Indigo Arts Alliance Seeks a Deputy Director

Indigo Arts Alliance, a 501(c3) organization, is seeking a Deputy Director. Our mission is to connect Black and Brown artists from around the world with Maine’s artists of African descent through a multidisciplinary artist-in-residency program that embodies a Black-led approach to creativity, mentoring and community-building. We provide artists in residence with the time and space necessary for the development of new work, as well as focused public programming that brings communities in close contact with creative processes and practices that broaden cultural awareness.  

Position Summary

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Deputy Director has both internal and externally facing responsibilities. These range from team management to project management (i.e.developing key goals and strategies that result in high-quality deliverables such as operational process design, program planning, data reporting, facilities oversight, HR—recruiting, mentoring, succession planning.

The Deputy Director ensures high engagement from staff and partners to resolve day-to-day issues before they reach the Executive Director. The Deputy Director, in partnership with the Executive Director, plays a critical role in shaping and implementing the organization’s Strategic Plan. The Deputy Director assists the Executive Director in creating, overseeing and ensuring the effective implementation of the annual budget and overall financial management in alignment with the organization's strategic and operational goals.

The Deputy Director will engage in fundraising efforts. They will serve as a point person to the public and the media on externally facing communications. The right candidate will be a mission-focused, seasoned, strategic, and process-minded arts leader with experience developing a culture of learning and continuous improvement among a group of diverse, talented individuals. 

The ideal candidate must be independent, highly organized, possess excellent verbal and written communication skills with a keen attention to detail. They must be able to effectively manage multiple projects at a time. The successful candidate will be an inclusive, results-oriented leader whose work is grounded by a commitment to equity, inclusion, and empowerment of people. They will be a proven, caring leader with a career history that demonstrates outstanding leadership.

Reports To: Executive Director 

Employment Type: Full-Time, Exempt; (Not a remote position) 

Salary: $80,000 annually 

• This is an exempt position that requires 40 hours per week and select weekends (as needed) to support IAA’s programming and events.

Benefits:

• Health, Dental, Vision, and Retirement  
• Workers Comp
• Professional development opportunities 

Paid Time Off:

• 1 week of vacation 
• 3 Personal days 
• 11 paid federal holidays 
• 14 days for IAA Winter break
• Fridays in August off (4 days)

Leadership Responsibilities

• Strategic and collaborative leadership and team development across all areas of the organization
• Provide direction and oversight of all programs
• Strengthen organizational impact, communications, information management
• Act as spokesperson for the organization as required
• Support fundraising efforts by identifying grants,analyzing funding opportunities, developing fundraising materials, and representing the organization at external events and meetings. 
• Evaluate the effectiveness of current programs and projects. Collaborate with the IAA team to refine and develop program offerings, establishing clear metrics that align with strategic plan and advance the organization's mission, to increase depth and breadth of impact. 
• Develop long-term strategies for organizational staffing and structure that ensure IAA’s current and future needs are met.
• Ensure excellence of our Artists-in-Residency program by engaging and supporting the needs of visiting artists, helping to create a positive, productive and rewarding residency
• Lead the cultivation of professional affiliations and alliances, develop new collaborations with relevant individual or corporate partners who further our mission
• Direct the implementation and coordination large-scale public events, including performances, lectures, masterclasses, workshops, symposia/panels and fundraising events;
• Lead IAA’s implementation of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion strategy; foster diverse, equitable and inclusive practices to create a work environment where each person can contribute towards our impact.

Operational Responsibilities

• Implement and develop systems, methodologies and processes that bring structure and efficiency to daily operations and activities (e.g. archiving, documenting, organizing databases)
• Direct and support growth initiatives, utilizing knowledge of fundraising best practices and strategies
• Support the preparation of materials to the stakeholders, partners, board members and the Circle of Advisors
• Reporting director for Studio and Programs Manager, Interns and specified contractors

Qualifications

• Minimum five years’ arts administration experience with knowledge of contemporary arts practices.
• Bachelors in Arts Administration, Nonprofit Management or related field; advance degree a plus
• Experience working with artists, arts organizations and local communities
• Excellent writing and verbal communication.
• Proven project management skills to execute programming plans/events
• Nonprofit experience or training with knowledge in grants management or grants administration
• Demonstrated success working in cross-functional teams in a dynamic organization 
• The ability to adjust work style to match audiences for unique business solutions and changing and/or conflicting priorities.
• Marketing acumen, awareness of marketing/advertising best practices
• Ability to work with a variety of people from diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds and be adaptable. 
• Capability to prioritize, focus and achieve results. Attention to detail and delivery of high-quality work products.
• Solid interpersonal capacity to build trust and rapport, be a team player, motivate and educate colleagues.

Indigo Arts Alliance Seeks a Development Director

Indigo Arts Alliance (IAA) seeks an experienced, innovative, and driven Development Director to ensure the financial sustainability of our vibrant, rapidly growing organization. With an annual operating budget of $1.4 million—representing a 400% increase since 2019—this position offers the opportunity to shape the future of IAA’s development strategy and long-term impact. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Development Director will design, lead and implement  a comprehensive fundraising strategy, including grant writing, donor relations, and database management.

The Development Director will be expected to execute a holistic development strategy that refines existing processes while building pathways for growth. The ideal candidate will be responsible for executing and providing oversight on; planning, organizing, and implementation of a fundraising program that includes grants strategy and writing, major gifts, individual giving, corporate sponsorship, planned giving, and special events revenue. The Director will have the exciting responsibility of overseeing and expanding IAA’s sustainability fund. 

The successful candidate should be committed to social equity and justice, along with having a vision for shaping innovations in philanthropy for small arts nonprofits. This role requires a dynamic leader who can cultivate strong relationships with funders, leverage data-driven fundraising strategies and ensure long-term financial resilience in an evolving cultural philanthropy and policy landscape.

Position Summary

Reports To: Executive Director

Employment Type: Full-Time, Exempt (Not a remote position)

Salary: $70,000 annually 

• This is an exempt position that requires 40 hours per week and select weekends (as needed) to support IAA’s programming and events.

Benefits:

• Health, Dental, Vision, and Retirement  
• Workers Comp
• Professional development opportunities 

Paid Time Off:

• 1 week of vacation 
• 3 Personal days 
• Observes 11 paid federal holidays 
• 14 days for IAA Winter break
• Fridays in August off (4 days)

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Development Strategy and Operations

• Design and execute a comprehensive fundraising plan, incorporating individual giving, major gifts, corporate and foundation partnerships, planned giving, and special events.
• Oversee IAA’s sustainability fund, ensuring long-term financial stability.
• Work with database consultants to manage donor databases (Little Green Light), ensuring accurate data entry, tracking, and acknowledgments in collaboration with the Administrative Assistant and Bookkeeper.
• Develop and execute creative campaigns to cultivate individual donors, including high-net-worth individuals.
• Monitor fundraising progress, analyze data, and adjust strategies to meet annual revenue goals.

Fundraising and Grant Management

• Lead annual fundraising campaigns, including direct mail solicitations, email solicitations, social media solicitations, and stewardship events.
• Plan and execute special events to engage donors and raise revenue.
• Research and pursue grant opportunities, write persuasive proposals, and manage timelines for submissions and reports.
• Maintain strong relationships with existing institutional funders while identifying new grant opportunities.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director and Board of Directors to engage them in fundraising efforts.

Community and Donor Engagement

• Cultivate, develop, and maintain relationships with individual donors, corporate sponsors, and institutional funders at local and national levels.
• Collaborate with the Communications team to create effective donor communications and marketing materials.
• Represent Indigo Arts Alliance at events and in the community to build awareness and foster relationships.

Board and Team Collaboration

• Liaise with the Board of Directors and Development Committee to foster a culture of philanthropy and support their fundraising efforts.
• Provide training and guidance to board members and staff to ensure cohesive fundraising initiatives.
• Oversee development contractors, including CRM/LGL consultants, as necessary.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required Skills and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, business administration, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred).
• 7+ years of progressive fundraising experience, including donor cultivation, major gift solicitation, and grant management.
• Proven track record of raising $2+ million annually, with experience in major gifts and corporate sponsorships.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to handle complex initiatives and meet deadlines.
• Proficiency in CRM software (e.g., Little Green Light), spreadsheets, and Microsoft Office Suite/Google Suite.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with strong grant writing abilities.

Preferred Qualifications

Knowledge of the fundraising landscape in New England, with national and international experience as a plus.

Leadership experience in planning and executing capital campaigns or endowment initiatives.

Demonstrated commitment to antiracism, equity, and inclusion.

Personal Attributes

A creative, self-starting individual who thrives in collaborative environments.

Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail.

Passion for the arts and empowering BIPOC artists and communities.

The Communication and Marketing Administration Intern provides support to Indigo Arts Alliance through the creation, implementation and support of internal and external communication efforts. The selected interns are given projects that span across the organization, and grow transferable skills such as project management, copywriting, graphic design, and more. They play a valuable role by creating new ways and assisting in maintaining methods for our audiences to remain engaged through social media efforts, newsletters, and printed materials.

Roles and Responsibilities:
 - Assist Marketing and Communications Coordinator in streamlining internal/external communications software
 - Assist in researching and setting up new communications
 - Assist communications team in maintaining active social media presence for the organization with guidance from Executive Director (utilizing guidelines and branding elements provided).
 - Assist in the design and creation of various printed materials
 - Maintain and organize internal IAA Google Drive
 - Assist in internal/external communication document creation (Information Templates, Studio Guidelines, Artist in Residence Handbook, etc)
 - Sourcing, researching, and creating content to be used for our various social media platforms
 - Maintaining the IAA content archives
 - Assist in writing social media post copy, and keeping all communication tools consistent and up to date

Qualifications:
 - Currently enrolled, or recently graduated from a college or university - Positive attitude and strong work ethic
 - Strong written and verbal communication skills
 - Strong technical skills in computer literacy
 - Aptitude in digital/social media and all its platforms
 - Good organization skills with attention to detail
 - Ability to receive feedback and critique with humility, modesty, and respect - Exceptional attention to detail
 - Desire to find creative solutions to all challenges and problems
 - Personal qualities of kindness, integrity, credibility, and commitment to the mission - Art education or experience (painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking experience preferred but not required)
 - Demonstrated attention to detail and ability to follow specific step-by-step instructions

Staffing
IAA is currently being led by co-founder and Chief Officer of Strategic Growth and Innovation, Marcia Minter; co-founder and Artist Director Daniel Minter, Executive Director Jordia Benjamin; Studio and Programs Coordinator, Ashley Page and Marketing and Communications Coordinator, Veronica Pounds. Indigo Arts Alliance is also supported by a robust community of partners, sponsors and funders.

Compensation and Hours
Spanning 135 hours, this internship accounts for 3 credits and has also been funded a total of $1500. For students of Maine College of Art, this stipend is administered by MECA and funded through the Crewe Foundation. For non-MECA students, funding for this internship is provided by The David Driskell Foundation, and will be administered by Indigo Arts Alliance. This internship is possible through the generous philanthropy of our community organizations to help foster and grow young brown and black artists that are emerging within their careers. While introducing young students to established, mid-career and budding POC artists in the local Portland community, and hosting space for talking about work from a different perspective, this opportunity allows for artists of all kinds to learn and grow. This internship is now available for recent graduates who graduated within a year of applying. The rate of compensation does not change with graduate status.
 

The Studio and Programming Administration Intern provides support to Indigo Arts Alliance by executing day to day tasks and representing Indigo in a positive manner to the community. Our interns play a valuable role in implementing our programming and utilizing skill sets such as program planning, event set up & breakdown, archive management, and more! They get hands-on learning in nonprofit management and are exposed to a wide range of artists, creative professionals, and project management tools that help fuel an exciting career in the arts. This position is available to currently enrolled students pursuing an undergraduate, or graduate degree as well as recent graduates who graduated within a year of the application period and offers a hybrid internship model (virtual and in-person), dependent on COVID-19 and CDC guidelines.

Roles and Responsibilities:
   - Research relevant studio facilities to better inform the IAA print/studio community workshop
   - Regularly audit and populate studio supplies inventory documents
   - Assist in researching and setting up new studio furniture/equipment
   - Maintain the general organization and cleanliness of all Indigo Arts Alliance facilities
   - Maintain and organize internal IAA Google Drive
   - Assist in internal/external communication document creation (Information Templates, Studio Guidelines, Artist in Residence Handbook, etc)

Qualifications:
   - Currently enrolled, or recently graduated from a college or university
   - Positive attitude and strong work ethic
   - Strong written and verbal communication skills
   - Strong technical skills in computer literacy
   - Aptitude in digital/social media and all its platforms
   - Good organization skills with attention to detail
   - Ability to receive feedback and critique with humility, modesty, and respect
   - Exceptional attention to detail
   - Desire to find creative solutions to all challenges and problems
   - Personal qualities of kindness, integrity, credibility, and commitment to the mission
   - Art education and/or experience (painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking experience preferred but not required)
   - Demonstrated attention to detail and ability to follow specific step-by-step instructions
   - Must be able to lift 50-75 lbs.

Staffing
IAA is currently being led by co-founder and Chief Officer of Strategic Growth and Innovation, Marcia Minter; co-founder and Artist Director Daniel Minter, Executive Director Jordia Benjamin; Studio and Programs Manager, Ashley Page and Communications Manager, Coco McCracken. Indigo Arts Alliance is also supported by a robust community of partners, sponsors and funders.

Compensation and Hours
 Spanning 135 hours, this internship accounts for 3 credits and has also been funded a total of $1500. For students of Maine College of Art, this stipend is administered by MECA and funded through the Crewe Foundation. For non-MECA students, funding for this internship is provided by The David Driskell Foundation, and will be administered by Indigo Arts Alliance. This internship is possible through the generous philanthropy of our community organizations to help foster and grow young brown and black artists that are emerging within their careers. While introducing young students to established, mid-career and budding POC artists in the local Portland community, and hosting space for talking about work from a different perspective, this opportunity allows for artists of all kinds to learn and grow. This internship is now available for recent graduates who graduated within a year of applying. The rate of compensation does not change with graduate status.

The David C. Driskell Fellowship at Black Seed Studio

A foundational aspect of Indigo Arts Alliance’s mission is to amplify and empower Black and Brown artists who enrich our local community. The goal of the David C. Driskell Fellowship Program is to identify talented Maine based & Maine Rooted artists whose work is of excellent artistic merit and is open to all artistic career stages. That is why Indigo Arts Alliance is proud to offer rent free studio space to our community! 

The IAA mission is both local and global. We are specifically working with “Black and Brown” artists. African descent refers to people from all African nations, African-American, Afro-Latin, and Caribbean. The geographic breadth of all the places where Africans were displaced as a result of the transatlantic slave trade. We describe “Brown” to include Native American, indigenous, Latinx,  South and Southeast Asian, the Middle East and the Pacific Rim communities. This exciting opportunity will enable artists to engage in their practice in ways that they may not otherwise have the space and/or resources to. As artists and creative professionals ourselves, we understand the value and rarity of having dedicated studio space for an extended period of concentrated time.

Selected Fellows Receive:

• Rent free semi-private 500 sq foot studio facility, for up to three months
• $700 (unrestricted): Fellowship funding may be used to enhance any aspect of the artist’s life, such as overhead costs, the purchase of materials, and other living expenses. Awards are subject to state and federal income tax guidelines.
• Support from Indigo Arts Alliance staff and access to IAA community resources and services.
• Black Seed Studio Visits: IAA coordinates a mid-residency studio visit with the current Indigo Arts Alliance Mentorship Artist Residents and a selection of arts professionals. These can be virtual or in person depending on your comfort level.

Eligibility:

• Artists must be a descendent from any of the African nations, African-American, Afro-Latin, Caribbean, i.e., the communities inhabiting the geographic breadth of all the places where Africans were displaced as a result of the transatlantic slave trade, Native Americans, indigenous peoples, Latinx, South and Southeast Asian, the Middle East, and the Pacific Rim.
• Artists must be Maine based (i.e living/working full or part time in Maine) or Maine Rooted (i.e strong ties to Maine, and maintaining strong community networks to the state)
• Applicants must be 21+ at the time of the proposed residency.
• Artists of all disciplines are encouraged to apply (Painting, sculpture, illustration, writing, dance, music, theater/performance, photography, fiber/textiles, etc).
• Applicants cannot be attending a full-time academic program at the time of the residency.
• Applicants must have the most up to date COVID-19 vaccination at least 3 months prior to the start of their proposed residency.
   

Jury Criteria: 

Selection for this program will be based on artistic merit, creative integrity and community commitment. Artists working at every level, emerging through established, are equitably welcomed and reviewed.

• Artistic Merit: The artist presents a sustained commitment to their practice, risk-taking, and clear concepts and creative methodologies that advance artistic expression. This includes traditional studio practices, music/sound, creative writing to new forms that explore digital art mediums. 
• Creative Integrity: The artist’s work demonstrates integrity and ethical use of material demonstrates responsible social and/or environmental practice, models new forms of creative action. 
• Engagement with defined communities: There is a clear articulation of the role and relationship of the artist with the communities in which they are engaged. The artist engages in equitable creative practice which seeks to build social/structural/systemic equity.

Applicants are evaluated and selected based on their work, as evidenced in submitted materials and work samples. Consideration is given to accomplishments to date as well as promise for continued development and the potential impact the fellowship will have on the artist. The distinguished jury panel will also be asked to consider the wide range of media, aesthetic considerations, social engagement, relationship to defined community, and cultural traditions that might be influenced by race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and geography.

We are currently accepting applications for the following residency periods:

Spring: May 12th - August 8th, 2025

Fall: Sept. 8th - December 5th, 2025

Winter: January 13th - April 7th, 2026

David C. Driskell Info Session & Q/A: Please use this time to learn about Indigo Arts Alliance, our residency programs, and ask any questions you might have about IAA's various programs and/or your application. You may sign up for either session using the links below! 

Dates: 

Tuesday, Jan. 28th at 12:30pm (Registration Link) 

Friday, Feb. 28th at 10am (Registration Link)

If you have any additional questions or concerns about your application, please email us directly at ashley@indigoartsalliance.me