About this role
Rider University
The Department of Performing Arts at Rider University seeks an adjunct instructor to teach Arts Events & Festivals Planning for the spring semester beginning January 25, 2027.
Rider University’s Arts & Entertainment Industries Management (AEIM) program seeks a dynamic, experienced arts event producer to teach an undergraduate course in Arts Events & Festivals and lead students through the planning and production of Art Beast, Rider’s signature annual multidisciplinary arts event on campus, at the end of April.
Art Beast brings together music, dance, theatre, visual arts, crafts, art-making activities, and other creative disciplines in a daylong campus event. The event involves collaboration with programs and departments across the University, including Westminster Choir College, Film and Television, and Music Production. The instructor will guide students through the full event-production process while overseeing the planning and execution of Art Beast.
The ideal candidate is a working event producer, festival director, arts administrator, or senior arts professional with current, hands-on experience producing multidisciplinary arts events, festivals, performances, or community-based cultural programs. Candidates should have experience in event strategy, budgeting, production, staffing, marketing, audience development, logistics, and on-site problem-solving.
The instructor will help students develop practical skills in planning, producing, marketing, staffing, and evaluating arts events, while assigning and supervising event leadership roles and coordinating with artists, performers, campus partners, and participating departments.
The course emphasizes the behind-the-scenes leadership required to create meaningful, well-organized, and community-focused arts experiences. Students will gain hands-on experience with budgeting, logistics, technical operations, hospitality, entertainment, staffing, audience development, and event assessment.
Candidates should be comfortable working across artistic disciplines and collaborating with students, faculty, staff, artists, performers, and campus partners. Experience in educational, nonprofit, cultural, performing arts, or community settings is highly desirable. The ability to balance classroom teaching with hands-on oversight of Art Beast is essential.
Salary is $4,215.98 for a 3-credit course. Please note that a full course is considered to have 9 students enrolled in the course. If a section is not full, 8 or fewer enrollees, the salary is prorated based on the number of students enrolled in the course.