2026 Art Specialist - NY & NJ at Kids in the Game

New York, New York, United States -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

22 Mar, 26

Salary

800.0

Posted On

22 Dec, 25

Experience

0 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Youth Development, Art Instruction, Creativity, Communication, Organization, Adaptability, Team Collaboration, Empathy, Inclusivity, Leadership, Problem Solving, Safety Management, Positive Reinforcement, Engagement, Art Techniques, Supervision

Industry

Wellness and Fitness Services

Description

Job Details Job Location: Legal Address 0TW50 - New York, NY 10003 Position Type: Seasonal Salary Range: $650.00 - $800.00 Salary Travel Percentage: Road Warrior Job Shift: Day TURN YOUR SUMMER INTO SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY – BECOME A SEASONAL ART SPECIALIST WITH KIDS IN THE GAME! Empower Staff, Inspire Campers, and Build a Summer That Matters. Kids in the Game provides unforgettable day camp experiences for hundreds of New York children across Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and now Westchester & Jersey City! When you join the Kids in the Game summer camp leadership cohort, you’ll be part of a dynamic team of Camp Directors, Assistant Directors, and 275+ coaches running outstanding programming at our 13 summer day camps. THE KIDS IN THE GAME SUMMER CAMP EXPERIENCE Kids in the Game camps are where sports, creativity, and community come together to shape confident, compassionate, and connected kids. Every summer, our camps across New York City, Westchester & Jersey City bring together diverse groups of children to explore new sports, build friendships, develop positive social skills, and learn how to be part of a team. Our camps offer kids a uniquely designed blend of sports and games, arts and crafts, STEM enrichment, field trips, swim activities, theme weeks, and all-camp special events to make every week the highlight of a child's summer. Each day is fueled by energy, laughter, and belonging. Our team of camp leaders, specialists, and counselors create an environment where every child feels seen, supported, and inspired to try something new. We believe camp is more than a summer activity — it’s a place where kids discover who they are and who they can become. As a Certified B Corporation, we're also on a mission to positively impact the lives of all of our stakeholders - campers, families, staff, community members, and our partners. We’re looking for Art Specialists who want to be positive role models, build emotional intelligence, boost confidence, create inclusive communities, and help bring high-quality camp experiences to kids across NYC, Westchester and Jersey City.. Your Leadership Can Change the Game — Join Kids in the Game This Summer. Art SPECIALIST ROLE & KEY TASKS As an Art Specialist, you will report to the Programming Assistant Director and Camp Leadership Team and work collaboratively with counselors and fellow specialists to deliver daily visual arts and creative programming. You are responsible for leading structured art activity periods, supporting counselors during creative time, and ensuring a safe, inclusive, and engaging art environment throughout the camp day. This role is hands-on, creativity-driven, and leadership-focused, requiring strong communication skills, organization, adaptability, and a passion for youth development through artistic expression. We currently have 12 New York based camp locations and 1 Jersey City camp location. The sites and addresses are: Westchester & The Bronx: Westchester-Crestwood - 465 Westchester Ave, Tuckahoe, NY 10707 Riverdale - 3120 Corlear Ave, Bronx, NY 10463 Manhattan: Inwood - 532 W 215th St, New York, NY 10034 Upper West Side - 147 W 70th St, NY, NY 10023 West Village - 272 W 10th St, New York, NY 10014 Upper East Side (Carnegie Hill)- 4 E 90th St, NY, NY 10128 Upper East Side (Yorkville) - 540 East 76th Street, New York, NY 10021 East Village - 44 E 2nd St, NY, NY 10003 Brooklyn: Park Slope - 588 6th St, Brooklyn, NY 11215 Greenpoint - 100 Dobbin St, Brooklyn, NY 11222 Fort Greene - 39 Adelphi St, Brooklyn, NY 11205 Jersey City: 118 Ferry St. Jersey City, NJ 07307 You must be able to arrive by 7:45am daily via public transportation or personal transportation (car) and stay on-site until 4:15pm daily (and until 5:30pm twice per week to support after care activities). The Art Specialist's responsibilities include: Ambassadorship, Core Values & Camp Culture Positivity: You bring enthusiasm, creativity, and encouragement to each camp day, helping campers feel excited to express themselves through art. You celebrate effort over perfection and use positive, affirming language to build confidence in campers who may feel unsure of their artistic abilities. Your energy helps create an art space where campers feel proud of their work and excited to participate. Empathy: You demonstrate patience, understanding, and emotional awareness when working with campers of different ages, skill levels, backgrounds, and comfort levels with art. You listen actively to campers’ ideas, concerns, and frustrations and respond with care and encouragement. You recognize that art is a powerful tool for emotional expression and support campers in using creativity to explore feelings, identity, and imagination. Commitment: You show up prepared, punctual, and organized for all camp days, trainings, and responsibilities. You fully engage in required pre-summer virtual and on-site trainings and apply that learning to your daily art programming. You follow schedules, lesson plans, and safety protocols consistently and communicate proactively with camp leadership about supplies, camper needs, or any concerns related to programming or behavior. Ambition: You seek opportunities to grow as a creative educator and youth development professional. You are open to feedback, coaching, and collaboration, and you bring fresh ideas and creativity to your art lessons. You continuously look for ways to improve activities, introduce new techniques, and enhance camper engagement — striving to make each art session meaningful, inspiring, and fun. Inclusivity: You create a welcoming and inclusive art environment where all campers feel safe, respected, and capable of participating. You adapt projects to meet different developmental stages, abilities, and learning styles, ensuring that every camper can experience success. You model inclusive language and behavior and emphasize that art has no “right” or “wrong” way — it is for everyone. Activity Leadership & Instruction Lead 45-minute art activity periods throughout the camp day Provide structured, age-appropriate art instruction for campers Pre-K through middle school Teach and facilitate a variety of creative projects, including but not limited to: Drawing, painting, collage, sculpture, mixed media, and craft-based projects Process-based art activities focused on exploration and creativity Theme-based art projects aligned with weekly camp themes and special events Demonstrate techniques clearly while encouraging creative freedom and individual expression Adapt projects to different age groups, skill levels, and attention spans Align daily art activities with camp schedules, themes, and special programming Camper Engagement & Youth Development Foster creativity, self-expression, and confidence through art Encourage campers to experiment, take creative risks, and share their ideas Support campers in developing fine motor skills, focus, and problem-solving Celebrate campers’ artistic efforts and accomplishments Create opportunities for campers to reflect on and talk about their artwork Team Collaboration & Support Work closely with counselors to help them confidently support art activities Communicate clearly with Camp Directors and Assistant Directors regarding camper needs, behavior, or supply considerations Support all-camp events, theme days, art displays, and special programming Contribute positively to staff culture, collaboration, and team morale Safety, Supervision & Organization Prioritize camper safety at all times by following Department of Health regulations and camp safety protocols Safely manage art materials, tools, and supplies appropriate to each age group Set up, maintain, and clean art spaces daily Keep materials organized, accessible, and age-appropriate Actively supervise campers during activities, transitions, and cleanup Identify and respond to camper behavior concerns and report issues promptly to leadership Assist with incident documentation and reporting as directed SEASONAL WORK EXPECTATIONS & SUMMER SCHEDULE Pre-Summer Work Expectations & Schedule: Part-time participation in virtual and in-person trainings during May and June Required attendance at: Virtual trainings (starting early June) Three on-site training days the week before camp begins In-person field day training Training attendance is mandatory and paid upon completion Summer Camp Schedule Dates: Late June through August (7–8 weeks depending on location) Hours: Monday–Friday, approximately 7:45 AM – 4:15 PM Support at least two days per week of aftercare (until approximately 5:30 PM) Work Environment: Full-time, in-person at assigned camp location Camp Size: 30–100+ campers with 10–30+ staff members SEASONAL COMPENSATION STRUCTURE This is a part-time, seasonal position based in New York City. Art Specialists must be available to participate in pre-summer trainings (virtual and on-site) to complete pre-summer work expectations. Art Specialists must be available to work full summer camp hours from late June to the end of August. Pre Summer Compensation - $375 $150 for virtual trainings $150 for all 3 on-site training days $75 for an in-person field day in June Training attendance is mandatory; you will only be paid for the trainings that you attend / complete on time. You must complete all virtual and in-person training. Note: Individual pay rates are based on camp enrollment (number of campers per week) and prior years of experience in similar roles and prior sports-related experience. Pay Schedule: Biweekly salary payments from late June - August 2026 Riverdale, Inwood, UES Carnegie Hill, Yorkville, East Village, West Village, Park Slope, Greenpoint, Fort Greene, and Jersey City will run for 8 weeks Westchester-Crestwood and UWS camp locations will run for 7 weeks Total salary range based on 8 weeks of summer camp: $650 to $800 per week 8 week camp salary range (without the training stipend) $5,200 to $6,400 Total salary range based on 7 weeks of summer camp: $650 to $800 per week 7 week camp salary range (without the training stipend) $4,550 to $5,600 WHY WORK WITH KIDS IN THE GAME At Kids in the Game, you can expect to be welcomed into an engaging and spirited environment that emphasizes the importance of teamwork, open communication, and collaboration. We are proud to foster an inclusive environment where our team members feel respected by and connected to one another. We value the unique experiences, perspectives, and passions of our employees, and we look forward to adding dynamic personalities to our team. We are AMBITIOUS. POSITIVE, COMMITTED, INCLUSIVE, and EMPATHETIC. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: We are committed to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment for all of our interns and employees. We recruit candidates from across the city, state, and country, from all cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. We have developed partnerships with organizations that allow us to target our hiring practices to include chronically discriminated against or low-income groups, and improve their access to high-quality employment opportunities. Qualifications ART SPECIALIST QUALIFICATIONS Our ideal Art Specialist candidate: Is enthusiastic, dependable, and passionate about youth development through sports Has experience leading sports, recreation, or group activities with children Is confident managing groups of varying sizes and age ranges Communicates clearly and works well as part of a team Demonstrates strong organization, adaptability, and problem-solving skills Can pass required background checks and provide medical clearance CPR, First Aid, and AED certification preferred (or willingness to obtain)

Responsibilities

As an Art Specialist, you will lead structured art activity periods and support counselors during creative time, ensuring a safe and engaging art environment. You will foster creativity and self-expression among campers while collaborating with the camp leadership team.