Employment at Arbutus Folk School
See below for
Woodshop Manager (Applications due 12/4/25)
The mission of Arbutus Folk School is to enrich lives and build community through experiential learning in arts, craft, and culture. The Woodshop Program Manager furthers this mission by supporting, recruiting, and developing woodworking programs with our instructors & volunteers in a safe & efficient shop space. The guiding principle for this position is to increase access to woodworking experiences for the South Sound community.
Hourly Rate: $20/hr
Weekly Hours: 5 (.125 FTE)
If you are interested in applying to our open Woodshop Manager position, please carefully review the position description below. Then, email info@arbutusfolkschool.org with a statement of interest and resumé. Be sure that your statement of interest and resumé reflect how your skills and experience align with the position. Review of applications will begin 12/4/2025.
Professional opportunities for artists and artisans are often disproportionately available to privileged people groups, neglecting the full spectrum of assets and needs in our communities. In our mission to enrich, empower, and connect through the arts, we especially encourage people of color, people who live in rural areas, people with disabilities, women, immigrants, people whose first language is not English, and LGBTQ community members to consider applying to open positions at Arbutus Folk School.
Inquiries welcome at info@arbutusfolkschool.org.
Arts Instructor (Employee)
Arbutus Folk School accepts applications for the position of Arts Instructor on a rolling basis, with review of applications at the end of every month. When hiring Arts Instructors, we prioritize programming in art forms that will employ our existing facilities & equipment and align with current programming priorities: fiber arts, ceramics, and woodworking. However, further possibilities may be opened if an artist is able to offer classes in their own facilities. These positions are intended for permanent employment, although the frequency of teaching per quarter or year is flexible according to the artist’s availability. At this time, we are especially interested in applications from the following:
- Cultural Arts Instructor: Artists whose art form reflects the place they live or the place they’re from, or whose art form is rooted in their cultural or ethnic identity.
- Multilingual Instructor: Artists with the ability to support Spanish-speaking students, Vietnamese-speaking students, or other languages spoken in the South Sound region.
- Woodworking Instructor: We are seeking to grow our woodworking team to increase course offerings in the woodshop.
- Misc. Craft Instructor: We are seeking instructors to teach unique, high-quality craft classes in our flexible front classroom space, typically “table and chair crafts” but not typically works on paper. Current examples in this category include bookbinding, flintknapping, scrimshaw, and a wide variety of fiber arts.
Most Arbutus Folk School classes are scheduled for weeknights and weekends. Painting, drawing, and other works on paper are not a programming priority at this time. We also do not offer teaching positions that duplicate existing instructors’ expertise. For this reason, we encourage you to reach out to us before submitting an application; we will be able to consult with you about your art form and the openings we have with existing staff. Other hiring considerations may include: facilities and equipment feasibility, available classroom space, materials costs, and perceived desirability of the art form for our audiences.
If you are interested in applying, please carefully review our prospective instructor packet here. Then, view and complete our online application here. For questions, email info@arbutusfolkschool.org.
We do occasionally contract with guest artists to teach a special program instead of joining as permanent staff. This can include workshops, performances, and other arts activities. See below for more information about guest artists.
Access to the arts and professional opportunities for artists are often disproportionately available to privileged people groups, neglecting the full spectrum of assets and needs in our communities. In our mission to enrich, empower, and connect through the arts, we especially encourage people of color, people who live in rural areas, people with disabilities, women, immigrants, people whose first language is not English, and LGBTQ community members to consider applying to open positions at Arbutus Folk School.
Inquiries welcome at info@arbutusfolkschool.org.
Guest Artist (Contractor)
Arbutus Folk School contracts with guest artists to teach special programs throughout the year. This can include workshops, performances, and other arts activities. Selection is a competitive process; please contact us if you are interested in proposing a program. Contact: info@arbutusfolkschool.org or 360-350-0187.
When contracting Guest Artists, we prioritize programming in art forms that will employ our existing facilities & equipment and align with current priorities for special programming; at this time, we are especially interested in the following:
- Cultural Arts Programs: Guest artists whose art form reflects the place they live or the place they’re from, or whose art form is rooted in their cultural or ethnic identity.
- Multilingual Instructor: Guest artists with the ability to provide Spanish-, Vietnamese-, or Chinese-language programs.
- Music Programs: Guest artists who are highly skilled in their culture’s musical traditions and can provide educational presentations and performances.
Most Arbutus Folk School programs are scheduled for weeknights and weekends. Instructor fees vary widely depending on the program offered, especially class duration and preparation required. For artists traveling to Arbutus Folk School from outside the immediate region, reimbursements for travel and lodging are included as available.
Arbutus Folk School is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, sexual preference, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other classification by law.
