Teaching Scholar-in-Residence

Overview

The Teaching Scholar-in-Residence (TSiR) will contribute to the development and teaching of the Social Practice CUNY (SPCUNY) program during the 2025-2026 academic year. This position offers an opportunity for an accomplished scholar and practitioner in socially engaged art and interdisciplinary education to play an integral role in shaping SPCUNY’s curriculum, mentoring students, and engaging with staff and external cultural partners.

The TSiR will design and teach the spring 2026 SPCUNY seminar, while participating in program meetings, advising on curriculum development, and building relationships between SPCUNY, CUNY, and external arts organizations.

About Social Practice CUNY

Social Practice CUNY (SPCUNY) is an interdisciplinary, cross-campus initiative based at The Graduate Center that fosters creative leaders who are committed to creating an inclusive, justice-driven cultural landscape in New York City and beyond. Developed from the Social Practice Queens (SPQ) program at Queens College, SPCUNY combines theory and practice, bridging academic inquiry with real-world social movements. The initiative engages artists and scholars from diverse backgrounds to explore how socially engaged art can serve as a tool for social change.

Through previous partnerships with cultural institutions such as Tate Modern, Middlesex University London, and the Queens Museum, and current collaborations with organizations such as Creative Time and The Francis Kite Club, SPCUNY works to enhance the teaching and practice of social engagement in art while cultivating a network of creative solidarity. SPCUNY’s model of education aims to provide an alternative to expensive private MFA programs by offering an interdisciplinary, justice-driven arts education to graduate students, including those who are first-generation university students, immigrants, and from working-class backgrounds.

In addition to the seminars and mentorship offered within the program, SPCUNY encourages students to apply their academic learning to public life, creating socially engaged art that directly addresses issues of equity and justice. The program’s pedagogical approach focuses on transforming how art can be used to reimagine a more just and inclusive future.

Responsibilities

Fall 2025:

• Attend and contribute to SPCUNY (weekly) staff and (quarterly) cohort meetings to support program development and maintain continuity in operations.
• Collaborate with the SPCUNY team to develop and design the spring 2026 seminar. Examples of past and current seminars are here.
• Advise and mentor SPCUNY Fellowship students, offering support and guidance on their interdisciplinary social practice projects.
• Develop and implement one internal workshop for SPCUNY Fellows, to be conducted either in-person or via zoom, with the support of SPCUNY staff.
• Contribute to the growth and development of the program’s national and international collaborations, enhancing the network of cultural and academic partnerships.

All Fall 2025 semester responsibilities continue into the Spring 2026 semester.

Spring 2026:

• Teach the SPCUNY Spring Seminar, an in-person, graduate-level course focused on the practice and contemporary development of socially engaged art. The weekly seminar will meet at The Graduate Center, CUNY, and in nearby community and arts spaces, providing students with a dynamic, hands-on learning experience.
• Lead critical discussions and project-based learning activities that integrate theoretical and practical elements of socially engaged art.
• Engage with a unique group of students hailing from across CUNY campuses and from various academic backgrounds, including MFA, MA, and PhD programs. Students in the seminar will be drawn from the SPCUNY cohort, who are required to take both the Fall and Spring SPCUNY Seminars, as well as other graduate students across CUNY who are engaged in social justice and art topics.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated expertise and a strong academic background in socially engaged art, interdisciplinary education, or related fields.
• Proven teaching experience at the graduate level, with a focus on socially engaged or public art practices.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with experience mentoring students and engaging with diverse communities.
• A commitment to advancing social justice through art and education, with an understanding of the transformative potential of these fields.
• A record of active involvement in interdisciplinary projects and collaborations between academic and cultural institutions.

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, CV, and any relevant documentation of teaching and practice (e.g., syllabi, portfolios, project documentation) to the Social Practice CUNY team by May 9. Please include a short description of your proposed Spring 2026 seminar as part of your cover letter. We ask that your proposal is not history and theory-focused, since this will be covered in the Fall 2025 semester. For reference in developing your seminar description, you can view past and current seminar descriptions here. Compile all application materials into a single PDF document titled LastName_FirstName_TSiR.pdf and email the file to [email protected] with the subject line “TSiR Application”.

SPCUNY is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate due to age, sex, religion, race, color, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, or sexual orientation.

05/09/2025