FAO Schwarz Fellowship at the Whitney Museum
The Whitney Museum of American Art seeks to be the defining museum of 20th- and 21st-century American art. Since its founding in 1930, it collects, exhibits, preserves, studies, and interprets art of the U.S. in the broadest global, historical, and interdisciplinary contexts. As preeminent advocate for American art, the Whitney fosters the work of living artists at critical moments in their careers, often before their work has achieved general acceptance. The Whitney educates a diverse public through direct interaction with artists.
ABOUT THE WHITNEY MUSEUM FELLOWSHIP IN NEW YORK CITY
The FAO Schwarz Fellowship is an intensive, transformative two-year experience in the world of social impact. Fellows work at leading nonprofit organizations in Boston, New York City and Philadelphia. Each organization is deeply valued in their communities and has a strong record of delivering high-quality services that address critical issues of social inequity and producing consistent results. The Fellowship is a two-year commitment that pays $40,000 in year one (includes $2,000 start of Fellowship bonus) and $45,000 in year two (includes $3,000 end of Fellowship bonus). Benefits include professional development, health insurance and annual subway passes.
DIRECT SERVICE
Working with educators in the department and with the Associate Manager of Access and Inclusion, the FAO Schwarz Fellow will learn to plan, co-lead, and then lead programs for disabled and non-disabled youth and their families, design lessons, and engage in scaffolded learning. They will train to understand needs and pedagogic approaches to working with visitors identifying as Disabled, Deaf, neurodivergent, autistic, deaf-blind, blind, low-vision, and/or experiencing a range of cognitive, intellectual, developmental, and physical disability, chronic illness and/or sensory sensitivities. Familiarized with teaching methodologies, the Fellow will share observations, give colleagues recommendations, and learn why having an inclusive classroom environment is so important.
The Fellow will:
- Observe the education team, learn to develop hands-on activities, social narratives, and digital experiences to support audience engagement. (for example: observe Open Studios, shadow educators leading Family Fun for Families with Kids on the Autism Spectrum, Whitney Signs tours in American Sign Language, Touch and Verbal Description tours for families with blind or low vision youth and Quieter Hours for Neurodivergent Visitors).
- Co-teach artmaking workshops at the Whitney and introduce materials that may not be available to families at home, teaching new artistic processes, offering adaptations for those who may require so due to their disability.
- Partner with the Education teaching team to draft scaffolded art lessons that integrate works from the collection and respond to the developmental learning of participants, and eventually lead a program on their own.
- Develop an understanding of how the Museum can facilitate the whole visitor experience, ensuring the visitor services team knows how to support people who use wheelchairs, nursing mothers, or visitors who need a quiet space to decompress.
- With support, implement a curriculum to support professional development of peer educators and docents in becoming more knowledgeable about helping disabled people.
PROJECT WORK
The FAO Schwarz Fellow will conduct research to better understand and expand on the Museum’s accessibility offerings, co-create responsive lesson plans, and innovate lessons and learning modalities about the Whitney’s Collection and exhibitions. The Fellow may also conduct demographic research and analysis and other evaluation initiatives, working with colleagues in the Office of People and Culture and across the Museum as needed.
The Fellow will:
- Research best practices in NY, US, and international programs serving disabled youth, including outreach to peer organizations for comparative study, and thus develop at artroom management plan to be evaluated by colleagues and then implemented during a program serving youth and families.
- Identify community organizations in NYC working with disabled youth and families; learn how constituents find these programs, and assess participation barriers or enabling factors to connect this research with hands-on experience, as well as help develop impact-centered feedback surveys and test accessible feedback tools.
- Join in exhibition walkthroughs, permanent collection research sessions, professional development opportunities, lesson plan edit-thons with the Education Department.
- Teach and mentor Access and Inclusion Educators and partner with Family Programs team to design teaching methodologies that support incoming interns.
- Develop, with the Associate Manager of Access and Inclusion, a presentation of learnings and growth for a local conference such as NYCMER or MAC to encourage understanding of the Fellow’s contribution and impact through their fellowship.
TYPICAL WORK SCHEDULE
With some flexibility at the supervisor’s discretion, the Fellow will be expected to be at the Whitney, like all other Museum staff, at least three days per week, with two of those days being Wednesdays and Thursdays. Working remotely will be an option on other days, and some weekend attendance to participate in Saturday or Sunday education programs will be expected, discussed during the interview process, and confirmed before the selection of the Fellow. The Whitney’s staff regular hours are 9:30am to 5:30pm, but given the nature of this position some evening work on site or remotely is to be expected. Accessible accommodations for work are always available by request.
HOW TO APPLY
Applicants must be college seniors at accredited four-year colleges or universities at the time of application and be eligible to work in the United States for the duration of the two-year Fellowship.
For more about what we are seeking, please see our application page. Please visit this website for more information about the Whitney Museum of American Art.
To apply, visit our website where you’ll see detailed instructions. You will be asked to answer several short questions and to upload your resume and a cover letter by February 10, 2022 11:59 EST.
LAST_FIRST_RESUME_WM
LAST_FIRST_COVERLETTER_WM
In your letter, please describe your interest in working at the Whitney Museum and your responses to the following questions:
Question 1: What interests you about the mission of this organization?
Question 2: What background and experiences would you bring to the direct service and special project discussed in the Fellowship description?
Question 3: Why are you interested in being an FAO Schwarz Fellow?
We will review each application carefully and select our Fellow by the end of April. Thanks for your interest.
COVID POLICY
The health and safety of our Museum community is the highest priority. As such, the Whitney Museum is requiring all newly hired staff members to be fully vaccinated with an FDA authorized and/or approved COVID-19 vaccine as a condition of employment. Requests for reasonable accommodations for medical, religious, or other reasons will be considered in accordance with applicable law.
NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY
Our Values
The Whitney is committed to creating a work environment where staff, interns, and volunteers of different races, ethnicities, ages, gender identities, sexual orientation, socioeconomic backgrounds, immigration status, and disability status feel not just welcome, but fully included and able to bring their own experiences and aspirations to their work.
EEO Statement:
The Whitney Museum of American Art is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Museum does not discriminate because of age, sex, religion, race, color, creed, national origin, alienage or citizenship, disability, marital status, partnership status, veteran status, gender (including gender identity), sexual orientation, or any other factor prohibited by law. The Museum hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled. The Museum encourages all qualified candidates to apply for vacant positions at all levels. This description shall not be construed as a contract of any sort for a specific period of employment.
Not sure you meet 100% of our qualifications? Research shows that men apply for jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria. Yet, women and other people who are systematically marginalized tend to only apply if they meet every requirement. If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates, including those with diverse workplace experiences and backgrounds. Whether you’re new to arts and culture administration, returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or take the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar. Please use your cover letter to tell us about your interest in the arts and culture space and what you hope to bring to this role.