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ARTbuilds MetroWest Advisor Position

MetroWest is a region where arts and culture play a vital role in creating vibrant, inclusive communities and fostering a strong sense of belonging. Through a rich mix of artistic expression, cultural traditions, historical preservation, and more, creativity connects residents to one another, helps shape the region’s evolving identity, and fuels a vibrant, thriving community. 

Arts and culture bridge divides, enrich experiences, and drive local economic growth. Through ARTbuilds MetroWest, an initiative created in partnership with the Barr Foundation’s Creative Commonwealth Initiative, the Community Foundation for MetroWest (CFMW) supports cultural resources by fostering collaboration, building capacity, sharing stories, and utilizing data. We are committed to nurturing an inclusive cultural landscape where everyone has access to the arts. 

CFMW is seeking 3-5 Community Advisors to support and shape the work of ARTbuilds MetroWest.  These community advisors will meet with the Foundation monthly over the course of 9 months to discuss needs in the arts and culture sector, and identify and engage key stakeholders. Between meetings, Community Advisors will complete assignments co-created with the Foundation and aligned with the responsibilities outlined below. The Community Advisors’ partnership and feedback will also inform the implementation of ARTbuilds MetroWest’s grantmaking strategy. 

The compensation for this position is $6,500 for 9 months. The position will begin in June 2026. 

young girl work on a piece of artwork at the Danforth and being guided by an adult
Courtesy of Danforth Museum
guitarist performing in front of a crowd at Bellforge
Courtest of Bellforge Arts Center
guests watching a gallery presentation at the Danforth
Courtesy of Danforth Museum

Foundation Goals:

  • Build stronger relationships with a broad audience in MetroWest, including communities of color, underrepresented populations, and individual artists 
  • Increase brand awareness and visibility to support fund development for the initiative 
  • Develop more effective community-driven strategies to strengthen arts & culture in the region 

Advisors will help us:

  • Establish a clear and sustainable feedback loop between the Foundation and MetroWest arts and culture makers 
  • Implement a communications campaign for broad community understanding of ARTbuilds MetroWest’s initiatives and the data available in Impact MetroWest 
  • Build stronger connections between the Foundation and individual arts and culture makers in MetroWest 
  • Create one or more convening opportunities for MetroWest arts and culture practitioners 

Responsibilities May Include:

  • Reviewing and analyzing the Foundation’s existing arts and culture data to determine patterns, assess implications for community investment, and determine additional data needed to fully understand the region’s arts ecosystem 
  • Co-designing and executing a community feedback process to engage local stakeholders (artists, arts administrators, cultural leaders, etc.) to gather data and insights on the needs and experiences of the community.  
  • Synthesizing community input to inform decision making for ARTbuilds MetroWest’s work 
  • Identifying potential actionable steps to expand access to arts and culture experiences and funding in MetroWest, particularly among historically underserved communities 
  • Organize at least one gathering of arts and culture makers in MetroWest 
  • Provide feedback on Arts and Culture discretionary grant framework in order to decrease barriers and increase access to CFMW arts and culture funding 

Qualifications:

  • Live, work, learn, or have strong ties to the MetroWest community, especially within the arts ecosystem 
  • Your own artistic or cultural practice of any discipline, whether professional, amateur, full-time, or part-time 
  • Extensive knowledge of various facets of the arts and culture sector, specifically the capacity needs of artists and/or arts nonprofit organizations 
  • Able to build and maintain relationships with a variety of community stakeholders 
  • Able to apply equity lens throughout ARTbuilds work
  • BIPOC artists strongly encouraged to apply 
  • Speakers of Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Mandarin, and/or Russian encouraged to apply