New York Studio School

Dean and Head of School

Organization

New York Studio School (NYSS) is an independent art school that offers a unique studio-based art education for aspiring artists. The program fosters a profound engagement in drawing, painting, and sculpture. Full-time MFA and Certificate programs, along with intensive Marathons and open enrollment classes, are bolstered by a robust Lecture Series and public Gallery to galvanize independent thought and inspire dedicated studio work.

Founded by Mercedes Matter in 1964, with a manifesto signed by Sandy Calder, James Brooks, Mark Rothko, Jack Tworkov, Barnett Newman, Adolph Gottlieb, Willem de Kooning, Abram Lassaw, Isamu Noguchi, Jasper Johns, and Jacques Lipchitz, NYSS is housed on 8th street in historic Greenwich Village New York City in the original site and building of the Whitney Museum of American Art, a National Historic Landmark. NYSS serves 200+ full- and part-time students in their studio, gallery, lecture, and library spaces. The school has been led by a practicing artist for the last three decades.

NYSS highly values faith in the great language of art and the power of art to change one’s life; dedication to the pursuit of excellence; a culture of intensity, integrity, and involvement; and a commitment to inclusivity and diversity in order to foster a community where all students, faculty, and staff can thrive.

NYSS has granted a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree since 2005. Earning the MFA requires a full-time, rigorous studio practice. The NYSS’ Master of Fine Arts degree program was granted an Absolute Charter by the Board of Regents of The State University of New York. The school also offers a range of Certificate, virtual, part-time, and summer classes.

NYSS maintains a robust global alumni network. Students who have graduated from NYSS programs can benefit from opportunities associated with the Alumni Association, the Rosemarie Beck Foundation Studio Residency/Internship Program, the Hohenberg Travel Award, and the DUMBO Artists-in-Residence program which includes exhibiting at the DUMBO Studio & Gallery.

Contributing to the greater arts community in New York City, NYSS provides free and public access to its prestigious Evening Lecture Series and Main Art Gallery, as well as access, by appointment, to the John McEnroe Library. NYSS serves as a hub of intellectual engagement around art, and the building is open to the public and its students seven days a week.

NYSS owns and occupies its National Historical Landmarked building located in the heart of Greenwich Village, one block from Washington Square Park. The 8 West 8th Street building – a set of three historic row houses connected by an exterior façade – features galleries, gathering spaces, offices, and skylit studio spaces that have been the site of artmaking and discussion for more than a century.

NYSS launched a Strategic Plan in 2023 with initiatives for programmatic expansion including the new and growing virtual programs, investment in capital improvements, strengthening institutional support and outreach, and long-term institutional resilience.

New York Studio School has a 21-member Board of Trustees led by Chair F. Anthony Zunino III, an AIA Architect, and includes many alumni of the school. The NYSS Board of Governors serves as an advisory body to the Dean and Board of Trustees, with 10-15 student, staff, faculty, and trustee representatives.

The Dean and Head of School will supervise the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Director of Development, and Director of Administration, overseeing the staff of approximately 15 full-time employees in addition to more than 35 faculty members and instructors. The Dean will shape and guide the curriculum and enrollment for 200+ students. For the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024, the NYSS’ annual operating budget is $3 million, of which 65% comes from contributions and grants. For its 60th anniversary, the NYSS has also embarked on a $2 million capital plan, with the goals of repairing the roof and providing accessibility to the historic building.

Position Summary

The Dean and Head of School (Dean) will maintain the existing standards of NYSS while remaining open to the evolution of what art can be in the 21st century. A practicing fine artist or dedicated arts professional, the Dean will encourage students to pay attention to all forms of art, past and present, in their quest to discover what is their own. In addition to teaching students and serving as the leading spokesperson of NYSS, the Dean will be responsible for all aspects of NYSS including administration, finance and development, admissions, public programs, and staff management. Reporting to and working with an engaged Board of Trustees, the Dean will guide an experienced and committed faculty and staff, working collaboratively to continue, strengthen, and advance the New York Studio School’s founding mission: to support the growth of aspiring artists.

Role and Responsibilities

Strategic Vision and Leadership

  • Inspire, energize, and lead faculty, students, staff, Board of Trustees, and alumni into the future, driving the NYSS mission and strategic vision.
  • Strengthen and advance the profile and reputation of NYSS locally, nationally, and internationally, leveraging networks to secure dynamic faculty, lecturers, board members, and donors for NYSS.
  • Guide the strategic direction of NYSS in close collaboration with the faculty, staff, and board.
  • Enhance and expand curriculum offerings and public programs, including partnerships for institutional collaborations.
  • Embrace other strategic vision and leadership duties, as needed.

Faculty, Staff, Student, and Alumni Engagement

  • Engage with students in learning experiences throughout the semester and participate in academic experiences throughout the semester.
  • Build and inspire an exceptional faculty body, including guest faculty and lecturers; guide the faculty body each semester in shaping the curriculum of NYSS.
  • Collaborate with the Director of Admissions and Student Services to recruit students nationally and internationally, participating in the interview and admissions process.
  • Lead monthly all-staff meetings in collaboration with the Associate Dean and Director of Administration; guide and participate in the annual review process.
  • Embrace other faculty, staff, student, and alumni engagement duties, as needed.

Stakeholder Engagement and Revenue Enhancement

  • Build strong networks and partnerships with visual art and education communities creating a strong local, national, and international presence for NYSS.
  • Collaborate with the Director of Development and the Board of Trustees to create and implement robust fundraising plans for annual operating, capital improvement, and endowment campaigns, identifying, building, and stewarding relationships with individual donors and institutional funders to expand support for NYSS.
  • Serve as the primary spokesperson for NYSS, actively partnering with the development staff and Board of Trustees to cultivate and steward donor and institutional funder relationships, participating in fundraising events and activities designed to meet fundraising goals.
  • Embrace other stakeholder engagement and revenue enhancement duties, as needed.

Governance, Finance, and Administration

  • Oversee all operations and administration including compliance with regulations and expectations set by the Regents of State of New York. Provide quarterly Dean’s Report to the Board of Trustees, working in active partnership with committees..
  • Serve as a member of the Board of Governors, meeting twice a semester to communicate with faculty, staff, students, trustees, and alumni elected representatives.
  • Assist the Trustees in their work to identify, cultivate, and recruit Board of Trustee members.
  • Embrace other governance, finance, and administration duties, as needed.

Traits and Characteristics

Receptive, instinctive, and collaborative, the Dean will be deeply engaged with the development of programs to benefit students, faculty, and staff within the New York Studio School, while guiding the growth of the institution’s profile in the larger art world.

Other key competencies include the following:

  • Leadership and Personal Accountability – The dexterity to elicit strong engagement from internal and external stakeholders through inclusive leadership practices that shape decision-making, and to take accountability for decisions, grow from mistakes, and possess a high degree of awareness of the impact of personal actions and decisions.
  • Teamwork – The ability to organize and motivate others while creating a sense of order, direction, and active participation among the internal and external stakeholders to achieve collective goals.
  • Diplomacy and Interpersonal Skills – The clarity to demonstrate emotional intelligence and sensitivity when handling difficult issues while communicating, building rapport, and relating well to all kinds of people.
  • Resiliency – The capacity to quickly adjust to changing circumstances in the industry and environment with the flexibility to remain optimistic in the face of setbacks and challenges, recognizing these are part of learning and growth that informs new strategies and tactics.
  • Planning and Organizing – The competence to identify and oversee all resources, tasks, systems, and people; and to establish courses of action to ensure that work is completed effectively.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will be an experienced art world professional and/or accomplished exhibiting artist and teacher demonstrating a commitment to the unique pedagogy and ethos of the New York Studio School. Leading candidates will have a comprehensive understanding of art history, contemporary art, and art education at the national and international level. Five to seven years’ experience with progressive responsibility in a senior management role, ideally in a nonprofit cultural or educational institution with a working knowledge of budget development, fiscal management, staff, and faculty management, and fundraising is preferred. The Dean should have demonstrable experience contributing to a climate of inclusivity and working with a diverse range of stakeholders, including faculty, staff, students, and alumni.

Compensation and Benefits

New York Studio School provides a competitive base salary estimated to be in the range of $175,000 – $200,000, a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, dental, and vision insurance, paid leave time, a 403(b)-retirement program (currently employee contributions only) and other ancillary benefits.

Applications and Inquiries

To submit a cover letter and resume with a summary of demonstrable accomplishments (electronic submissions preferred), please click here or visit artsconsulting.com/opensearches. For questions or general inquiries about this job opportunity, including the anticipated salary range, please contact:

Renée Danger-James, Vice President and Practice Leader
Josyanne Roche, Vice President
Arts Consulting Group logo.

1040 First Avenue, Suite 352
New York, New York 10022-2991
Tel       (888) 234.4236 Ext. 212
Email    NYSS@ArtsConsulting.com

New York Studio School is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in its hiring or employment practices on the basis of gender, race or ethnicity, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, family or marital status, or sexual orientation. NYSS is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment.

Click here for the downloadable PDF.

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