2026 Art Specialist - NY & NJ

TURN YOUR SUMMER INTO SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY – BECOME A SEASONAL ART SPECIALIST WITH KIDS IN THE GAME!

Empower Staff, Inspire Campers, and Build a Summer That Matters.

Kids in the Game provides unforgettable day camp experiences for hundreds of New York children across Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and now Westchester & Jersey City! When you join the Kids in the Game summer camp leadership cohort, you’ll be part of a dynamic team of Camp Directors, Assistant Directors, and 275+ coaches running outstanding programming at our 13 summer day camps. 

THE KIDS IN THE GAME SUMMER CAMP EXPERIENCE

Kids in the Game camps are where sports, creativity, and community come together to shape confident, compassionate, and connected kids. Every summer, our camps across New York City, Westchester & Jersey City bring together diverse groups of children to explore new sports, build friendships, develop positive social skills, and learn how to be part of a team. Our camps offer kids a uniquely designed blend of sports and games, arts and crafts, STEM enrichment, field trips, swim activities, theme weeks, and all-camp special events to make every week the highlight of a child's summer.

Each day is fueled by energy, laughter, and belonging. Our team of camp leaders, specialists, and counselors create an environment where every child feels seen, supported, and inspired to try something new. We believe camp is more than a summer activity — it’s a place where kids discover who they are and who they can become.

As a Certified B Corporation, we're also on a mission to positively impact the lives of all of our stakeholders - campers, families, staff, community members, and our partners. We’re looking for Art Specialists who want to be positive role models, build emotional intelligence, boost confidence, create inclusive communities, and help bring high-quality camp experiences to kids across NYC, Westchester and Jersey City.. 

Your Leadership Can Change the Game — Join Kids in the Game This Summer.

Art SPECIALIST ROLE & KEY TASKS

As an Art Specialist, you will report to the Programming Assistant Director and Camp Leadership Team and work collaboratively with counselors and fellow specialists to deliver daily visual arts and creative programming. You are responsible for leading structured art activity periods, supporting counselors during creative time, and ensuring a safe, inclusive, and engaging art environment throughout the camp day.

This role is hands-on, creativity-driven, and leadership-focused, requiring strong communication skills, organization, adaptability, and a passion for youth development through artistic expression.

We currently have 12 New York based camp locations and 1 Jersey City camp location. The sites and addresses are:

• Westchester & The Bronx:
  • Westchester-Crestwood - 465 Westchester Ave, Tuckahoe, NY 10707
  • Riverdale - 3120 Corlear Ave, Bronx, NY 10463
• Manhattan:
  • Inwood - 532 W 215th St, New York, NY 10034
  • Upper West Side - 147 W 70th St, NY, NY 10023
  • West Village - 272 W 10th St, New York, NY 10014
  • Upper East Side (Carnegie Hill)- 4 E 90th St, NY, NY 10128
  • Upper East Side (Yorkville) - 540 East 76th Street, New York, NY 10021
  • East Village - 44 E 2nd St, NY, NY 10003
• Brooklyn:
  • Park Slope - 588 6th St, Brooklyn, NY 11215
  • Greenpoint - 100 Dobbin St, Brooklyn, NY 11222
  • Fort Greene - 39 Adelphi St, Brooklyn, NY 11205
• Jersey City:
  • 118 Ferry St. Jersey City, NJ 07307

You must be able to arrive by 7:45am daily via public transportation or personal transportation (car) and stay on-site until 4:15pm daily (and until 5:30pm twice per week to support after care activities).

The Art Specialist's responsibilities include:

Ambassadorship, Core Values & Camp Culture

• Positivity: You bring enthusiasm, creativity, and encouragement to each camp day, helping campers feel excited to express themselves through art. You celebrate effort over perfection and use positive, affirming language to build confidence in campers who may feel unsure of their artistic abilities. Your energy helps create an art space where campers feel proud of their work and excited to participate.
• Empathy: You demonstrate patience, understanding, and emotional awareness when working with campers of different ages, skill levels, backgrounds, and comfort levels with art. You listen actively to campers’ ideas, concerns, and frustrations and respond with care and encouragement. You recognize that art is a powerful tool for emotional expression and support campers in using creativity to explore feelings, identity, and imagination.
• Commitment: You show up prepared, punctual, and organized for all camp days, trainings, and responsibilities. You fully engage in required pre-summer virtual and on-site trainings and apply that learning to your daily art programming. You follow schedules, lesson plans, and safety protocols consistently and communicate proactively with camp leadership about supplies, camper needs, or any concerns related to programming or behavior.
• Ambition: You seek opportunities to grow as a creative educator and youth development professional. You are open to feedback, coaching, and collaboration, and you bring fresh ideas and creativity to your art lessons. You continuously look for ways to improve activities, introduce new techniques, and enhance camper engagement — striving to make each art session meaningful, inspiring, and fun.
• Inclusivity: You create a welcoming and inclusive art environment where all campers feel safe, respected, and capable of participating. You adapt projects to meet different developmental stages, abilities, and learning styles, ensuring that every camper can experience success. You model inclusive language and behavior and emphasize that art has no “right” or “wrong” way — it is for everyone.

Activity Leadership & Instruction

• Lead 45-minute art activity periods throughout the camp day
• Provide structured, age-appropriate art instruction for campers Pre-K through middle school
• Teach and facilitate a variety of creative projects, including but not limited to:
  • Drawing, painting, collage, sculpture, mixed media, and craft-based projects
  • Process-based art activities focused on exploration and creativity
  • Theme-based art projects aligned with weekly camp themes and special events
• Demonstrate techniques clearly while encouraging creative freedom and individual expression
• Adapt projects to different age groups, skill levels, and attention spans
• Align daily art activities with camp schedules, themes, and special programming

Camper Engagement & Youth Development

• Foster creativity, self-expression, and confidence through art
• Encourage campers to experiment, take creative risks, and share their ideas
• Support campers in developing fine motor skills, focus, and problem-solving
• Celebrate campers’ artistic efforts and accomplishments
• Create opportunities for campers to reflect on and talk about their artwork

Team Collaboration & Support

• Work closely with counselors to help them confidently support art activities
• Communicate clearly with Camp Directors and Assistant Directors regarding camper needs, behavior, or supply considerations
• Support all-camp events, theme days, art displays, and special programming
• Contribute positively to staff culture, collaboration, and team morale

Safety, Supervision & Organization

• Prioritize camper safety at all times by following Department of Health regulations and camp safety protocols
• Safely manage art materials, tools, and supplies appropriate to each age group
• Set up, maintain, and clean art spaces daily
• Keep materials organized, accessible, and age-appropriate
• Actively supervise campers during activities, transitions, and cleanup
• Identify and respond to camper behavior concerns and report issues promptly to leadership
• Assist with incident documentation and reporting as directed

SEASONAL WORK EXPECTATIONS & SUMMER SCHEDULE

Pre-Summer Work Expectations & Schedule:

• Part-time participation in virtual and in-person trainings during May and June
• Required attendance at:
  • Virtual trainings (starting early June)
  • Three on-site training days the week before camp begins
  • In-person field day training
• Training attendance is mandatory and paid upon completion

Summer Camp Schedule

• Dates: Late June through August (7–8 weeks depending on location)
• Hours: Monday–Friday, approximately 7:45 AM – 4:15 PM
  • Support at least two days per week of aftercare (until approximately 5:30 PM)
• Work Environment: Full-time, in-person at assigned camp location
• Camp Size: 30–100+ campers with 10–30+ staff members

SEASONAL COMPENSATION STRUCTURE

This is a part-time, seasonal position based in New York City. Art Specialists  must be available to participate in pre-summer trainings (virtual and on-site) to complete pre-summer work expectations. Art Specialists must be available to work full summer camp hours from late June to the end of August.

Pre Summer Compensation - $375

• $150 for virtual trainings
• $150 for all 3 on-site training days
• $75 for an in-person field day in June
  • Training attendance is mandatory; you will only be paid for the trainings that you attend / complete on time.
  • You must complete all virtual and in-person training. 

Note: Individual pay rates are based on camp enrollment (number of campers per week) and prior years of experience in similar roles and prior sports-related experience. 

• Pay Schedule: Biweekly salary payments from late June - August 2026
  • Riverdale, Inwood, UES Carnegie Hill, Yorkville, East Village, West Village, Park Slope, Greenpoint, Fort Greene, and Jersey City will run for 8 weeks
  • Westchester-Crestwood and UWS camp locations will run for 7 weeks
• Total salary range based on 8 weeks of summer camp:
  • $650 to $800 per week 
    • 8 week camp salary range (without the training stipend)
      • $5,200 to $6,400

• Total salary range based on 7 weeks of summer camp:
  • $650 to $800 per week 
    • 7 week camp salary range (without the training stipend)
      • $4,550 to $5,600

WHY WORK WITH KIDS IN THE GAME

At Kids in the Game, you can expect to be welcomed into an engaging and spirited environment that emphasizes the importance of teamwork, open communication, and collaboration. We are proud to foster an inclusive environment where our team members feel respected by and connected to one another. We value the unique experiences, perspectives, and passions of our employees, and we look forward to adding dynamic personalities to our team. We are AMBITIOUS. POSITIVE, COMMITTED, INCLUSIVE, and EMPATHETIC.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: 

We are committed to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment for all of our interns and employees. We recruit candidates from across the city, state, and country, from all cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. We have developed partnerships with organizations that allow us to target our hiring practices to include chronically discriminated against or low-income groups, and improve their access to high-quality employment opportunities.

Qualifications

ART SPECIALIST QUALIFICATIONS

Our ideal Art Specialist candidate:

• Is enthusiastic, dependable, and passionate about youth development through sports
• Has experience leading sports, recreation, or group activities with children
• Is confident managing groups of varying sizes and age ranges
• Communicates clearly and works well as part of a team
• Demonstrates strong organization, adaptability, and problem-solving skills
• Can pass required background checks and provide medical clearance
• CPR, First Aid, and AED certification preferred (or willingness to obtain)