Job Description

Adjunct Instructor: Arts Advocacy in the U.S.

The Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University seeks an adjunct instructor for the Arts Advocacy in the U.S. course. This is a graduate level elective course within in the Master of Arts Management program which is a joint degree program between Heinz College and the College of Fine Arts at Carnegie Mellon University. We highly encourage professionals from diverse backgrounds with deep experience and demonstrated knowledge in arts advocacy at the local, state, and national levels to apply.

Course Description:

The Learning Objectives for this course:

• Articulate key questions related to cultural values and describe the history, structure, and policy arena for government arts support in the United States and the challenges faced in its history
• Explore the basic differences between advocacy and lobbying, and the strategies that can be used to advocate for public support in the United States
• Understand and defend cultural policies that promote cultural equity, support creative industries, define place, and address the issues of our times

Arts and cultural leaders in the United States operate in complex environments with public policies at the local, state and national levels that influence operations and artistic creations. What are these policies? Who makes, implements, and enforces them? How are new policies developed and why? How can policies be changed? This course will provide students with the foundation to understand the context of cultural policy in the United States and how advocacy efforts can influence policy change.

This class is primarily taken as an elective by Master of Arts Management students, but it is also popular as an elective for all graduate level students at Carnegie Mellon University. The are no pre-requisites for this course.

This course is a half semester (i.e., 7 weeks) during the spring 2023 semester. Course times could be afternoons (two 80-minute class sessions per week; example Tuesday and Thursday 4:30 – 6:20pm) or evenings (one 170-minute class from 6:20 – 9:10 PM, inclusive of breaks, per week), as preferred.

The course design should at minimum include relevant readings (textbook, research papers, news articles, etc.), in-class discussions, and appropriate evaluations of mastery of concepts for grading purposes (homework, quizzes/exams, etc.). Given the focus of Heinz College graduate programs, utilization of data, strategic thinking, and application of leadership skills are highly encouraged to be integrated into the course.

Candidate should demonstrate:

• Relevant, and culturally sensitive, experience as a practitioner with direct experience in arts advocacy at the local, state, or national level, not only experience from a consultant's perspective
• Effective, engaging, and compelling culturally responsive communication, with the capacity to guide students through class discussion and hands-on examples and exercises
• Innovation, integrity, and culturally relevant expertise in arts advocacy including experience in navigating current issues in the field such as the role of cultural policy in social justice, job creation, education, and placemaking; cultural equity and cultural diplomacy; innovative cultural policy funding mechanisms; and current efforts to measure cultural vitality
• Recent experience in higher education teaching is preferred

• Master's degree in relevant area or bachelor's degree combined with 7 years+ of arts advocacy experience directly related to course material
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and student success, as well as working with broadly diverse communities
• Experience in culturally-responsive engagement with students, mentoring, and/or presenting for the purposes of education

Required Documents that need uploaded by applicants:
Professional Resume or CV and cover letter specifically outlining applicant's experience teaching/presenting and/or direct experience working with museum operations within a nonprofit organization.

Carnegie Mellon University shall abide by the requirements of 41 CFR §§ 60-1.4(a), 60-300.5(a) and 60-741.5(a). These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities, and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Moreover, these regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, protected veteran status or disability.

About Carnegie Mellon University

Carnegie Mellon ( is a private, internationally ranked research university with programs in areas ranging from science, technology and business, to public policy, the humanities and the arts. More than 12,000 students in the university’s seven schools and colleges benefit from a small student-to-faculty ratio and an education characterized by its focus on creating and implementing solutions for real problems, interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation. A global university, Carnegie Mellon’s main campus in the United States is in Pittsburgh, Pa. It has campuses in California’s Silicon Valley and Qatar, and programs in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and Mexico.

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