We're Hiring

Location: Cleveland, OH

Empowering students through Hip-Hop: This freelance role focuses on cultivating digital literacy, language skills, and social-emotional development through Hip-Hop music production and lyricism. If you're passionate about mentoring young people and fostering their artistic growth, we offer a collaborative and trust-based classroom environment. We prioritize cultivating youth artistry through our hip-hop production and songwriting curriculums, focusing on amplifying their voices and nurturing their creativity, confidence, collaboration, and well-being.

Where We Work and How We Equip You: Our programs are implemented in diverse locations like hospitals, schools, residential facilities, and community centers. We've established recording studios at some partner sites, and for others, we provide portable equipment. You will receive all the necessary gear to run your programs effectively. As a Teaching Artist, your responsibilities include transporting and setting up this equipment and leading engaging sessions. The final step of mixing and mastering student-created songs is handled by our team of freelance engineers.

Understanding Your Contract and Potential Schedules: As a freelance Teaching Artist with us, your contracts will be program-specific. Here are a couple of examples of what your schedule might look like: a five-week engagement every Friday from 1 PM to 3 PM at the hospital's recording studio, or a one-week program running daily from 9:30 AM to 2:30 PM at the Cuyahoga County Detention Center. Be aware that program start and end times can fall between 8 AM and 8 PM. We also provide mandatory, complimentary training with our Director of Hip-hop Pedagogy, a valuable resource for your growth as a teaching artist and crucial for ensuring program consistency. 

Responsibilities:

• Lead Hip-hop music production and songwriting classes and sessions for students in grades 5-12 and young adults aged 18-24 (up to 25 students per class) at our partner organizations.
• Learn and consistently implement our established curriculum in all workshop sessions.
• Adhere to all organizational protocols for communication, calendar management, data collection, and reporting to support continuous improvement and funding efforts.
• Guide, train, and mentor young people in the creation of collaborative songs and performances.
• Actively strive to engage all students throughout each session.
• Cultivate a classroom environment that fosters learning and is appropriate for the students' maturity levels and interests.
• Implement all necessary and reasonable safety measures to protect students, equipment, materials, and facilities.
• Develop strong relationships with parents, administrators, and partner organizations to support youth development and maintain open communication and engagement.

Qualifications:

• High School Diploma or G.E.D. (College degree and intervention specialist license are preferred).
• Minimum of 1 year of experience teaching and/or mentoring youth in classroom or afterschool settings.
• Demonstrated passion for working with students, including those who may be on an alternative graduation path, have developmental delays, and/or trauma-affected histories.
• Experience in all of the following artistic areas: rap lyric writing, digital music production, audio engineering and recording.

Desired:

• 1-5 years of experience teaching and/or mentoring youth in classroom or afterschool settings.
• 2 years or more of experience in all of the following artistic areas: rap lyric writing and performance, digital music production, audio engineering and recording (proficiency in Logic Pro X is a plus).

Approximate Schedule: 

• Project by project basis (1 - 6 teaching hours per day that can happen once per week or every day for a period of days)
• Some off-site training, field trips, and evening/ or weekend performances

Compensation:

• $50 per teaching hour (Starts at $25 per teaching hour for the training period)
• Self-employed with no company benefits
• This is an independent contractor position

Approximate Start Date: June 1st, 2025

Required before hire: Passing BCI/FBI background checks and drug screening.

After reading this, are you the right person to join our team? 

If your heart is jumping at the opportunity to say YES, apply here with your cover letter, resume, and 3 references (non-familial).