Spalter Teaching Fellows are trained as RISD Museum educators and are responsible for teaching and working with children and youth ages 5 to 18. They undergo rigorous training with the Museum’s educators, who introduce them to the Museum’s collection and pedagogy. Fellows support learning from original works of art and the development critical thinking, problem solving, and creative interpretation.
Spalter Fellows are placed in two divisions of the museum's education department: School + Teacher Programs and Teen Programs. Fellows in School + Teacher programs lead guided visits with K-12 school-aged students, training and teaching with museum educators and volunteer docents. Teen Programs fellows develop and implement weekly hands-on art making projects for high school students inspired by objects and ideas in the museum's collection.
Spalter Fellows gain:
• Professional training and mentoring with Museum educators
• Development of teaching skills and practices
• Opportunities to connect studio practice and areas of study to the RISD Museum’s collection
• Opportunities to build relationships with schools, educators, students, and teens in Providence and across Rhode Island
Applications are currently open for a one-year fellowship in the Teen programs area, starting in September 2023 and concluding in May 2024. Applications due May 1.
- Program details
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The Spalter Teaching Fellowship is open to RISD and Brown graduate and undergraduate students from all disciplinary backgrounds.
Spalter Teaching Fellows receive $5000 for the academic year, serving up to eight hours per week. Stipends are processed at the end of each academic year. Applicants must have an anticipated graduation date of spring 2024 or later.
- Teen Programs Fellowship 2023-24
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Partnering with museum staff, Fellows will develop and implement weekly hands-on art making projects for high school students inspired by objects and ideas in RISD Museum collections. Applicants should have a strong relationship to hands-on art-making processes, an interest in working with youth 13-18, and a desire to participate in collaborative and creative processes. Fellows must be available Friday afternoons from 2-5:30 pm and other times on occasion. Excellent verbal and written communication skills are necessary, and a familiarity with visual art is preferred; foreign-language skills are highly desirable.
The RISD Museum was founded on the belief that art, artists, and the institutions that support them play pivotal roles in promoting broad civic engagement and creating more open societies. We aspire to create an accessible and inclusive environment that builds meaningful relationships across all communities. Cultural competence, collaborations with diverse communities, or other areas of experience or expertise that support these goals are preferred.
Applications due Monday, May 1 at 12:59 pm. Applications must include: a cover letter answering questions; a resumé; relevant coursework; discussion of a work in the RISD Museum's collection; and names and contact information of three references (phone numbers and email addresses only; no reference letters needed). Interviews will be held at the end of April and all applicants will be notified by early May. The fellowship starts in early September, 2023.
For questions regarding the Spalter Fellowship, please email museum-academic@risd.edu.