Join our Team for Youth Programming!!

JOB TITLE: Echo Teaching Artist

REPORTS TO: Director, Youth Engagement Programs

LOCATION: Memphis, TN

FLSA STATUS: Part-Time, Temporary

HOURLY RATE: $50

MMI Overview

Memphis Music Initiative (MMI) invests in youth, local communities, and Memphis' musical legacy by broadening and strengthening existing music engagement offerings and supporting youth-centered, community-based music programs. Through various investment strategies, MMI seeks to: 1) sustain youth music engagement and expand instruction through partnerships with local musicians; 2) expand high-quality programming to reach more youth and remove barriers to youth engagement and participation; 3) support organizations that are providing music engagement to enhance their sustainability and scale high quality programming. From gospel to rock, soul to country, hip-hop to classical, MMI supports all forms of musical expression that have created a powerful musical legacy and tradition in Memphis and contribute to our vision of Black and brown creative liberation. Find out more about MMI at www.memphismusicinitiative.org.

What You'll Be Doing

The Echo Teaching Artist (ETA) provides engaging, culturally relevant music instruction in classrooms through Echo: The Sound of Memphis, a dynamic curriculum rooted in Black music traditions. ETAs guide students in musical exploration, storytelling, rhythm, and creative play while uplifting the contributions of Black and brown music makers in Memphis and beyond.

Through lessons that center joy, cultural pride, and community, Echo Teaching Artists help students explore the rich legacies of Memphis music and discover how sound connects us across generations, geographies, and identities. Teaching Artists serve as facilitators, role models, and cultural connectors-fostering a classroom environment where creativity, agency, and belonging thrive.

Essential Functions

Deliver interactive Echo lessons in schools using culturally grounded, student-centered practices
Facilitate music-making activities such as chant creation, rhythm games, lyrical storytelling, percussion, and beat-making
Highlight the cultural and historical significance of Black and brown music makers in Memphis and around the world
Support student creativity, identity exploration, and cultural curiosity through the lens of music
Collaborate with classroom teachers, school staff, and program leaders to ensure a positive learning environment
Complete required documentation (attendance, reflections, field trip coordination, student artifacts)
Attend Echo trainings, team meetings, and professional development sessions
Support student access to community-based arts opportunities, guest artist experiences, and field trips
Represent the Echo program and Memphis music culture with passion, care, and professionalism

What You'll Bring

Commitment to creating safe, joyful, and affirming learning spaces for Black and brown students
Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal skills and the ability to connect across lines of difference
Willingness to learn and grow in a collaborative teaching artist cohort
A passion for music and Memphis' creative and cultural future through workforce development

What We Offer

A meaningful opportunity to be part of transformative work in the Memphis music community
A collaborative and innovative work environment, rooted in creativity, liberation, and community
Space to learn and grow and develop new skills

Required Minimum Education and Experience

Background in youth leadership, creative youth development, or trauma-informed education
Demonstrated experience working with youth, preferably ages 10-14, in school, arts, or community settings
Experience performing, producing, teaching, or facilitating music or arts-based programs
Strong knowledge of Black music traditions, Memphis music history, and/or Afro-Caribbean or Latin music styles
Pass a required fingerprinted background check

Preferred Qualifications

Experience leading music or arts programming in schools, community centers, or after-school programs
Familiarity with Memphis music scenes or community organizing through the arts
Ability to use computer software and productivity tools to produce a variety of communication outputs
Bilingual English and Spanish

Work Conditions

ETAs work up to 20 hours per week onsite during regular school operating hours. Schedules are coordinated with schools and Echo program leadership.

Work Authorization

Eligible candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States with no security clearance required.