The Public Programs and Partnerships Manager designs and produces welcoming, inspiring, and culturally engaging experiences that bring the museum’s collections, exhibitions, and civic role to life for broad public audiences. The position is part of a dynamic team that creates programs for all audiences.
Working across departments and with artists, performers, educators, community partners, colleges, universities, and other cultural collaborators, this position develops programs that invite curiosity, conversation, creativity, and connection. This role is central to helping new and returning visitors see The Wadsworth as a place for them—not only as a place to look at art, but a place to gather, wonder, try something new, laugh, and feel connected by the power of art. Programs may range from talks, performances, gallery experiences, courses, workshops, and campus collaborations to more experimental formats that lower barriers, spark participation, and reflect the museum’s vibrant public voice.
This role supports learning partnerships with colleges, universities, and other educational collaborators, and participates in all aspects of public engagement in the museum setting, including teaching, exhibition development, and interpretation.
NOTE: Interested candidates should please include a cover letter along with their resume for consideration.
ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
PUBLIC PROGRAMS
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Develop, produce, and evaluate public programs that make The Wadsworth feel welcoming, relevant, surprising, and alive for a wide range of audiences, including first-time visitors, members, students, young adults, artists, lifelong learners, and community partners.
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Create programs in close collaboration with curatorial, learning and engagement, marketing, visitor experience, development, and operations colleagues, as well as external partners. Programs should connect audiences with the museum’s collections and exhibitions while also opening space for conversation, creativity, performance, reflection, joy, and civic imagination.
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Design a balanced mix of program formats, including artist talks, performances, music, film, conversations, gallery experiences, hands-on workshops, drawing courses, social programs, lectures, community collaborations, and experimental formats that invite participation and reduce barriers to museum engagement.
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Approach public programs as both mission-driven learning experiences and audience-development opportunities, helping attract new visitors, deepen relationships with existing audiences, and strengthen The Wadsworth’s role as a cultural gathering place for Hartford and the region.
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Manage program logistics, including schedules, budgets, contracts, travel, payment requests, floor plans, security and visitor services coordination, facilities and AV needs, documentation, attendance tracking, and post-program assessment.
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Work with the communications and marketing team to shape program descriptions and promotional strategies that are clear, compelling, and accessible to audiences beyond traditional museum-goers.
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Serve as a welcoming educator in galleries and off-site for adults, school and university groups, teacher workshops, special courses and talks.
PARTNERSHIPS
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Build and sustain partnerships with colleges, universities, community organizations, artists, and other collaborators that expand access to The Wadsworth’s collections, exhibitions, and public programs.
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Develop programs and partnerships that connect the museum to learners at many stages of life, from college and university students to adult learners, educators, interns, and curious members of the public.
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Manage the museum’s Internship Program as funding permits, including fundraising, seeking staff mentors, developing projects, promoting positions, and supporting Interns throughout the program.
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Administer the full Intern recruitment process, including: processing applications, coordinating the application review process, scheduling and participating in candidate interviews; preparing paperwork and coordinating with HR to initiate onboarding.
INTERPRETATION
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Work closely with cross-departmental teams to support exhibition development, including devising visitor learning goals and outcomes, editing and writing in-gallery text, drafting funding proposals, and designing interpretive strategies.
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Participate in the development of in-gallery resources and interpretive materials designed for age-specific audiences as assigned.
ADMINISTRATION
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Develop assessment strategies and documentation for programs.
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Use attendance data, visitor feedback, and audience insights to evaluate program success, identify opportunities for growth, and shape programs that attract new visitors while deepening relationships with existing audiences.
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Work with communications and marketing team to develop program promotion in print and online.
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Work with colleagues to increase funding for public engagement and programs; ensure that all funding criteria are fulfilled in compliance with program grants. Assist with grant writing and reporting.
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Develop, plan and monitor budgets for public program areas and exhibition programming. Monitor expenses, create and submit all public program-related payment requests, maintain documentation of these expenditures.
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Develop, maintain, and promote positive and professional relationships with internal staff, volunteers, members, vendors, contractors, media, and the general public in order to achieve departmental and organizational goals
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Other duties as assigned by Director of Learning and Engagement.
REQUIREMENTS
SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES
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Exceptional verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills.
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Experience developing and implementing programs.
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A strong sense of hospitality and visitor experience.
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Interest in reaching people who may not already see themselves as museum visitors.
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Strong instinct for what makes a public program feel welcoming, compelling, and worth attending.
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Excellent public speaking skills. Dedication to interactive and interdisciplinary teaching.
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Ability to translate complex ideas about art, history, culture, and contemporary life into accessible, engaging experiences for broad audiences.
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A creative, curious, and audience-centered approach to museum engagement, with comfort experimenting with new formats.
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Strong organizational skills. Ability to manage numerous projects simultaneously and adapt to change.
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Foundational knowledge of art history.
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Ability to work well with a large team across departments.
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Ability to work evenings and weekends as program schedule requires.
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Strong budget management skills.
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Aptitude in MS Office programs including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, and databases.
QUALIFICATIONS:
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Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience required. Backgrounds may include art history, museum education, arts administration, public humanities, community engagement, cultural programming and production, education, event production, performance, communications, art education or related field.
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Three to five years of experience in developing public programs, cultural events, community engagement, learning experiences, audience engagement initiatives, or related work.
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Experience working with artists, educators, performers, community partners, college/university collaborators, or cultural organizations strongly preferred.
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Bilingual (Spanish/English) preferred.
