Teaching Artists and Educational Performers
Arts Teach is currently accepting applications from talented Teaching Artists and Educational Performers representing all genres to join our artist roster as freelance contractors, with an emphasis on visual arts, specifically origami and animation, music, and dance.
The Center's education programs are designed to engage and inspire people of all ages—particularly young people—while increasing access to the arts as part of a well-rounded and equitable education. Arts Teach is one of the nation’s preeminent and most robust rosters of Teaching Artists, providing the highest-quality arts assemblies, workshops, and residencies that celebrate cultural diversity, make connections to core curriculum, and aid students in the development of 21st century skills. As we strive to excel in all avenues of arts education, our partnerships with local teaching artists make such excellence possible.
Arts Teach works primarily in Orange County schools, and occasionally in schools from parts of Los Angeles and the Inland Empire. Our typical school partner
- may identify as Title 1
- aims to expose students to a new art form
- seeks additional arts education programming to supplement its students' education with cross-curricular connections via the arts
- books our artists during school hours, and occasionally in afterschool programs
Artists on our roster are empowered to present the program(s) of their choosing*, demonstrating expertise of their unique art form.*All programs must be auditioned and approved by Arts Teach and must be presented as-is during bookings.
If you are a working artist in Southern California with expertise in an art form and have your own residency or assembly program prepared or in development, we invite you to read on and apply!
ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS
RESIDENCIES: A residency is an immersive experience exploring an art form over the course of several weeks. With multiple hands-on sessions taught by a Teaching Artist, the length and number of classrooms served can be customized to fit a school's specific goals and budget.
If designing a residency program to present through Arts Teach, we encourage you to think about...
- the main takeaways students will learn hands-on from your lessons
- focusing on process over product and how to build upon learnings week after week with a larger theme or throughline
- how grade-level appropriate, relevant school curriculum and arts standards can be integrated and reinforced by your art form
- how you can make the program accessible to audiences from all walks of life, with various needs/learning styles, and of all abilities
- what makes your program new or unique to our roster
- lesson plans for a 4-6 week residency
ASSEMBLIES: An assembly is a large group/full school experience featuring a live 45-50 minute educational performance.
If designing an assembly program to present through Arts Teach, we encourage you to think about...
- the overall message that you want students and teachers to walk away with after experiencing your performance
- how you can make the performance engaging, interactive, educational, and fun while maintaining a high level of artistry and professionalism
- how the speaking components of your assembly can complement and enhance what students may be learning in the classroom
- how you can make the program accessible to audiences from all walks of life, with various needs/learning styles, and of all abilities
- what makes your program new or unique to our roster
- an outline for a 45-50 minute performance
HOW TO APPLY
TO BE A RESIDENCY TEACHING ARTIST: Please send a current resume and sample lesson plans to Education@scfta.org. Residency lesson plan template available upon request.
The sample can be in the form of written outlines for a residency comprising 4-6 lessons AND/OR a video clip of you teaching or describing your lesson plans. Use the email subject line "ARTS TEACH RESIDENCY ARTIST APPLICATION."
TO BE AN ASSEMBLY EDUCATIONAL PERFORMER: Please send a current resume and sample performance outline to Education@scfta.org. Assembly outline template available upon request.
The sample can be in the form of a written outline AND/OR a video clip of you performing your program. Use the email subject line "ARTS TEACH ASSEMBLY ARTIST APPLICATION."
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Current timeline (as of April 2025):
Application deadline: 10/13/25
Notifications by: Week of 11/03/25
Auditions (if selected to move forward): TBD late November/early December
Decision notifications by: January 2026
Estimated contract by: Spring 2026
Contract offer is contingent upon results of federal-level background check via live scan fingerprinting.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- In-depth knowledge, expertise, and passion for an art form or discipline of the arts
- Experience teaching your art form in group settings to elementary-aged students
- Availability during school hours with advance notice and flexibility in scheduling
- Flexibility and willingness to adapt program to the unique learning needs of varying schools
- Ability to represent Segerstrom Center for the Arts in a positive, professional manner and work collaboratively with Arts Teach staff and amongst multiple school community stakeholders, including classroom teachers, parents, administration, and donors
- Have your own residency or assembly program prepared or in development, as well as all materials or equipment required to present the program
ADDITIONAL SKILLS, QUALIFICATIONS, REQUIREMENTS
- Familiarity with and understanding of how to incorporate CA Arts Standards, Common Core State Standards, Social-emotional Learning, Universal Design for Learning and other similar standards and teaching principles
- Exhibit a warm, respectful, and trustworthy rapport with students, teachers, and/or audiences
- Adaptable to a wide variety of teaching conditions/school settings
- Reliable and consistent means of communication and transportation
- Must be able to routinely lift, push, pull, or carry art supplies, equipment, instruments, and classroom furniture weighing up to 40lbs. Must also bend, twist, reach, stand, and/or sit for long periods of time.
- Two years of experience performing and/or teaching in a public school environment (preferred)
- Experience with English Language Learners and students with special needs (preferred)
HOURS/COMPENSATION
These positions are contracted/freelance and work of any frequency is not guaranteed. Time commitment is based on school request/need as well as program type (residency or assembly). Compensation to be determined. Questions may be directed to Education@scfta.org; please include "Arts Teach" in your subject line and body of your message.