ARTS & CULTURE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
A career in the arts is closer than you think. ASI regularly works with arts organizations both big and small in the Western New York area and has compiled this list with the most pertinent career opportunities. This list is constantly being updated so check back frequently.
NOTE: If you have specific questions regarding a listed career opportunity outside of Arts Services Inc., please directly contact the organization. If you are an arts and cultural organization and have a career opportunity available, please submit your information to [email protected] and we would be glad to add it to our listing.
Additional career resources:
The Glass Studio Technician works within the Sculpture Dimensional Studies (SDS) Division in the School of Art and Design at The New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. This position is responsible for the oversight, maintenance, and safe operation of all SDS glass facilities, including all areas of glassblowing, glass casting, and the neon studio, as well as the hot shop, kiln room, flat glass shop, cold shop, and glassrelated equipment in plaster and wax areas.
This is a highly hands-on, technical position responsible for ensuring all equipment, materials, and facilities are maintained, safe, and fully operational to support teaching, research, and visiting artists year-round. The technician works closely with faculty and collaborates with SDS technical staff, student workers, and university departments.
The Glass Studio Technician is responsible for the instaUation, maintenance, troubleshooting, and repair of specialized glass equipment and systems. This includes oversight of ventilation, plumbing, electrical, electronic, gas, and combustion systems, as we{{ as coordination with Facilities, Maintenance, IT, and Environmental Health & Safety. Responsibilities also include maintaining compliance with safety standards (fire codes, ADA, MSOS, chemical storage and disposal), coordinating inspections and renovations, and supporting the implementation and enforcement of studio safety protocols.
While this position will assist faculty with demonstrations and support the enforcement of studio protocols, it is not a teaching role.
This position plays a critical role in maintaining Alfred University’s significant investment in glass facilities and ensuring a safe, uninterrupted, and high-quality educational environment.
This position/title is covered by the CSEA, Local 749 union contract. The successful candidate will be a member of the CSEA, Local 749 bargaining unit.
The New Media and Electronic Arts Technician will provide skilled technical assistance to faculty, staff, students, and graduate students in support of the electronic arts and digital technology components of the Division of Expanded Media (EM). This position also liaises with other technicians and serves the new media needs of the Institute for Electronic Arts (iea).
POSITON SUMMARY
Reporting to the President/CEO, this position has immediate charge and control of communications and marketing at the Aquarium of Niagara, with final authority in such matters remaining with the President/CEO.
The Director of Communications & Marketing leads and develops departmental staff, establishes priorities and performance goals, and ensures departmental initiatives support the Aquarium’s mission, strategic objectives, attendance, revenue generation, and community visibility. The Director works collaboratively across the organization to ensure consistent messaging, effective promotion, strong audience engagement, and alignment of departmental activities with institutional priorities.
The Director of Communications & Marketing must model mutual support, excellent communication, and joint problem-solving skills among Directors, Supervisors, Staff, Trustees, Volunteers, and Vendors. The Director of Communications & Marketing must also cultivate and maintain a culture of inclusion and engagement (positive morale) at the Aquarium.
The Director of Communications & Marketing leads the Aquarium’s Communications team, and plans, directs, and evaluates external communications and marketing programs, including the development of strategies and themes to achieve the institution’s strategic objectives. Coordinates responses to the media and other publics. Provides creative direction and final approval for promotional materials and publications developed by the team. Develops marketing strategy and participates in the identification of revenue producing opportunities. Oversees market research, advertising, and sponsorship programs, with the Communications & Marketing Manager leading day-today development of partner, sponsor, and co-branded campaigns.
POSITON SUMMARY
The Finance & Administration Manager oversees the Conservancy’s internal financial processes and serves as the primary liaison to its outsourced accounting firm. The position manages the monthly close process, budget and cash-flow monitoring, financial controls, audit and grant support, and ensures leadership has timely and accurate financial information for decision-making. The Manager reports directly to the Executive Director.
This is a full-time exempt position with a standard work schedule of 40 hours per week. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required based on organizational needs.
ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW
Buffalo String Works’ mission is to ignite community and youth leadership through inclusive music education. We provide rigorous music instruction and a creative home for refugee, immigrant, and historically marginalized youth. We recognize the significance of music as a universal language, and by lifting the voices of our students and parents, we cultivate youth to be agents of social change. Our vision is: Neighborhoods United by Empowered Young Musicians.
POSITION OVERVIEW
Buffalo String Works seeks a dedicated and compassionate Cello Teaching Artist who can demonstrate an ability to teach mixed-age beginner cello group classes. They should be able to differentiate instruction to meet the students’ varied developmental, musical, and learning needs while cultivating a sense of belonging and confidence within the broader BSW community.
Salary Range: $35/hour (9-10 hours per week)
Posted: August 31, 2026
ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW
Buffalo String Works’ mission is to ignite community and youth leadership through inclusive music education. We provide rigorous music instruction and a creative home for refugee, immigrant, and historically marginalized youth. We recognize the significance of music as a universal language, and by lifting the voices of our students and parents, we cultivate youth to be agents of social change. Our vision is: Neighborhoods United by Empowered Young Musicians.
POSITION OVERVIEW
Buffalo String Works seeks a dedicated and compassionate Viola Teaching Artist who can demonstrate an ability to teach mixed-age beginner viola group classes. They should be able to differentiate instruction to meet the students’ varied developmental, musical, and learning needs while cultivating a sense of belonging and confidence within the broader BSW community.
Salary Range: $35/hour (9-10 hours per week)
Posted: August 31, 2026
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Director of Guest Experience provides strategic and operational leadership for all guest-facing functions at the Buffalo Zoo, ensuring an efficient, safe, and high-quality experience from arrival through departure. This role leads a high-volume operation and is responsible for service excellence, revenue performance, operational efficiency, and team culture across the Guest Experience Department. The Director oversees Admissions, Amenities, Attractions and Rides, Switchboard, Guest Relations, Birthday Parties, Parking, and Clean Team janitorial and support services, and manages key contracted vendor relationships. This position reports directly to the President/CEO, serves on the Zoo’s Leadership Team, and collaborates closely with all departments to ensure seamless campus-wide operations and alignment with organizational strategy.
Salary Range: $65,000-$80,000, annually
Posted: September 2026
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Buffalo Zoo is seeking a full-time Education Program Specialist who will play a vital role in the Education Department. The Education Program Specialist designs, develops, administers, facilitates, and evaluates Zoo education curriculum, resources, and program strategies for a variety of audiences within the Zoo and the community to support the Zoo’s conservation and education missions. Additionally, the Education Program Specialist supports high-quality learning engagement, contributes to positive guest experiences and performs other duties as required. The ideal person for this position will have excellent communication and organizational skills, a positive and enthusiastic outlook, and strong curriculum development skills. This position reports to the Director of Conservation Education and Learning Engagement.
Salary Range: $21.00-$22.50 per hour, full-time
Posted: September 2026
POSITION OVERVIEW
Working in conjunction with and under the supervision of the Director of Conservation Education and Learning Engagement, the Volunteer Program Coordinator will develop and implement strategies to recruit, retain and align the docents and volunteers to help advance the Buffalo Zoo’s mission. The Volunteer Program Coordinator is primarily responsible for supervising and coordinating the recruitment, training, and the assignments of all volunteers at the Buffalo Zoo. This role currently supports over 350 volunteers including a dedicated group of 93 docents (education volunteers), over 200 event volunteers, 20-30 corporate and community volunteer groups, and 20 youth volunteers. In addition, this position is responsible for the recruitment, screening and onboarding of approximately 100 interns annually in a variety of departments. The successful candidate will have strong interpersonal, technical and organization skills.
Salary Range: $22.50-24.00 per hour, full-time
Posted: September 2026
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Programming & Events Coordinator is responsible for developing and executing all public-facing programs at the Centro Culturale Italiano di Buffalo (CCI), including but not limited to workshops, concerts and performances, lectures, children’s programming, and culinary programming. This role is central to how the public experiences the CCI, both in terms of what we offer and how we welcome them.
This position blends planning with on-the-ground coordination. The Coordinator leads a busy calendar of programs to deliver events that are organized, engaging, and mission-driven.
Salary Range: $45,000 – $50,000
Chautauqua Institution is a not-for-profit, 750-acre community on Chautauqua Lake in southwestern New York State, where approximately 7,500 persons are in residence on any day during a nine-week season, and a total of more than 100,000 attend scheduled public events.
Chautauqua is dedicated to the exploration of the best in human values and the enrichment of life through a program that explores the important religious, social and political issues of our times; stimulates provocative, thoughtful involvement of individuals and families in creative response to such issues; and promotes excellence and creativity in the appreciation, performance and teaching of the arts.
POSITION SUMMARY
Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center seeks a highly organized and collaborative Operations Coordinator to support the Executive Director and the organization’s day-to-day administrative and operational needs. This position serves as an organizational hub, keeping program and rental schedules, staff coverage, grant deadlines, meetings, purchasing, and internal workflows organized and moving forward. The role is part-time, hybrid, and deadline-driven, with flexibility in when administrative work is completed and required on-site attendance for designated meetings, programs, rentals, and events.
Salary: $22/hour, 10–15 Hours Weekly
Posted: October 1, 2026
POSITION SUMMARY
The Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center is seeking a Visual Arts Curator to lead its visual arts program and help shape the artistic vision of one of the nation’s longest-running artist-founded contemporary arts organizations. Working closely with the Executive Director, the Curator is responsible for developing and presenting exhibitions, cultivating relationships with artists, and expanding Hallwalls’ impact through public programming, community partnerships, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
The Curator serves as the organization’s primary visual arts leader while working collaboratively with staff across music, media arts, literature, and performance. This is a hands-on position within a small, highly collaborative team, offering the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with artists, champion new work, and help guide the next chapter of Hallwalls.
The Curator is also a key member of Hallwalls’ fundraising team, providing curatorial leadership for the organization’s signature fundraising events and assisting with artist cultivation, grant initiatives, and donor engagement.
Salary: $47,000 annual salary
Posted: October 1, 2026
Infinity is a place where creative growth is cultivated and nurtured by a networked team of dedicated adult mentors, community supporters, and area music and arts professionals. Infinity programming is offered in a wide variety of arts disciplines including music, art, theater, dance, literature, digital and audio production, photography, sound technology, and filmmaking.
We are always accepting applications from qualified candidates. Submitted resumes are also reviewed prior to advertising new positions. Professional music or arts training, performance experience in a professional setting, music, arts, or education-related degrees and experience working with children in an educational or mentorship environment are all sought after qualities.
Infinity is currently seeking Private Lesson and Group Class Instructors in the following areas:
- Voice
- Piano
- Ukulele
- Saxophone
- Flute
- Clarinet
- Cello
- Infinite Exploration (introducing multiple instruments and art forms to beginner level students)
Deadline: Applications accepted on a rolling basis
POSITION DESCRIPTION
The Substitute Instructor will be asked to fill in for the following classes at LSA: Children’s Drawing & Painting, Teen/Adult Drawing & Painting, and Handbuilding Ceramics. We also may offer hours working in our Offsite Programming which are classes we hold in places like community centers, schools, correctional facilities etc… The instructor would be given lesson plans and supplies and drive to the offsite location to teach.
Skills in Digital Photography, B/W Film Photography, or Hand Drawn Animation are also desirable but not required. Some training is available.
HOURS & SHIFTS
As needed to fill in for our regular instructors, also some opportunities to teach for our offsite programs with our community partners. We are seeking applicants with very flexible schedules.
Potential shifts include Tuesdays and Thursdays 12pm-3pm OR 3pm-7pm and Saturdays 12:30pm-5:30pm. Offsite programming shifts vary greatly.
Salary Range: $20.00 per hour (Part-Time, as needed)
POSITION OVERVIEW
Reg Lenna Center for the Arts are seeking to hire a dynamic and experienced Director of Development. The successful candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree in business, nonprofit management, or a related field; at least three years of experience in fundraising and/or sales; previous experience in community outreach and expertise with fundraising software; demonstrated ability in writing grants and development of effective planned giving program. Essential functions include setting short and long-term monetary goals, establishing, and directing fundraising programs and sources and cultivating relationships with donors.
Salary Range: $57,000 and $65,000
Posted: August 25, 2026
POSITION OVERVIEW
Road Less Traveled Productions (RLTP) is excited to announce that the application portal for the 2027 RLTP Bridge Program are now open. Beginning January 2027, the RLTP Bridge Program is 16-week hands-on paid internship program sponsored by Road Less Traveled Productions specifically targeted for students and early career artists of color looking to get experience in the theatre industry to help develop their long-term career path. This unique opportunity is designed to promote diversity and inclusion for artists of color seeking a serious career in the arts industry.
RLTP successfully completed its fourth annual Bridge Program August 2026 with graduates in areas of acting, stage management and marketing.
The RLTP Bridge Program is a custom-built program that provides members access to opportunities to any area of interest in the theatre industry to fit their needs. Students and early career artists of color will gain extensive knowledge in one specific concentration of the theatre arts including; Directing, Acting, Playwriting, All Areas of Design, and Stage Management. The Program is designed to increase the student’s awareness and appreciation for all areas of theatre with an emphasis on collaboration.
The RLTP Bridge Program is led by Program Director Peter Johnson, an academic instructor, actor and casting agent in Western New York.
Deadline to apply: November 22, 2026
Last updated: October 11, 2026
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