Employment at Arbutus Folk School
See below for
Acting Director
Acting Director: To apply, please email a cover letter and C.V. to the hiring committee at admin@arbutusfolkschool.org. Review of applications begins on September 14th, 2026. Budget size and other information can be accessed in our annual report.
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.
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 email us for additional information, including rates for compensation (typically starting at $28/hour). 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. Please email us to discuss your interest.
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.
Arbutus Folk School is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, sexual preference, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other classification by law.
