JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Job opportunities at Cedarhurst Center for the Arts require all levels of training, experience, and education for positions in a variety of areas. Cedarhurst is an equal opportunity employer. Check our Facebook page for future job postings.
MEMBERSHIP & DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
Description: Cedarhurst Center for the Arts is seeking a full-time employee to grow its membership program, pursue and manage grants, oversee The Lights and other special events, and coordinate facility rentals. This position reports to the Executive Director and requires a combination of personal, written, and technical skills.
About Cedarhurst
Founded in 1965, the John R. and Eleanor R. Mitchell Foundation operates Cedarhurst Center for the Arts, a nationally accredited art and cultural institution in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. What began as a two-room museum has grown into a vibrant arts destination featuring:
- The expanded Mitchell Museum (33,000-square-foot cultural center with four galleries, interactive family space, and performance hall)
- The Shrode Art Center (gallery, classrooms, and studios)
- The Schweinfurth House and original Mitchell House (event and meeting spaces)
- A 65-acre Sculpture Park with 60 large-scale works
Cedarhurst’s mission is to enrich lives through the arts by presenting high-quality exhibitions, stewarding a significant permanent collection, and creating opportunities for people throughout southern Illinois and the surrounding region to experience and engage with the arts. The organization serves a largely rural, multi-county region and reaches more than 50,000 people annually through exhibitions, education, events, community partnerships, and offsite programming.
In recent years, Cedarhurst has expanded its focus on community engagement and access, strengthening partnerships throughout the region and introducing The Lights, an annual holiday experience that transforms the Sculpture Park with immersive light installations. These initiatives, along with a growing membership program, special events, and diverse opportunities for community participation, create new avenues for Cedarhurst to build relationships and expand its base of support.
Cedarhurst is entering an exciting period of growth and strategic planning, with a renewed focus on strengthening community connections, expanding participation, and building the resources necessary to sustain and grow its impact.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree preferred, with experience in nonprofit development, fundraising, membership, event planning, community engagement, or a related field. Equivalent experience and demonstrated skills may be considered.
- Demonstrated ability to build and maintain positive relationships with donors, members, volunteers, community partners, businesses, and other stakeholders.
- Strong organizational and time management skills, high energy, and creative initiative
- Ability to solve complex problems and work independently as well as collaboratively
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate Cedarhurst’s mission and impact effectively to a variety of audiences.
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- Experience researching and writing grant proposals preferred, with the ability to develop compelling narratives, budgets, and supporting materials.
- Ability to learn new technologies
- Availability to work nights and weekends, as needed
- Ability to maintain total confidentiality
- Genuine interest in the mission of Cedarhurst Center for the Arts and enthusiasm for connecting people with the arts and the organization.
- Valid driver’s license
Technical Skills: Microsoft Office, Outlook
Duties and Responsibilities
- Effectively interact with visitors and members to ensure positive experiences, answer questions, and resolve complaints.
- Oversee the museum’s Membership Program:
-Build a thorough understanding of all levels of membership and each level’s respective benefits. Uphold and sustain policies tied to membership benefits.
– Utilize the benefit structure to promote upgrades and the stewardship of Members.
– Work with Membership Committee volunteers to develop on-site and online strategies to boost Membership sales and renewals.
– Update membership letters and produce other general member correspondence.
– Ensure consistency and brand identity to support member recruitment and retention, program promotion, and marketing efforts. - Work with Executive Director to identify potential grant opportunities, as well as potential donor agencies and individuals.
– Manage annual grants calendar. Write and submit applications and relevant reports.
– Work with staff to coordinate project-specific grant opportunities to increase museum funding. - Work with fellow staff and volunteer committees to plan and execute The Lights and other Special Events related to fundraising and community engagement.
– Develop strategies to increase attendance, community participation, and contributed revenue associated with The Lights and other Special Events. - Oversee the museum’s Facility Rentals program:
– Ensuring proper management, marketing, booking, and staffing of all outside Museum rentals.
– Oversee correspondence, contracts, and payments
– Ensure appropriate use of visitor spaces. - Develop annual budgets and long-range goals to increase revenue from Membership, Grants, Special Events, and Facility Rentals.
- Attend weekly Team Meetings to develop ideas and collaborate with other Directors, and attend scheduled Trustee meetings to make progress reports.
- Attend community events and serve on community committees, as needed, to promote Cedarhurst offerings.
Compensation and Hours
- Salary range: $42,000 – $50,000, plus shared opportunity for commission
- Full-time, in-person, position
- 35 hour workweek with weekend rotation and occasional evenings/events
- Comprehensive benefits package includes health and dental insurance, paid time off, 401K match, professional development opportunities, and a great working environment
Location: Mt. Vernon, Illinois offers affordable living, a strong sense of community, and access to major metropolitan areas within driving distance, including St. Louis, Nashville, and Chicago. Cedarhurst provides an opportunity to make national-level impact while enjoying a balanced quality of life.
To Apply
Please submit a cover letter and resume with references to hr@cedarhurst.org.
Seasonal Events Intern at Cedarhurst
Company: Come work at southern Illinois’ favorite holiday destination – Cedarhurst Center for the Arts! The museum is currently accepting applications for a seasonal intern to help prepare for and work at The Lights: An Exhibition of Holiday Magic.
Description: The Events Intern will offer first-rate customer service, both in person and on the phone. Tasks include seasonal prep, from assembling s’more kits to staging merchandise, as well as event staffing – rotating between the positions of Museum Visitor Host and Shrode Art Center Visitor Host during The Lights. Tasks for these positions include people-centered tasks such as welcoming visitors, answering phones, and offering directional assistance, as well as task work such as making cocoa, preparing craft activities, and nightly set up/clean up responsibilities. This position centers around The Lights, and hours are structured primarily during the evenings, Thursday through Sunday. A friendly, upbeat personality is a must, as is a reliable, team-oriented attitude and a willingness to jump in wherever needed. This position is funded by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council and is available to individuals between the ages of 16 and 22.
Qualifications:
· Friendly, upbeat personality.
· Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
· Ability to learn and manage a phone system and ticketing system
· Organizational and time management skills, high energy, and creative initiative.
· Ability to multitask and prioritize in a busy working environment
· Ability to identify potential negative or crisis situations and apply conflict resolution principles to mitigate issues.
· Availability to work nights and weekends.
Technical Skills:
· Ability to operate general office and kitchen equipment to prepare craft materials and hot cocoa.
· Job specific skills include learning to use a transferable phone system and museum ticketing software.
Work Hours
· This position is funded by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council and is available to individuals between the ages of 16 and 22.
· This is a part-time position working 5-15 hours per week during the holiday season.
Work Duties
· Build a thorough understanding of all levels of membership and current museum programming to effectively host visitors.
· Assist with seasonal prep for The Lights, helping with tasks such as assembling s’more kits, various lights installation, staging merchandise, etc.
· Staff The Lights event throughout the holiday season, rotating between Greeter positions at the Mitchell Museum and Shrode Art Center, effectively interacting with visitors and members to ensure positive experiences, answer questions, and resolve issues.
· General tasks such as cocoa making, preparation of art materials, monitoring the art center classrooms, setup/teardown, etc.
· Answer telephones and conduct point of sale transactions for museum visitors.
Compensation
This position is a part-time position working 5-15 hours per week during the holiday season. Pay is $15/hour.
To Apply
Please submit a resume and cover letter to hr@cedarhurst.org
VOLUNTEER AT CEDARHURST
Cedarhurst Center for the Arts has a diverse volunteer group. These individuals provide a valuable service by offering their time and talent to support, strengthen and enhance our mission. Duties and time commitment vary according to Museum/ program needs.
Details of specific volunteer needs and a volunteer application will be added to this page in the near future.
