Posted by dschleifer at 1:26 pm Friday, June 23, 2023

We’re Hiring a New Fashion RAM

UPDATE: we are no longer accepting applications for this position.

We’re hiring a new Fashion RAM to start this fall! (Don’t worry; current Fashion RAM Kevin Harper is staying with the organization, but he’s stepping into a new role!)

Time: Part-time during school year, 15 hours per week, primarily Mon-Fri, 2:00pm-6:00pm, with additional hours for special events and initiatives
Reports to: Studio Director
Compensation: $19 – 22 / hr
Benefits: New Urban Arts provides medical, dental, and retirement benefits to full- and part-time staff
Start Date: September 12, 2023

About New Urban Arts
New Urban Arts is a nationally-recognized community arts studio for high school students and emerging artists in Providence, RI. Our mission is to serve as a welcoming community of high school students and adult mentors in Providence sharing space, skills, and resources to inspire creative expression. To fulfill our mission, New Urban Arts relies on a mixture of staff educators, referred to as Resident Artist Mentors, and volunteer educators.

To get a sense of our programs in action, visit: https://youtu.be/tePJRZyB9EI

Overview
New Urban Arts seeks an artist with extensive experience in fashion design, apparel construction, and sewing to work with our Studio Program Team to design and provide fashion, apparel, and sewing programs for high school students at New Urban Arts. The Resident Artist Mentor in Fashion and Sewing (“Fashion RAM”), will embody our core values of belonging, agency, access, creativity, and connection by participating in the studio on a daily basis, creating meaningful relationships with youth, teaching fashion design, sewing, and apparel construction, and supporting the healthy organization of an open studio. The fashion RAM will oversee, steward, and cultivate community in our sewing studio. The fashion RAM will also support students in displaying their work during gallery exhibitions and live events.

All Studio RAMs will also be responsible for engaging with and cultivating the larger New Urban Arts community. This includes participating in organization-wide initiatives, trainings and projects, including but not limited to fundraising events, restorative practice trainings, and community building activities.

Responsibilities:
Instruction

  • Oversee the sewing studio, including maintaining supplies and studio equipment, supporting volunteer sewing and fashion mentors, communicating material needs to NUA staff, and ensuring students are properly trained to use materials and equipment.
  • Support sewing and fashion education programs for high school students in a multidisciplinary youth art studio, as well as at a satellite site located at nearby Central High School.
  • Instruct students in sewing, design, patternmaking, and other elements of apparel construction.
  • Support students in learning proper technique, care, and use of machines and other equipment.

Mentorship

  • Model authentic youth engagement, including using an inquiry-based, asset based, and supportive approach to meeting students’ needs that promotes self-esteem and self-concept of youth.
  • Create and maintain a safe environment for students to develop their creative practice, which includes creating a collaborative learning environment clear of bias and judgment.
  • Build relationships with students and promote relationship building between students, mentors, and staff.
  • Support students in developing teamwork and collaboration as they plan fashion shows together.
  • Ability to draw on personal experiences to provide appropriate postsecondary advice and guidance to students interested in pursuing careers in fashion and apparel.

Live Events

  • Contribute to the New Urban Arts community through participation in exhibitions, events and workshops. Help students prepare work for gallery openings.

Other Responsibilities

  • Support volunteer artist-mentors.
  • Work as one member of a team of Resident Artist Mentors, participating in weekly program team meetings, and practicing open and clear communication among colleagues.
  • Support other organizational initiatives as necessary.
  • Participate in New Urban Arts organizational trainings, staff meetings, and event support.

 

Qualifications:

  • Ability to work collaboratively with New Urban Arts’ team (including the Operations Coordinator, Studio Director, and other RAMs) to foster an excellent, supportive learning environment.
  • At least three years of experience in fashion design, sewing and/or apparel construction.
  • Demonstrated success working in culturally and socioeconomically diverse environments.
  • Interest and experience in forming positive and supportive mentoring relationships with teenagers.
  • Positive and direct verbal and written communication skills, including proficient and regular use of email communication.
  • Flexibility, inclusiveness, responsiveness.
  • Bilingualism in English and Spanish preferred.

New Urban Arts is a collaborative work environment, and all staff should expect to support each other’s work and participate in high level conversations about New Urban Arts’ mission, values, and pedagogy, as well as trends in youth development, arts education, and the nonprofit sector in general.

 

TO APPLY:
All applications must include an updated resume, cover letter, and a portfolio of 5-10 work samples. Your cover letter (two pages maximum), should include answers to the following questions:

  • What motivates you to work with young people through creativity in general, and fashion in particular?
  • Why do you want to work at New Urban Arts at this time?

Applications should be emailed to joselina@newurbanarts.org, subject: Fashion RAM. No calls please. Please send your resume, cover letter, and portfolio as separate attachments; do not include them in the body of your email. PDF is the preferred file format. If necessary, you may drop off your application or send it to us at:

New Urban Arts
705 Westminster Street
Providence, RI 02903

New Urban Arts is an equal opportunity employer;
BIPOC candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.