Scholar-in-Residence - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts - (ADJ000501)

The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts in the Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts at the University of Houston is now accepting applications for a nine-month post-doctoral or scholar-in-residence fellowship for the 2021–2022 academic year. Successful candidates will teach up to a 1/1 course load and vigorously pursue research and creative activity within the arena of interdisciplinary practice, which can include (but is not limited to) performance, humanities, cultural studies, studio art, sustainability, or social practice.

The candidate should demonstrate an ability to teach in several disciplines within the arts by reflecting, complementing, and expanding the existing offerings in the Interdisciplinary Arts curriculum in the College. Candidates must be invested in art-making practice, performance, or aesthetic theory and demonstrate willingness to work with UH students, faculty members or the larger Houston community.

The burgeoning Interdisciplinary Arts program in the McGovern College seeks to develop educational and professional skills in students that combine critical thinking, problem solving, and conceptual development with other academic areas, from the humanities and digital arts, to performance, philosophy, psychology, humanities, and cultural studies. The program facilitates creative research in the form of interdisciplinary exchanges and collaborations.

The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts (CWMCA) and the McGovern College of the Arts can provide professional associations to connect the Fellow with Houston's vibrant arts community . The Scholar-in-Residence will be part of a cohort that includes other CWMCA Fellows (in Visual Art, Creative Writing, Music, Theatre, Dance or Contemporary Art Curating) and the Directors of the CWMCA. Cross-disciplinary collaborations among these Fellows is strongly encouraged and supported.

Teaching can encompass the entire curricular range, from introductory courses to intermediate and advanced courses focused on connecting material and mediated art practices with current societal, cultural, and art issues and theory. The successful candidate will be able to offer students sustained access and rigorous exposure to interdisciplinary practices in order to broaden conceptions of the role of art. Other areas involved in this conversation would include: the nature of audience-artist relationships; the porousness of disciplinary boundaries; the potential for creative practice in political mobilization; and the role of art in society and across the arts, humanities, cultural studies, and social sciences in a liberal arts curriculum.

The candidate will be expected to collaborate and contribute effectively within the community with a strong commitment to equity and inclusion. Applicants should outline their creative goals over the next one to two years and describe how this residency will facilitate the accomplishment of those objectives. Candidates should also articulate how their interests will contribute to the quality of education, performance, and future success of the McGovern College of the Arts.

The University of Houston is located in the fourth largest and most diverse city in the US. UH is a Carnegie Tier One Research University designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education. We welcome candidates whose experience in teaching, research, or community service has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to diversity and excellence.

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. A cover letter, CV, sample portfolio of work or a link to an online portfolio, and three letters of reference with contact information should be submitted electronically.

The University of Houston is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Minorities, women, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Additionally, the University prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

CWMCA Mission :

The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts will generate and support programs and projects that bridge boundaries, generate new knowledge, and innovate to tackle real-world problems and forge sustainable communities. We employ, activate, and celebrate the arts as a catalyst to advance dialogue, research, and practice. CWMCA programming will be innovative, interdisciplinary, and focused on sustainability; the Center convenes students, faculty, performers, artists-in-residence, and community members to work as interdisciplinary agents and collaborators, advancing experimental thinking and integrating the arts into the many disciplines at the University of Houston and in society at large. CWMCA will also act as a thought leader on issues related to the betterment of society and environmental health.

Qualifications :

Completed terminal degree, ABD, or equivalent in a field related to arts, performance, humanities, cultural studies, sustainability, or social justice by time of appointment.

Notes to Applicant: Official transcripts are required for appointment and will be requested upon selection of the final candidate. All positions at the university are security sensitive and will require a criminal history check.