COMPAS Teaching Artists connect with community members through performances, workshops, residencies, professional development, and more. Programs take place throughout the state during school hours, after school, during the evening and on weekends. Locations include schools, libraries, older adult living communities, parks and rec centers, youth program sites and other community settings.

Hiring artists embedded in indigenous communities and communities of color continues to be a high priority at COMPAS. In order to best serve our communities' needs we are especially looking for the below in 2023-2024.

• Muralists
• Clay/Pottery artists
• Media artists
• Graphic Novel/Comic Artists
• Mosaic artists
• Writers with experience with K-5 students
• Performance groups (music, dance, theater, etc.)
• Drummers
• Dancers
• Artists with experience in STEM integration
• Artists who work with individuals with disabilities

Are you interested in becoming at COMPAS Teaching Artist? Then put in an application! We read through applications and interview artists every other year, but you can put in an application at any time. 

Our next application review will be in September. The review schedule is outlined below. 

September 15-Application review by staff

October 6-Finalists invited to interview with community panel

Nov 16 or 17-Finalist interviews with panel (Community Panel will review materials; applicants will offer a 10 minute artist demo)

Nov 22-Finalists notified

Dec 15 New artist orientation and paperwork signed to join roster Jan 1, 2024. 

Application Review Process Described

The roster application documents includes a cover letter, resume, sample lesson plan, work samples, and work sample descriptions. Once an artist has submitted the required information, the process consists of an initial round of consideration by COMPAS program staff, followed by finalists having a face-to-face interview with our Arts Advisory Committee consisting of community partners, artists, students, and COMPAS staff. If recommended by the committee, incoming artists then attend a New Artist Orientation, followed by individual training meetings with COMPAS staff, as needed. 

Desired Qualifications

While we are open to a wide variety of artistic approaches and backgrounds, artists with the following criteria have a higher chance of being interviewed:

• Minnesota resident
• Demonstrated dedication to an artistic practice
• Prior teaching artist experience (ideally 3-5+ years)
• Ability to fill a gap on the COMPAS roster
• Demonstrated ability to model, breakdown, explain, and customize projects within their artform

Note: Hiring is contingent upon completing a Criminal Background Check