Artist-in-Residence: Arts Integration in Elementary Education
Mount Royal University Faculty of Health, Community and Education
Deadline to apply: May 31, 2026
Artist fee: $13,000 CAD
Are you a professional artist passionate about the intersection of art, elementary education and research?
We are seeking an active, highly collaborative Artist-in-Residence to join a federally-funded research project and undergraduate course at Mount Royal University. Working directly alongside Dr. Kristen Schaffer (Course Instructor and Principal Investigator), you will help shape the learning experiences of future elementary school teachers in EDUC 3104: Arts Integration in Elementary Education, a mandatory teacher education course for approximately 90 third-year teacher candidates across three cohorts.
This is a unique, hands-on partnership. We are looking for a motivated artist who loves to share their craft, nurture the artistic practice of both adults and children, and is keen to make a lasting impact on art education. As an integral member of both the teaching and research teams, you will help us reimagine the future of art in elementary education by bridging professional art practices with teacher education.
Roles and Responsibilities
The artist-in-residence will actively engage in both education and research:
Teaching & Mentorship
- Collaborative Design: Work closely with the instructor to design and adapt three integrated arts learning experiences for students (each experience will be taught to three separate cohorts).
- Co-Teaching: Join nine, three-hour classes between September and October 2026 to share your practice and actively co-teach alongside the instructor.
- Field Support: Support students as they design arts-based integrated lessons for their school practicums, with potential opportunities to join students in elementary schools and work with children.
- Exhibition: Consult on and assist with the installation of a public exhibition (format to be determined) showcasing student learning alongside your own work.
Research & Reflection
- Active Co-Researcher: Record critically reflective field notes after classes and provide video/photographic documentation of engagement, practice, and production.
- Team Planning: Attend weekly one-hour planning and debriefing meetings with the instructor and the student research assistant.
- Data Analysis: Work with the research team to identify themes and analyze collected research data.
- Ethics: Uphold strict confidentiality and ethical guidelines to protect student participants.
Time Commitment & Timeline
The residency is budgeted for approximately 150+ hours of engagement. Because this is integrated into an active university course, weekly hours will fluctuate:
Phase 1: Course Engagement (August 15 – December 31, 2026)
- August 15–31: Co-create three 3-hour learning experiences.
- September & October (High Intensity): Expect 10+ hours per week. This core instructional period requires active co-teaching, intensive weekly planning, and direct student mentorship.
- November (Flexible): Students will be in the field for practicums. Your schedule will be flexible, shifting to approximately 10 school site visits, check-ins, and time for independent reflection.
- December (Moderate Intensity): Focus shifts to research synthesis and potential student and artist exhibition.
Phase 2: Data Analysis and Dissemination (January 1 – December 31, 2027)
- Collaborative data analysis with the research team (in-person meetings, asynchronously).
- Opportunities for public exhibition and scholarship dissemination to be determined in consultation with the artist and research team.
Compensation
Due to the intensity and length of engagement, this position offers an artist fee of $13,000 CAD total, which includes a material allowance and installation costs for the potential exhibition of works made. Living costs are not included. The artist-in-residence will have access to the classroom, a former craft studio. Compensation is aligned with the CARFAC-RAAV Minimum Recommended Fee Schedule for Consultation Services.
Who We Are Looking For
- A practicing professional artist comfortable teaching artistic practice and skills to students of all ages, namely undergraduate students and elementary-aged children, many of whom are new to the arts.
- Priority will be given to musicians, dramatists and artists with a material and or social practice.
- Priority will be given to artists comfortable integrating the arts with science, mathematics, and technology, among other school subject areas.
- Artists with diverse voices and perspectives.
- An artist who truly enjoys working with children and seeks to make an imprint on the future of elementary art education.
- A highly engaged collaborator who thrives in team-teaching and shared planning environments—university and schools are procedural, deadline-oriented, high-intensity environments.
- Willingness to undergo and successfully complete a Police Information Check/ Vulnerable Sector Check.
- A commitment to engaging in research training, activities and data collection, and a comfort with sharing your artwork with academic and educational audiences.
How to Apply
Please send a 1–2 page cover letter describing your artistic practice and why you are excited to co-create learning opportunities for teacher candidates, integrate the arts into elementary education, and participate in educational research.
Please also include:
- A link to your website or a sample portfolio.
- Your CV.
- The name and contact information of two professional references.
Email your application by May 31, 2026 to Kristen Schaffer at kschaffer@mtroyal.ca.
A shortlist of candidates will be contacted for an interview. We look forward to hearing from you.
The project, “Exploring the radical possibilities of artists-in-residence in a department of education,” draws upon research supported by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Insight Development Grant.
