or arts education.
• Effective organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge of and commitment to learning about arts programming in the fields of visual arts, instrumental and vocal music, theater arts, and debate. 
• Demonstrated ability to coach and evaluate personnel.
• Demonstrated ability to manage budget.

The search committee will begin reviewing applications immediately.