The Community Art Collaborative (CAC) AmeriCorps program is now accepting applications for the 2020-21 year! The Community Art Collaborative is a community arts-focused AmeriCorps program that has been hosted at MICA since 2004, and is funded in part by a grant from the Maryland Governor’s Office on Service and Volunteerism, and the Corporation for National and Community Service. In the CAC program, AmeriCorps members are matched with non-profit community organizations around the city, to serve year-long (September - August) community arts residencies. In these residencies, members work full-time at their host site organizations, and primarily lead creative arts programs for K-12 youth in Baltimore City. Members also have the opportunity to facilitate art-making opportunities for community residents, recruit and manage volunteers, develop unique community projects, and gain valuable professional experience in the community arts and non-profit fields. The CAC program is a great fit for someone who would like to gain more hands-on experience at community arts organizations in Baltimore.
The link to our application form can be found on our website at: http://www.mica.edu/cacapply. The application is hosted on a website called Submittable, and you will be asked to create a quick & free account. The priority deadline for submitting applications is Monday May 11, 2020. Applications will officially close on Sunday May 31, 2020. If you have any questions, please feel free to email the CAC Program Manager, Sarah Edelsburg, at: [email protected].
AmeriCorps Benefits: (More info can be found on our website here)
Serving in AmeriCorps involves committing 30-40 hours to a Host Site Organization per week, for a full year. While the commitment is similar to a full-time job, it is also meant to be a year of tremendous professional development. At the same time, the benefits are different than a full-time salaried position. CAC works with grassroots community organizations that do not currently have the capacity to support many full-time salaried positions. Working with AmeriCorps members is a way for them to expand their programming and strategically plan towards expanding their staff. The benefits are the program are:
- A living allowance of $14,500 for the year (Paid in bi-weekly amounts from MICA)
- Free health coverage (through a special AmeriCorps healthcare plan with Cigna). This includes medical, dental and vision.
- Child care benefits. (Partial reimbursement for childcare costs)
- A federal Education Award of $6,095 for full-time members upon successful completion of your service, which can be used to pay eligible student loans or other eligible educational expenses. (For more info, please see this website about the Segal Education Award)
- Deferment of eligible student loans while you are in service, and repayment of the interest that accrues while they are in deferment.
- Ongoing professional development training in curriculum development, classroom management, grant writing, community organizing, and much more!
- Access to tons of valuable resources at MICA, including downloading free software (Adobe Creative Suite & Microsoft Office), access to resources at the MICA Decker Library, and access to rental technology equipment at the MICA Tech Center (rental cameras, video cameras, projectors, lighting kits, etc).
- Valuable work experience that can help propel your career forward after AmeriCorps.
- Access to the citywide and national AmeriCorps network for future opportunities and general networking.
- Being part of a cohort team of community arts colleagues that you can collaborate with and learn from.
- The option of staying on for a second year of the program, to further develop projects and relationships at your CAC Host Site.
Please note:
- The AmeriCorps Service year commitment would begin the last week of August 2020 and run through August 14 of the next year (August 2021).
- More information about AmeriCorps National Service programs can be found on the government website here: NationalService.gov.
- Finalists will be asked to do some research on our Partner Organizations in preparation for an interview and should be available for an interview by phone or by video conference in June.
Salary Range
Part-Time/Hourly
Employer Name:
The Community Art Collaborative (CAC) AmeriCorps Program at MICA
Job Title:
Community Art Collaborative Member
Job Submission Requirements:
You can find the link to our application form on our website here: http://www.mica.edu/cacapply. The CAC Application will involve submitting: 1) A cover letter that specifically describes why you are interested in the CAC program; 2) Your most recent Resume/CV; 3) A digital portfolio (one PDF) containing images of your artwork, community arts projects, and/or teaching samples; 4) Letters of Support / Professional References (At least two professional references: one must be a Letter of Support, the second can be contact information for a professional reference, or a second letter of support). Knowledge, Skills, Abilities that CAC is looking for: Teaching Experience - Experience in either teaching youth (K-12 students) in a community setting, or working on community projects that incorporate youth;
Experience in volunteer service projects and/or community organizing for events or projects; Excellent communication skills (verbal & written) and in general - an ability to stay in communication with the program throughout the year; Solid writing skills, for writing lesson plans, monthly report reflections, and potential grants; Organizational and time management skills, attention to detail, and strong work ethic; Some experience in data and information management; and the ability to be a strong team player.
Benefit Package
More information about AmeriCorps Benefits can be found on our website here: https://www.mica.edu/creative-citizenship/community-art-collaborative/americorps-benefits/. Benefits of the program include: a living stipend for the year ($14,500); a free healthcare plan (includes medical, dental, and vision); child care benefits (partial reimbursement for child care costs); a federal Education Award upon completion of one year of the program ($6,095 given directly from the federal government - that can be used towards paying back student loans, or towards future educational opportunities at accredited U.S. institutions); and deferment of eligible students loans while serving in the program. Additional benefits include: Ongoing professional development training through out the year; access many valuable resources at MICA, including downloading free software (Adobe Creative Suite & Microsoft Office), resources at the MICA Decker Library, and access to rental technology equipment at the MICA Tech Center (rental cameras, video cameras, projectors, lighting kits, etc); access to the citywide and national AmeriCorps network for future opportunities and general networking; and the opportunity to be a part of a cohort team of community arts colleagues that you can collaborate with and learn from.
