The Director of Folklife and Community Engagement creates and implements the long-range vision for cultural heritage programming and services.  This position supervises the full-time Community Programs Coordinator and collaborates with dozens of folk artists. 

Responsibilities:

Fulfill the vision established by the Regional Folklife Center Strategic Plan

Support folk artists through existing and new initiatives, including:
- Grant writing assistance to traditional artists and traditional arts organizations
- Nominations for state and national awards
- Use of the museum’s Digital Folklife Lab
- Use of the museum’s Cultural Heritage Hub
- Services provided through the Folklife Enterprise Initiative

Oversee programming by managing the Community Programs Coordinator:
- Supervise the Community Programs Coordinator to organize and implement programs and exhibits that showcase regional folklife, including visual, performing arts, and cultural heritage
- Conceptualize and implement programs/events linking folklife and collections in collaboration with appropriate staff.
- Create and oversee the implementation of evaluations for partnering artists and audience members. 

Grant writing and management
- Annually write and submit grants to the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC), NEA, NEH, and others; write and submit semi-annual and annual reports.
Manage the implementation of existing grants, including budget management

Develop community engagement and build a regional folklife network
- Cultivate relationships with new folklife practitioners in the county
- Host on-site activities that strengthen bonds among folk artists and communities
- Create and maintain a database of traditional and cultural arts practitioners
- As time allows, present work at local, regional, and national meetings to build awareness of the RFC and share resources with colleagues
- Oversee fieldwork with traditional artists and the documentation of regional traditions
- As funding allows, document traditional artists
- Working with appropriate staff, oversee archiving folklife material

Qualifications
Required:
- Considerable applied or public-sector cultural heritage work experience.
- Relevant degree in folklore, ethnomusicology, anthropology, arts administration, etc or significant, documented experience obtaining this knowledge through on-the-job training.
- Minimum 3 years developing and managing public programs
- Experience writing grants
- Ability to work effectively with diverse constituencies

Preferred:
- Experience managing staff and volunteers
- Public speaking skills
- Ability to manage project budgets
- Oral fluency in a language in addition to English, such as Mandarin, French, Spanish or Amharic

Compensation/Benefits:
Salary range is $72,000-$77,250
This is an exempt position with some work required during evenings and weekends.
Benefits and conditions of employment are outlined in the Personnel Handbook, September 12, 2018.

To apply, please send a single PDF with a cover letter, resume, and three references to aweiss@sandyspringmuseum.org by January 1, 2025.