Program and Engagement Coordinator

The John Michael Kohler Arts Center (JMKAC) is a nationally acclaimed visual and performing arts center located in the heart of downtown Sheboygan, Wisconsin. It is within walking distance of Lake Michigan and one hour from Milwaukee and Green Bay. While other museums focus on objects, JMKAC and its recently opened Art Preserve focus on relationships with artists and the community, and on preserving and exhibiting artist-built environments. Founded in 1967, the John Michael Kohler Arts Center’s presents works by diverse artists, from the vernacular to classically trained and from local to global perspectives. JMKAC establishes a community locally and nationally with its rotating, original contemporary art exhibitions, live performances and events, classes, workshops and an on-site preschool. 

Would you like to be the visionary who deeply engages audiences in creative art-making projects and programming that holistically represents our collections and exhibitions? Does it excite you to ignite and foster art-making and artistic concepts to build a relationship between the arts and various audiences? Are you an advocate for making arts accessible to all? If you answered yes to these questions, then we might have the opportunity for you! The John Michael Kohler Arts Center (Sheboygan, WI) is searching for a Program and Engagement Coordinator to generate and promote a creative exchange between artists and the public.

The Program and Engagement Coordinator is responsible for maintaining the Social STUDIO area and materials storage and working collaboratively with Programming to create both self-guided and guided projects in connection with current exhibitions, our permanent collection, current community partnerships and initiatives, and residencies and programs.  Additionally, they assist with the planning and execution of artist residencies and community outreach. The Program and Engagement Coordinator thinks holistically about how programming deeply engages audiences in our collections, exhibitions, and advocacy and how it supports the mission and strategic goals. This position reports to the Deputy Director of Programming.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

1. Design and implement engaging exhibition related programming in collaboration with the Programming team. Prepare, organize, and maintain materials needed for Social STUDIO Projects, artist residencies and lower-level workshop spaces. Develop, monitor, and adhere to department and/or organizational budgets. 
2. Connect with community groups, organizations, and daily visitors to increase awareness of the institution as an educational resource, design and facilitate community programming, and identify future partnership opportunities.
3. Organize and oversee the Social STUDIO Tent programming for the summer concert series, including personnel and collaborate internally and externally with organizations and artists.
4. Collaborate with the Programming and Curatorial teams to implement and manage exhibition-related residencies, Community Gallery installations, and work with visiting artists to facilitate artist-led programming.
5. Train staff, volunteers, and interns who assist in covering the Social STUDIO during open hours and maintain the Social STUDIO coverage calendar.
6. Oversee the design of the Social STUDIO space and work with Programming and Exhibitions teams to create an immersive, hands-on experience centered around current thematic programming.
7. Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: 

• Knowledge of a wide variety of art making processes and the ability to manage a variety of art materials and plan or oversee programming and activities for a variety of ages and abilities.  
• Familiarity with artist-built environments, folk art, and contemporary art.  
• Familiarity with museum and art education theories and methods, such as VTS, The Contextual Model of Learning, Aesthetic Development, and Choice-Based Models.  
• Excellent communication organizational and time management skills; essential to connect with community 
• Work effectively in a collaborative, fast-paced environment.  
• Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints efficiently and effectively.  
• Knowledge of diversity, equity, and accessibility in the arts. 

 
Qualifications:  

• BFA in studio art, art education, or museum education 
• Minimum 2-3 years of relevant experience 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including spreadsheet and Word processing software 
• At least one year of customer service or people management experience, preferred 
• Proficiency with a variety of tools, building (small structures), and/or installing exhibitions, preferred. 
• Bilingual (Spanish or Hmong) helpful. 

 
Physical Demands: 
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.   
  
While performing the duties of this job, the employee will frequently move throughout the building; use hands to handle or touch objects; and talk or hear. The employee will frequently sit, stand, walk, crouch, kneel, and smell. The employee should be able to lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities when performing this job include close vision and depth perception.    
  
Able to read and interpret documents, write routine correspondence, speak effectively with others.  Able to add, subtract, multiply and divide using whole numbers. Able to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed written or oral instructions. Able to deal with problems involving few concrete variables in standard situations.      
  
Work Environments:   
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.   
  
The position is office/art gallery based and noise level usually moderate. May occasionally work inside or outside at events where noise level could be moderate to loud.   
  
Hours of work include daytime hours Tuesday – Friday, Thursday evenings, and occasionally Saturday and Sunday to meet staffing and/or event needs.