The Marion Art Center is pleased to welcome Benares Angeley as its 2021 ArtStart Director. ArtStart is the MAC’s summer art program for children age 4.5 – 9, offered in late June through July. Angeley has been working with children in creative art endeavors for more than 20 years. She is the founder and director of Children’s Art Lab, a creative, process-based mobile art studio that brings art to children and families through the SouthCoast region. Angeley teaches pre-K through 8th grade art and music at St. Francis Xavier School in Acushnet while operating Art Lab through several venues. Angeley has run many Art Lab programs at the Marion Art Center and has contributed to the MAC’s virtual programming, as well as other community partnerships such as the grassroots organization Tri-Town Against Racism. She received her Master of Fine Arts in Fibers from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in 2005 and is currently working toward obtaining her Masters in Elementary Education through Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts.
The Marion Art Center is currently accepting applications for ArtStart 2021 counselors and program teachers for artmaking and theater. Camp runs for five weeks this year, from June 28 – July 30, and children attend camp Monday through Friday from 9:00 am – 12:30 pm daily. Counselors may be hired for some or all camp weeks, while applicants for teaching positions should be available for all five weeks. All camp employees will work under the direction of ArtStart Director Benares Angeley. The MAC aims to fill six counselor and two teacher positions by early- to mid-April. Interviews for all positions will begin in March. All positions are part-time (roughly 20 hours per week), and some additional time may be required outside of advertised camp hours. All staff will be expected to follow state recommended safety guidelines. Employees should present a willingness for flexibility and improvisation if program changes are necessary. As a member of the MAC team, one is expected to maintain a positive, professional attitude, value diversity, and contribute to an atmosphere of respect, encouragement, and open communication.
Camp counselors should have experience working with young children. Those who wish to apply for a counselor position may request an application by emailing info@marionartcenter.org (with “ArtStart Employment” in the subject line), by calling the MAC at 508-748-1266, or by inquiring in person during gallery hours (Thursday – Saturday 10:00 am –2:00 pm) at 80 Pleasant Street in Marion. ArtStart teachers will work closely with the ArtStart director to plan weekly curriculum under various camp themes. Teachers will be responsible for running daily camp activities in their specific fields and should be comfortable working with children of various ages and abilities in groups of up to 13 kids at a time. Interested applicants should send a PDF with cover letter indicating field of interest, resume, and a list of three references with phone numbers and email addresses to info@marionartcenter.org with “ArtStart teacher” in the subject line. Applications will be reviewed in the order they are received, and candidates will be contacted if selected for an interview.
For more information on ArtStart, visit us online at marionartcenter.org/artstart.