Studio Assistantships
Join Peters Valley’s supportive community of artists and gain hands-on studio experience assisting instructors, department heads & students during the workshop season. This is an intensive, fully immersive residency program for emerging artists.
Peters Valley School of Craft champions the unifying power of art, craft, and creativity; celebrates the diversity of our shared humanity; and condemns racism and violence in all forms. We are committed to eliminating barriers to participation in all of our programs so that we can create opportunities for creative people and encourage BIPOC candidates to apply. Deadline to apply is March 15th.
Summer Studio Assistantship Program
We are looking for excited, engaged emerging artists to participate in our summer assistantship program. Each year Peters Valley selects talented and motivated people, to participate in our summer program by assisting our instructors and studio heads. The Studio Assistantship is rigorous, requires long days in the studio and provides invaluable professional development opportunities. Studio assistants receive a stipend of $350 per week (for up to 18 weeks) to offset living expenses, materials, etc. in addition to lodging and meals on campus. We are accepting applications in 5 craft media studios; blacksmithing, ceramics, fibers, fine metals, and woodworking. Due to the rural nature of our campus, candidates should have their own transportation.
Benefits
- Work with, and learn from, outstanding professional artists in your field
- Hands-on studio experience assisting instructors, department heads & students
- On-campus lodging and meals when the dining hall is open (5 days per week)
- The opportunity to take one workshop in any studio tuition-free
- Opportunities to sell and show your work in the Peters Valley Gallery
- Opportunities to test the market and sell your work at the weekly auctions
- Join a supportive community of artists working in a variety of mediums that will be your professional network long after the program is over
- Participate in field trips and special events
- Spend the summer living in a historic house in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, where our campus is located.
- $350 stipend per week (For up to 18 weeks) to offset living expenses, materials, etc.
Qualifications
- The program is open to artists 21 years and older.
- Knowledge of studio operations & equipment
- The ability to work independently, take direction and work well with others
- Good communication skills and the ability to address issues diplomatically
- Understands and values racial equity as an organizational operating principle and is committed to continued learning on issues related to race, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
- Enthusiasm for your craft!
Duties
- Assist with cleaning and disinfection of tools, equipment and studios during workshops.
- Help with studio preparation before and clean-up after workshops
- Assist visiting instructors and be present in the studio during workshops
- Help students one-on-one with their work
- Monitor evening open studio hours
- Assist with special events when needed
- Act as a representative of Peters Valley
Schedule
Workshops run 9am to 5pm Friday through Tuesday. Studios are open in the evenings for students to work, generally until about 10pm.
Friday evenings visiting instructors talk about and show their work to the staff & students. Assistants are asked to introduce their studio's instructor during these presentations.
Assistants need to be available the day prior to the start of the workshops to help prepare the studio. Most instructors arrive that evening.
Dates
Assistantships are available during the workshop season (mid-May through mid- September). Assistants may apply for the entire summer or any duration of at least one month.
Assistants on campus at the end of the workshop season are welcome to stay through the end of September to participate in our annual fall craft fair. Those that have left prior are encouraged to return for the event.
Apply Now
How to apply:
- Fill out the application form below.
- If you have additional visual documentation to submit beyond what's included in the form you can email us at info@petersvalley.org or mail it to:
Peters Valley School of Craft
Assistantship Program
19 Kuhn Road
Layton, NJ 07851 - Please submit the following via online or in the mail by March 15th: