Pros Arts Studio executive director

Pros Arts Studio (Pros Arts) is an arts organization in residence at Dvorak Park in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood; its mission is to enrich individuals, communities, and schools through multi-disciplinary arts programming, with a special focus on youth in Pilsen and Little Village.

Linking local artists and residents, Pros Arts works in partnership with twenty schools and community centers to offer free arts programs, school residencies, community performances, and cultural workshops. Pros Arts is guided by its vision of a future where the arts are woven tightly into the everyday life of the community and in which Pros Arts is a stable, responsive and essential part of the ‘arts-support’ system for the heart of the Pilsen and Little Village communities.

Pros Arts believes high-quality opportunities for creative expression must be available to at-risk, under-served youth, believes artists are integral to the community, and believes in passionate creation and celebration. Pros Arts serves nearly 6000 community residents each year. This not-for-profit organization was founded by artists in 1978, has 2 full-time and 4 part-time staff, 20 part-time artist-teachers, and a budget which is expected to reach $475,000 this year. Programs, staff, and budget are all expected to grow over the next several years.

Pros Arts is seeking an executive director to lead its continued growth and development as a strong and sustainable organization that will serve Pilsen and Little Village into the next decades.  The executive director reports to the board of directors and supervises two program directors and the finance director.

Responsibilities:

• With the board of directors, lead continued organizational development including further developing and implementing the current strategic plan and increasing board membership and board participation in policy, outreach, and fundraising.
• Staff board activities; report regularly on program and fiscal status. Strengthen and expand partnerships with community organizations, schools, the Chicago Park District, Chicago Public Schools, and funders as well as with students and parents, with the goal of bringing Pros Arts’ programs to increasing numbers of young people, their families, and the community.
• With the board of directors and fundraising consultant, create and carry out a comprehensive development plan to support current activities and long-range plans.
• Aggressively participate in development activities including identifying and cultivating potential new foundation, individual, and corporate donors; participating in donor solicitation; and sharing in crafting and/or editing numerous grant applications.
• Maintain the high quality of Pros Arts’ programs; serve as a catalyst and support for program directors and artist-teachers in developing exciting and relevant new programs; assure on-going evaluation of program offerings.
• Promote Pros Arts in the local and broader communities, including the arts, education, and funding communities as well as to the media in order to broaden its visibility and impact.
• Oversee program promotion and marketing.
• Refine existing and develop new operational procedures to ensure optimum efficiency and enhance artist-teacher effectiveness.
• Develop solutions to current space and technology needs.
• Manage operations, studio and office space, contracts, and finances; prepare and monitor annual plans and budgets.
• Responsible for human resource activities.