Artist-In-Residence

Central Michigan University, United States

Updated: 2 days ago
Location: Mount Pleasant, MICHIGAN
Deadline: ;

Position Information
Position Information


Posting Number F-1024
Position Title Artist-In-Residence
College/Unit College of the Arts & Media
Home Department Department of Art and Design
Employee Group Fixed-Term Faculty - Academic Year
Employment Status Part-Time
Position Type One Semester
Position Classification Fixed-Term Faculty
Position Begin Date 08/24/2026
Position End Date 12/21/2026
Position Summary
Central Michigan University and the Department of Art & Design Barstow Artist-in-Residence program invite applications for a fixed-term faculty as Artist-in-Residence for the Fall 2026 semester.
This is a part-time position of approximately 10 hours a week and is not benefits eligible. Term of employment is for the Fall 2026 semester. The position includes a $15,000 stipend and free private housing (utilities included). These accommodations are surrounded by nature on the banks of the Chippewa River and designed by noted architect Stephen L. Barstow. The house provided for the Artist-in-Residence is located 15 miles from Mount Pleasant and campus. The house includes a large private studio. The location requires the artist to have their own car (or other form of transportation) for travel to and from campus. Pets are not allowed at the house.
We are seeking an enthusiastic, self-directed, practicing artist interested in mentoring art students for a semester. The residency provides artists the time and space to work creatively. In return, CMU students are provided valuable access to educational opportunities outside of the existing curriculum and faculty.
Responsibilities: Meet regularly with the Studio Art BFA program (typically includes 15-20 students), participate in Studio Art BFA critiques, conduct individual portfolio reviews with students throughout the semester, do occasional classroom visits, and hold weekly office hours on campus. Coordinate occasional community building and mentorship activities for students to participate in. Teach three workshops (two creative and one professional development), give a public artist lecture, and exhibit creative work on campus. Artists are also asked to donate a work to the Central Michigan University Collection at the end of the residency.
Required Qualifications
MFA or equivalent in area of specialization. Ability to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.
Preferred Qualifications
Teaching experience at the university level and/or experience in a leadership or mentoring role.
Message to Applicants
Central Michigan University is dedicated to fostering an environment that is reflective of the communities we serve. We are especially interested in highly qualified candidates who will advance and promote CMU’s mission, vision, and leadership standards.
Please upload to your application:
  • Cover letter addressing qualifications and specifying mentorship experience in detail.
  • Resume/CV.
  • Contact information for three professional references.
  • Artist statement (upload to Other Document 1).
  • 1-2 page statement describing three proposed workshops (two creative and one professional development) for undergraduate art students (upload to Other Document 2).
  • 20 examples of personal work with identifying information (saved as single PDF under 10MB or website link and upload to Work Sample).


    • For questions, please contact: Kris Sanford, Artist-in-Residence Committee Chair at sanfo1k@cmich.edu .
    Cover letters may be addressed to the Hiring Committee. 
    About the Department
    To learn more about the department, visit the departmental website .
    Posting Begins 01/22/2026
    Posting Ends
    Open Until Filled Yes
    Type of Recruitment External
    About CMU
    Central Michigan University has a more than 125-year legacy of preparing students to become leaders and changemakers in their communities and in their personal and professional lives.
    We serve nearly 15,500 students on our Mount Pleasant campus, in satellite locations around the state and throughout the country, and through flexible online programs. Many of our approximately 300 undergraduate, master’s, specialist and doctoral programs in the arts, media, business, education, human services, health professions, liberal arts, social sciences, medicine, science and engineering are nationally ranked for excellence.
    CMU leads the nation in leadership development programming through our Sarah R. Opperman Leadership Institute, and we are proud to be among only 5% of U.S. universities in the top two Carnegie research classifications. Our faculty work with graduate and undergraduate students in areas such as Great Lakes research, medical innovation, engineering technology and more.
    Central is home to 17 men’s and women’s Division 1 sports including football, basketball, gymnastics, baseball, wrestling and more. Our student-athletes achieve great success in competition and in the classroom, capturing Mid-American Conference championships and maintaining an average cumulative GPA of 3.17.
    CMU is located in Mount Pleasant, a community that blends the best of small-town living with big-city amenities. It’s part of the culturally varied and vibrant Great Lakes Bay Region that also includes Saginaw, Bay City, Midland and the state’s largest Native American community, centered on the Saginaw Chippewa Isabella Reservation in Mount Pleasant.
    Area residents enjoy the mix of outdoor activities, cultural events, shopping and dining options, and family attractions. Other major Michigan destinations and attractions — Lansing, Grand Rapids, Detroit, Traverse City, wineries, beaches, golf and ski resorts, and many more — are within easy reach of the city’s central location in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.
    CMU employees enjoy access to a nationally recognized wellness program along with health care and benefits that exceed regional, state and national norms.
    EEO Statement
    CMU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and institution. CMU does not discriminate against persons based on age, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, height, marital status, national origin, political persuasion, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, race, religion, sex, sex-based stereotypes, sexual orientation, transgender status, veteran status, or weight.
    If you wish to see “Know Your Rights ” posters, please click here .
    CMU does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education program or activity that it operates, including admission and employment, and is required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 not to discriminate in such a matter.
    Inquiries about the application of Title IX can be made to CMU’s Title IX Coordinator, the US Department of Education’s Assistant Secretary, or both.
    CMU’s Title IX Coordinator can be reached at:
    Phone: 989-774-3253
    Office: 103 E. Preston St.
    Bovee University Center, suite 306
    Mount Pleasant, MI 48858
    Email: titleix@cmich.edu

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