POSITION: Manager of Programs
STATUS: Full-time
LOCATION: Chicago, IL (currently hybrid)

Organization Overview and Culture

3Arts is a nonprofit organization that advocates for women artists, artists of color, and Deaf and disabled artists working in the performing, teaching, and visual arts in the six-county Chicago area. Our investment in artists’ enterprises, agency, and wellbeing reflects an equal commitment to bolstering the creative spirit and wellbeing of every neighborhood in our city where they work and live. Our focus on justice and artists is designed to upend common systems of power by putting resources directly into the hands of the artists who propel needed and formidable ripple effects across our city.

Through unrestricted cash awards, project funding, residency fellowships, and professional development, 3Arts helps artists build momentum in their careers over time. Since 2007, 3Arts has supported more than 2,000 artists across all program areas, representing 68% women artists, 73% artists of color, and 21% Deaf and disabled artists, and distributed more than $6.6 million through our grantmaking. In the past five years (2018-2022), 3Arts has supported artists living in 92 local zip codes: 46 within the city limits, 32 in other Cook County neighborhoods, and 14 in surrounding counties (DuPage, Kane, Lake, and Will).

3Arts is a 110-year-old organization that was founded as The Three Arts Club of Chicago to support young women studying the arts—eight years before women had the right to vote. For 15 years, we have operated as an arts service and grantmaking organization with an equity-based mission rooted in our history of arts and social justice.

Our organization’s culture embodies creativity, responsiveness, collaboration, fluidity, integrity, and depth of purpose. Every member of our small staff is a representative of our mission, both behind and beyond our office doors. We strive to instill a balance between rigorous production and purpose-driven values, in which both organizational and sector-wide vision and advocacy are investigated and experienced. In each other, we value flexibility, good humor, openness, a collaborative spirit, curiosity, and positive energy.

3Arts is always evolving; we are looking for someone to join our five-person staff who shares our drive and can implement our mission and vision as part of a close-knit team.

Position Overview

The Manager of Programs (MoP) is a full-time, salaried, and exempt position, reporting to and working hand-in-hand with the Director of Programs. As is true of the whole 3Arts organization, the MoP collaborates with all members of the staff on many aspects of activities that the program team oversees—including implementing our awards programs; project support platform; residency fellowships; professional development opportunities and artist convenings; regranting program; tracking and record-keeping; annual public event curation and content; and evaluation. We seek a co-worker who is detail- and vision-oriented and is a data-comfortable communicator with terrific writing and presentation skills.

This is the perfect position for someone with at least two+ years of relevant experience who is as passionate as we are about our mission, gravitates to change-making work, thrives in a creative and forward-thinking environment, likes to take on responsibility and work independently with loads of initiative, stays comfortably on top of deadlines, and pays exceptional attention to both high-level systems and the nuances of human-centered relationships. The ideal candidate will have a solid understanding of and connection to the local arts and culture sectors.

Responsibilities

The MoP collaborates with the Director of Programs on all aspects of our programming. Responsibilities include:

  • Lead the design and implementation of our artist mentorship program, accessibility workshop and accompanying microgrant, and Make a Wave grants for artists.
  • In consultation with independent contractors, oversee the annual cycle of the Ignite Fund regranting program supported by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.
  • Provide facilitation and administrative support for other awards and grant programs, residency fellowships, disability culture initiatives, and project support.
  • Assist with curation and production of artist performances and other content for the annual 3Arts Awards celebration event.
  • Participate in the refinement and design of existing and future programs, including assisting with design, distribution, and analysis of artist surveys and other tools to support programmatic evaluation and data collection.
  • Support communications and relationship-building with artists in the 3Arts network.

 Core Competencies

  • Mission alignment: understand and embrace the values and mission of 3Arts.
  • Adaptability: willingness to embrace change, test new ideas, and learn new ways of working.
  • Collaboration: eagerness to share resources/knowledge and work with others towards organizational goals.
  • Fluency with technology: appreciating that much of our work occurs in digital systems or online formats.

Experience & Qualifications

  • At least 2 years of experience working in arts programming or in arts non-profit settings.
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc).
  • Experience with email marketing systems (Constant Contact and MailChimp).
  • Familiarity with database and/or application management systems or past experience with CRM (3Arts uses Submittable and eTapestry).
  • Some proficiency with design software, such as PhotoShop or Canva, or willingness/ability to learn new skills such as these

Salary & Compensation

The MoP is integral to the success of our organization and the future of our work. This is a full-time, exempt position that offers a salary range of $60,000-$65,000, depending upon experience.

The compensation package includes 95% of health, dental, vision coverage; life insurance; two weeks of paid vacation in the first year of employment, plus paid time off from December 24 through January 1; 15 paid holidays and three personal days; an optional 403(b) retirement plan; and opportunities for professional development. 3Arts has a sabbatical policy in place for all staff who have worked at our organization for at least six years. And more!

Working Conditions

3Arts does not have a traditional or permanent office. We work from home and from a co-working space through a limited membership at Impact House located in the Loop.

3Arts is committed to supporting a diverse and creative workplace that reflects our mission and values.

To Apply

The position will remain open until filled, but we do aim to fill it swiftly and ideally by Summer 2023. We expect this to be a competitive process. We encourage individuals to submit application materials by April 13.

To apply, please send a cover letter and résumé to: jobopp@3arts.org. Cover letters should describe the candidate’s interest in the position and qualifications. Due to our small team capacity, we can’t respond personally to every application. However, every applicant will hear from us either to schedule an interview or when the position has been filled.