Hip H’opera Teaching Artist, Art Sanctuary

Posted by on October 28, 2013

Hip H’opera Project Overview
Originally launched in 2007, Hip H’opera is a collaborative program between Art Sanctuary and the Opera Company of Philadelphia. The three-phase project takes teaching artists and workshops to more than 100 students and their teachers in several Philadelphia public high schools. They learn the history and aesthetics of hip-hop and opera, genres that use the human voice to tell profound stories, and then, using poetry, fiction, and non-fiction, these students capture their own urban stories.

The initial piece, which premiered in 2007, was work shopped with students from Art Sanctuary’s North Stars after school arts program, and then performed, first as poetry by the teens, then in musical form by opera singers, a string quartet, a pianist, and intergenerational chorus. Hip H’opera sold out two local performances.

Teaching Artist Job Description

Art Sanctuary seeks teaching artists for our Hip H’opera Arts Initiative. We are looking for teaching artists in the following fields: photography, dance, music, film, video, media, creative writing, etc. The teaching artist will work with four Philadelphia public high schools teaching introductory arts courses and work on a student led arts project.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
•    Work closely with high school students to help them create personalized works of art that will be presented at a quarterly or end of the year student exhibition.
•    Oversee, develop and facilitate a four-week arts education lesson that presents an introductory course in your respective arts discipline (i.e. photography, music, dance, film making).
•    Collect the final edit of the students’ art projects
•    Submit weekly progress reports of each of the classes to the Hip H’opera Coordinator.
•    Attend weekly debrief meetings with Hip H’opera Coordinator

QUALIFICATIONS:
•    Excellent verbal and written communication skills
•    Teaching experience in an urban school setting
•    Experience teaching in respective artistic discipline (i.e. photography, visual arts, creative writing, music, dance)
•    An interest for working with an inner city school population
•    An appreciation for arts, music and culture (i.e. hip hop, opera, jazz, classical)
•    Ability to multitask
•    Strong interpersonal skills

SCHEDULE:

•    Teaching Artist must attend a mandatory orientation session in late October.
•    November 2013 to May 2014
•    After school hours, between 2:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.

COMPENSATION
•    $35 per class session

TO APPLY
Candidates must submit:
•    A résumé or curriculum vitae
•    Sample of a lesson plan
•    Hi-resolution photo/portrait
•    At least one professional reference

**If possible, provide video footage or web links of a performance or demonstration of your artistic practice or of your teaching.

Application materials should be sent by email no later than October 31, 2013 to info@artsanctuary.org. Subject line should read “Teaching Artist Search.”

After applications are reviewed, selected applicants will be contacted for phone interviews. Please do not call. Only candidates chosen for an interview will be contacted.