The Department of Performance at the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position. The position begins in August of 2025. Salary is competitive with peer institutions and commensurate with quality of practice, scholarship, academic research, extent of teaching experience, and current professional standing.
Program Profile
The Department of Performance at SAIC is unique in the United States, bringing a performance and performance studies curriculum to both undergraduate and graduate students in an interdisciplinary art school setting. Building on a foundation of experimentation, the Department of Performance evolves in relation to new developments inside and outside the field of performance, and aims to be responsive to new ways of seeing and understanding the world in the 21st century.
Our curriculum combines intensive studio practice with rigorous critical, theoretical, and historical study to inform aesthetic choices and expression. Our interdisciplinary approach builds on a broad range of performative modes, including live action, performance installation, movement research, tactical and site specific performance, interactive digital technologies, critical/activist social and political performance, performing the non-human, social justice, abandoned practices, archive and ritual, and performative writing.
Further information about the department can be found at: https://www.saic.edu/performance
Responsibilities
Full-time faculty in the Department of Performance teach and advise undergraduate and graduate students within the interdisciplinary art and design school environment of SAIC. The faculty member will teach in areas that contribute to the general curricular goals of the department as well as in their area of specialization, using an anti-racist and decolonial framework to develop coursework; take a leadership role in forging the future of the department and the School; work effectively, flexibly, and ethically with diverse communities of artists, educators, and students across SAIC and Chicago, as well as nationally and internationally; participate in student advising, admissions events, committee work, and special projects; and participate in departmental administration and school governance.
Qualifications
A strong record of performance practice is required. A terminal degree in performance or other relevant field of study is preferred. Experience in teaching is preferred. The ideal candidate will contribute to the diversity of the School by bringing a perspective, way of thinking, and/or a unique set of experiences that expand the intellectual conversations and practices in the field. We seek candidates with the knowledge and aptitude to teach and mentor students from diverse backgrounds, and who will create a positive, inventive, and productively critical learning environment. Candidates should demonstrate their experience with, or aptitude for, departmental administration.
We seek an interdisciplinary, contemporary performance artist with expertise and significant output in one or more of the following areas:
- Live art / Performance Art
- Social practice
- Post-studio practice
- Art intervention
- Digital/multimedia
- Extended reality
- Immersive/site specific
- Expansive choreographic practice
- Queer disabilities studies and practice
- Race politics, social justice practice
- Queer theory and Feminist theory
- Archival inquiry and ritual
We are looking for a performance artist who engages and demonstrates the following:
- Vibrant and continuing artistic practice that engages with contemporary developments in the field of performance.
- Ability to combine creative practice with critical enquiry into contemporary issues and to articulate these in a teaching context.
- Experience combining a wide range of methodologies and artistic disciplines within an art school context; commitment to interdisciplinary practices.
- Ability to work effectively, flexibly, collaboratively, and ethically with diverse communities of artists, educators and students across the School, Chicago, Nationally and Internationally.
- Interest and capability in working with an anti-racist and decolonial framework to develop coursework; commitment to challenging Western training conventions and hierarchies of knowledge; and ability to incorporate sustainable practices and values in observance of building anti-racist production models.
- Interest in collaboratively and individually building new curricula and contributing to the articulation of the future of the area of Performance.
Application Procedures
Applicants are encouraged to apply by January 13, 2025 for full consideration. Please submit application materials via https://saicfaculty.slideroom.com/#/Login. You will be asked to create an account after which time you may complete the application, which consists of fill-in fields and required documents to upload. You are encouraged to begin the application well before the priority deadline.
Complete the fields for educational background; current position; and contact information for three professional references.
Please convert all word documents into PDFs before uploading. Required files to upload include:
- cover letter stating your interests and qualifications (2 pages maximum)
- curriculum vitae
- 3 examples of your performance work in the form of video links, supplemented by any additional photographic documentation and/or written materials. Please provide a brief description of each work as well as a specific 5 minute section that you would like the committee to review.
- statement of teaching philosophy including details on how your teaching has supported the success of students from racial, ethnic, gender, and/or socio-economic backgrounds that are under-represented in your field
- one page artist statement
- 2 examples of course syllabi for graduate and undergraduate courses
All applicants for this position must complete and sign a Prior Workplace Conduct Declaration as part of their initial application materials in order to be considered as a candidate and sign a release authorizing SAIC to conduct a misconduct reference check should the candidate ultimately be selected as a finalist for the position.
Questions
Questions regarding the School and its open positions, application procedures, or the search process may be emailed to saicteach@saic.edu. Please consult www.saic.edu for information on the School and its programs, or https://www.saic.edu/about/work-at-saic for open positions and application procedures.
About SAIC
A leader in educating artists, designers, and scholars since 1866, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) offers undergraduate, graduate, and post-baccalaureate programs to students from across the globe. Located in the heart of Chicago, the School is one of the largest and oldest private schools of art and design in the country with programs reflecting current practices in art. SAIC's educational philosophy is built upon a transdisciplinary approach to art and design that provides unparalleled opportunities for students to develop their creative and critical abilities with renowned faculty who are leading practitioners in their fields. SAIC's resources include the Art Institute of Chicago and its Modern Wing, and numerous special collections and programming venues that provide students with exceptional exhibitions, screenings, lectures, and performances. The campus is located on Chicago’s magnificent lakefront amid the city’s cultural and architectural treasures.
Degree tracks include the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Studio; BFA with Emphasis in Art Education or Writing; BA degrees in Art History and Visual and Critical Studies; Master of Architecture; Master of Design (MDes) in Designed Objects; MFA in Fashion, Body, and Garment; MFA in Studio or Writing; MA degrees in Arts Administration; Art Education; Art History, Theory, and Criticism; Art Therapy; Teaching; Visual and Critical Studies; and a Master of Science in Historic Preservation.
Requests for Accommodations
SAIC provides reasonable accommodations during the interview process for candidates with disabilities in adherence with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Should you need an accommodation to participate in an interview, please contact Molly Roth Scranton, Associate Director of Faculty Affairs, at mscranton@saic.edu.
