Freelance

Musical Theater Teaching Artist

Segerstrom Center for the Arts is seeking musical theater teaching artists with multi-disciplinary expertise in TWO or more of the following areas:

  • Choreography
  • Music Directing
  • Music Direction
  • Stage Management

Are you a talented musical theater educator interested in teaching your craft to elementary school teachers? We are looking for freelance independent teaching artists who can guide schools through the process of producing a musical for the first time. This afterschool program helps elementary schools develop a sustainable musical theater program at their site. Through this process, two teaching artists co-teach and implement a pre-designed program model to help the school’s staff build the skills necessary to produce a musical theater show. 

This position is being considered for the 2026-27 school year, full residency and sub roles available.

For the residency below, teaching artists will:

  • Be engaged as part-time independent contractors on an as needed basis. There is no regular guarantee of work
    Have access to paid professional development in working with diverse, underserved youth populations
    Be paired with one other teaching artist for each residency

Responsibilities:

  • Plan and prepare musical theater rehearsal activities for elementary students (grades 3rd-6th) that are exciting, challenging, and process based, in conjunction with the materials provided and co-teaching artist
  • Collaborate productively, positively and efficiently with other teaching artists, school staff/principals, and Segerstrom staff
  • Complete and distribute weekly rehearsal reflections, rehearsal reports, and rehearsal plans
  • Instruct the school team on best practices of rehearsals, rehearsal reports, production meetings, choreography/blocking maps, team building, warmups and content creation
  •  Facilitate production meetings and maintain timelines throughout the residency

Qualifications:

  • Demonstrate in-depth knowledge, expertise, and passion for their musical theater discipline
  • Have cross disciplinary skills in at least one additional area including choreographing, directing, performance, music direction, stage management, technical theater, production, and/or design
  •  Professional experience in performing and/or producing musical theater
  •  Experience working with elementary students, grades 3rd-6th, as a teaching artist or classroom teacher, or teaching in a comparable environment
  • Experience mounting MTI Kids/Jr. or similar shows
  • Proficient piano and/or music reading skills (preferred)
  • Experience working with diverse populations, and willingness to adapt to the unique needs of varying schools and student populations
  • Experience working with English language learners
  • Strong artistic classroom management skills while working with diverse students of varying degrees of experience levels and adaptable to a wide range of teaching conditions and learning styles
  •  Exhibit a strong passion for teaching and a warm, respectful, and trustworthy rapport with students and other stakeholders
  • Ability to develop and maintain professional relationships with external partners and stakeholders and represent Segerstrom Center in a professional manner
  • Excellent collaborative skills: Willing and able to team-teach with fellow teaching artists and school staff
  • Excellent communication skills: Willing and able to communicate with fellow teaching artists, school staff, and Segerstrom Center staff
  • Must have own transportation to travel to and from schools throughout Orange County
  • Must pass a federal-level background check via live scan fingerprinting
  • Must have consistent availability on scheduled weekdays from September through March approximately 2-5pm, and as scheduled for professional development
  • Teaching artists must routinely lift, push, pull, or carry art supplies, equipment, instruments, and classroom furniture weighing up to 40 lbs. Must also bend, twist, reach, stand, and/or sit for long periods of time

Compensation:

  • $210 for 90-minute session (if substitute teaching) or $225 for 90-minute session (if paired in full residency)
  • $25 per hour for virtual professional development; $30 per hour for in person professional development, observations, and meetings

How to Apply:

Please send a resume and brief letter of interest via email to DMIS@scfta.org with the following email subject line: MUSICAL THEATER TA

Applications will be considered between now and May 29th, 2026.

All candidates MUST be available for teaching audition and professional development days on:

  • Wednesday, September 9th, 2026 8am-4pm
  • Thursday, September 10th, 2026 10:30am-6pm*
  • And annual culmination on:
    • Wednesday, March 10th, 2027 2pm-6pm*
    • *full-day availability required if slated into a full residency for the 2026-27 season

Hay Tree Public Market Public Art

The City of Paramount is seeking applications from artists for the design, fabrication, and installation of a public art opportunity. This is a public art project inside an event room and community space that will soon be under construction within the Hay Tree Public Market project at 16493 Paramount Blvd. Hay Tree Public Market is a food hall presently under construction inside a building primarily built in 1926. The building is immediately adjacent to the Hay Tree, California Historic Landmark No. 1038.

An agreement with the current property owner entitles the City to improve a portion of the 12,000 square foot building with a City historical museum and event area. The indoor 1,567 square foot event/community room, once completed, will include wall space that is in need of public art.

This opportunity is open to experienced artists based nearby or willing to travel to the City of Paramount. All expenses, including, materials, permits (if required for a particular type of artwork), lodging, transportation, and food are included in the budget.

Artists or artist representatives may enter a maximum of 2 works for consideration.

The project budget is $55,000. The wall area is 10 feet in length and 8 feet and height. The artwork should be appropriately scaled and does not need to fill the entire wall space.

The public art theme is “Celebrating the History of Paramount.” The commission is open to multiple types of design approaches and styles. The City is looking for a lasting project that will be a point of community pride and recognize the City of Paramount. Content options to include are people, buildings, Hay Tree, events, or a combination of one or more, as related to the City of Paramount (and/or the township or land before city incorporation in 1957). Possibilities include mosaic mural and panels of relatively lightweight but durable material and construction, or a combination of the two. Painted murals are ineligible for this particular opportunity.

Application requirements are listed on the Call for Artists on the City of Paramount’s Public Art Program page at https://www.paramountcity.gov/government/departments/planning-and-building/planning/public-art/.

The application deadline is Monday, May 18, 2026.

Thank you!

Call for Entry- 18th Annual 50|50 Show

Create 50 works of art in 50 days!  An energizing creative challenge that expands your artistic practice.  

ABOUT THE SHOW
Sanchez Art Center (SAC) invites California artists (18 and older) to submit an entry to participate in the 50|50 Show.  This annual event — a renowned celebration of artist creativity and perseverance — is in its 18th year.  Artists create 50 small works (6” x 6”) over the course of 50 days.  The exhibition of the artworks will take run Sept 11 – Oct 4, 2026.  Each artist chooses a (10 word or less) theme for all 50 pieces. Creation of works by participating artists will begin Monday, June 29 and end Monday, Aug 17, 2026.

JUROR:  Serving as juror is Cynthia Lou, Chief Curator at Twisted Track Gallery, Sacramento. 

TO APPLY:   To apply, determine your theme and shape it in 10 words or less.  Submit your theme plus up to 15 artwork images in your selected medium(s), via CaFÉ™ (https://www.callforentry.org/).

ENTRY DEADLINE: Tuesday, May 26, 2026. Entries must be submitted online by 10:59 pm Pacific Daylight Time.  The entry fee is $25. For complete information and to enter: https://artist.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=17181

City of Apache Junction — RFQ: SR 88 Roundabout Sculpture

The City of Apache Junction is seeking a qualified public artist to design, fabricate, and install public art within the center of the roundabout, located at the intersection of State Route 88 (Apache Trail) and Superstition Boulevard, which reflects the character, landscape, and culture of Apache Junction, Arizona. For purposes of this RFQ, an artist shall mean any professional practitioner in the arts, generally recognized by critics and peers as a professional in the field as evidenced by his/her education, experience, and artwork production.

The artist will create a site-specific vertical landmark that can be viewed by drive-by traffic while taking into consideration the backdrop of the iconic Superstition Mountains. SR 88 is a well-traveled road that is a gateway to popular recreational areas. The public artwork will be integrated within a hardscape that accommodates traffic safety signage and sightlines and shall be permanently owned and maintained by the City. The artwork should be easily visible to approaching vehicles without excessive detail that might encourage prolonged attention or distraction. The design must avoid inviting pedestrian interaction, as access to the center of the roundabout is strictly prohibited.

Artist will engage with community members and research the site location to create, fabricate, and install a 3D landmark artwork that is within the budget, durable to the elements, requires minimal maintenance, meets ADOT’s safety requirements, and deters graffiti.

The budget allocation for this project is not to exceed $250,000, including costs associated with the design, public involvement, materials, fabrication, engineering costs, site preparation, and installation of the public art. Additional expenses may include taxes, insurance, meeting costs, consultant costs, transportation, storage of artwork prior to installation, and other associated costs to complete the project.

This project is part of the City of Apache Junction’s Art in Public and Private Development Program (APPD), funded by the city’s Arts in Public Places Fund (APPF). The APPF is funded by an art fee integrated within qualified building permit fees for new commercial and multi-family developments and renovations of mixed-used or nonresidential buildings; No taxpayer funds are utilized to support the city’s APPD.

Upon completion, the artwork shall include a plaque, the location of which shall be determined jointly by the artist and city staff, not to exceed eighty (80) square inches with the title, date, artist’s name, mayor and councilmembers, and the words, “This artwork was made possible by the Apache Junction Public Art Program”.

The artist will retain the artwork copyright while providing reserved licensing and reproduction rights and will permit photography of artwork for use in promotional materials. All reasonable efforts will be made to credit the artist in promotions and when communicating with the media. The selected artist will be asked to sign a contract that outlines the terms and conditions.

Eligibility Criteria

  • At least eighteen (18) years of age.
  • Residing in the State of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, California, Oregon, or Washington.
  • Legally able to work in the United States.
  • Have at least four (4) years of public art experience with municipalities and organizations such as, but not limited to, local, state, and federal government entities; public/private educational institutions; non-profits; and corporate entities.
  • Have the ability to create durable artworks suitable for a harsh desert environment.
  • Not currently employed by the City, a member of the Public Art Commission, or an immediate family member of City employees or Commission members.

The artwork shall take into consideration the following principles:

  1. Quality: The artwork demonstrates originality and excellence in design and craftsmanship, which is shown through renderings, construction documents, and fabrication.
  2. Response to Context: Be appropriate in scale, material, form, and context for the immediate and general social and physical environments with which they relate.
  3. Durability: Include consideration of structural and surface integrity, permanence, and protection against theft, vandalism, weathering, and excessive maintenance and repair costs.
  4. Integration: In addition to meeting aesthetic requirements, the artwork should also serve to establish a focal point and enhance or define community identity.
  5. Safety: Not present a hazard or create unsafe conditions, but rather obscure visibility which will reduce drivers’ speed in the roundabout.
  6. Visibility: Be visible and accessible for the purposes of public enjoyment and security, considering pedestrian and vehicular traffic, lighting, future development, and vegetation growth.
  7. Feasibility: Include consideration of the likelihood of successful completion based on the project budget, timeline, artist experience, and soundness of materials.

Organization Details

The City of Apache Junction is located thirty-three (33) miles east of Downtown Phoenix, within Pinal County. The City has a rich history and a unique legacy, tracing back to its origins as a settlement near the intersection of the Apache Trail and the original U.S. Route 60. The location was vital for transportation and served as a gateway to the scenic and storied Superstition Mountains, an area steeped in legend and mystery. With a population of 42,000, Apache Junction’s community is steadily growing. New residents are drawn to the area’s natural beauty, affordable living, and opportunities for outdoor recreation.

City of Apache Junction
300 East Superstition Boulevard
Apache Junction, AZ 85119
https://www.apachejunctionaz.gov/1185/Art-in-Public-and-Private-Development-AP

Application Requirements

Artists must submit qualifications that clearly demonstrate the artist’s competence, qualifications, and relevant experience with public art. Artists interested in being considered for State Route 88 Roundabout must submit the following:

  1. Statement of Interest: Describe your artistic practice and your interest in public art, highlighting relevant experience.
  2. Current Resume: Include relevant public art experience and education. The resume should illustrate public art projects previously commissioned, completed, and paid for, highlighting those completed for a governmental agency and those which included a public involvement component. Artists applying as a team must submit resumes for all team members merged into one (1) PDF.
  3. Work Samples: Six (6) to ten (10) images of past work. Do not include text on the images.
    • File Type: JPEG or JPG
    • File Dimensions: 1,200 pixels or greater on the longest side.
    • File Size: Under 5 MB
    • Color Profile: sRGB
  4. Image Description Sheet: Details MUST include image number, title, year completed, medium, dimensions, location, budget, and commissioning body (if applicable) on a combined page.
  5. References: Include contact information for at least three (3) professional and/or academic references familiar with past five (5) years of work.

Application Process

All materials must be submitted online at the Call for Artists Creative West CaFE website at www.callforentry.org. There is no fee to apply. Late or incomplete submissions will not be considered.

Deadline to apply: Thursday, April 30, 2026, at 11:59pm Mountain time (10:50pm Pacific)

For more information, please visit the City Public Art Program website at
https://www.apachejunctionaz.gov/1192/Current_Solicitations

Questions regarding this RFQ may be submitted until noon on Thursday, April 30, 2026, to:

Erika Hernandez, Planner; 480-474-5491; ehernandez@apachejunctionaz.gov
Office hours are Monday—Thursday, 7:00am-6:00pm.
Closed Fridays and holidays.

For technical difficulties with the Call for Artists Creative West CaFE Website, please contact https://www.callforentry.org/artist-help-cafe/. Please allow up to 24 hours for a response from CaFE staff.

Important Dates:

RFQ Release                                          Monday, March 30, 2026
Deadline to Submit                               Thursday, April 30, 2026
Panel Review & Selection                      Monday, May 11, 2026
Artist Contract Due                                Monday, May 18, 2026
Design Submittal Due                            Monday, June 22, 2026
PAC Discussion & Recommendation     Monday, July 13, 2026
PAC Discussion & Recommendation     July Special Session TBD (if needed)
City Council Work Session                     Monday, August 3, 2026
City Council Consent Agenda                Tuesday, September 1, 2026
Fabrication Completed                          Thursday, January 28, 2027
Installation                                             Thursday, February 25, 2027

Call for Sacramento-based Artists & Musicians

Capital Dance Project (CDP) is seeking Sacramento-based visual artists, musicians, spoken-word artists, designers, and creatives of all other mediums who are excited about a unique collaborative opportunity. Each of CDP’s resident choreographers will select one local artist or group to co-create an original work to premiere at Behind the Barre, CDP’s outdoor festival at the Red Museum in September 2026.

Vilcek Foundation Grants – Up to $20,000 for Eligible Nonprofit Organizations

The Vilcek Foundation will award a total of $200,000 in new grants to eligible nonprofits working to champion immigrants and the arts and sciences who apply in 2026. Individual grant awards will be up to $20,000 each. The deadline to apply for a grant is April 30, 2026, at 11:59 pm ET.

The foundation encourages mission-driven nonprofit organizations that have a specific focus on supporting immigrants in the arts, sciences, and education, to apply for a 2026 Vilcek Foundation Grant. The foundation invests in organizations that take a creative approach to putting their mission into action, and that prioritize the development of unique projects and operations to effectively achieve meaningful goals.

The ideal grant recipient produces outputs or serves populations in innovative ways that sets them apart from others in their sector. Funding will be prioritized in U.S. states and territories where the foundation has not previously awarded grants. A list of past grants is available on the Vilcek Foundation’s Grants History page.

Requirements – To be eligible to apply for a grant:

  • An organization must be a nonprofit organization operating under U.S. IRC Section 501(c)(3).
  • An organization must be based in the United States or U.S. territories.
  • An organization’s activities and expenditures must primarily be based in the United States or U.S. territories.
  • An organization must abide by all laws and regulations governing nonprofit organizations under IRC Section 501(c)(3) in the United States.
  • An organization must be in good standing and hold tax-exempt status with the IRS.
  • An organization must be able to provide the following documents:
    • A signed W-9 with a valid EIN
    • An IRS determination letter
    • A recent IRS Form 990, Form 990-PF, Form 990-EZ, or Form 990-N
    • An audited financial statement, reviewed financial statement, or internally prepared financial statement (prepared by an accountant) from the previous fiscal year
    • An annual operating budget and proposal budget.

Restrictions:

  • The foundation does not award grants to organizations working with fiscal sponsors.
  • The foundation does not award grants in support of scientific research.
  • The foundation does not award grants in support of capital projects or campaigns.
  • The foundation does not award grants to organizations seeking support to cover the costs of galas, award ceremonies, or other events primarily intended as fundraisers.
  • The foundation does not award grants to K-12 schools or to charter schools. While we recognize the significant need for arts program support in schools, this is not our current focus or area of expertise.
  • The foundation does not participate in or provide support to any political campaigns on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for elective public office.
  • The foundation does not offer renewals on grants; all grants awarded by the foundation are intended as individual, non-renewable awards. 

Application Instructions:

To apply for a grant, eligible organizations must submit an application through the Vilcek Foundation Grant Portal. Learn more and register for the Grant Portal at the following link: https://www.vilcek.org/grants. 

If you have further questions about the Vilcek Foundation’s grantmaking, please contact grants@vilcek.org. 

Get the latest news by signing up for our newsletter!

Sign Up

Grants

Collective

Learning Center

Programs

About

News

Support The Arts

Subscribe to the California ArtBeat weekly newsletter

Skip to content