Request for Qualifications (RFQ): Art/Design Services

Día de los Muertos Festival

Mesa Arts Center seeks a talented artist or graphic designer with a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We invite qualified artists and graphic designers to submit qualifications for work related to our cherished Día de los Muertos Festival happening on October 25-26, 2025.

Submission Deadline - Thursday, April 30, 2025 at 5:00 PM.

Art/Design Services

Community Altar

ALT Fest

We invite qualified artists and graphic designers to submit qualifications for work related to our brand new ALT (Art + Light + Technology) Festival, taking place on March 20, 2026.

Submission Deadline - Thursday, May 30, 2025 at 5:00 PM.

View Application Requirements

Arts in Service Peer Ambassador

The Arts in Service (AIS) peer ambassador role is designed to provide AIS students with access to a knowledgeable and accessible individual in their classroom spaces and on the Mesa Arts Center campus. The ambassador works to build relationships with students, volunteers, and MAC instructors, in addition to organizations in the community providing resources to veterans and service-members. Part of the ambassador role will be to build relationships with community partners to strengthen wrap-around resources and to ensure MAC staff are up to date on best practices for the military community.

The objective for this role is to develop peer relationships with students to better provide them with resources, when needed, and to better understand their needs while in the Arts in Service program. In addition to continuously seeking new resources like free programs, direct connections to organizations that provide resources, and leaders in the military community in the Phoenix-metro area. The ambassador will do this by scheduling time, throughout the semester, to be in the classroom spaces interacting with students and instructors. Spending time with instructors once class has ended to talk about the classroom environment, areas of concern, or highlights and areas for continued expansion. Other duties will include attending trainings, events, seminars, and conferences related to providing resources to veterans, service-members, and their families. Becoming familiar with vetted resources and leaders in the military community. The ambassador should become a bastion of knowledge to best serve the Arts in Service program and Mesa Arts Center as a whole.

At times, the peer ambassador may need to work with MAC administration to handle difficult student issues and should know what additional affiliates could provide help or aid. Other times, the ambassador will help MAC administration to make adjustments to the AIS program and regularly schedule professional development and training opportunities to MAC instructors and administration.

Minimum qualifications:

• 3-5 years experience in a non-profit, public health, or government setting.
• 3-5 years of administrative experience including managing a calendar, setting meetings, building connections.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Knowledge of military life, culture, and community.
• Knowledge of agencies and organizations in the Phoenix-metro area that serve military populations.
• Experience providing peer to peer support.
• Experience in practice active listening skills.
• Knowledge of conflict resolution strategies and tactics.
• Knowledge of trauma informed care frameworks.

Must be able to pass a federal background check, provide commercial general liability insurance, and may be asked to pass a drug test. This individual will report to the Director of Studios and work closely with the Arts Learning Specialist, Program Assistant, and Arts Education Specialists and/or Arts education instructors.

To apply, please submit a resume and three professional references to lwilde@mesaaz.gov.

Saturday, Visual Arts Instructor

Mesa Arts Center is seeking a visual arts instructor to lead Saturday morning classes for youth ages 6-9 and 10-12 from 9am-10:15am and 10:30-12pm respectively, with no more than 10 students per class from June 7-July 19, 2025. Saturday morning classes are intended to be survey classes with lesson plans and curriculum appropriate for these grade levels and which explores a variety of visual art mediums including drawing, painting, mixed media, craft, and sculpture. All materials are provided by Mesa Arts Center. Classes start with a welcome, demonstration, and then class projects. Instructors should be able to demonstrate effective classroom management skills, quick-thinking, additional lesson plans for students who finish early, professionalism, kindness, and understanding towards all youth participants.

Instructors in the youth department are hired through an outside temporary worker agency, Marathon, and required to undergo a Level II federal background check (fingerprint clearance card is not an acceptable substitution for this check). Applicants must demonstrate 2-3 years minimum of teaching experience for students in this age range and will be responsible for prepping demonstrations and materials, ensuring safety of all students, following all MAC required policies and procedures, and communicating with parents when necessary.

The Mesa Arts Center utilizes ePACT digital software to store all information for youth participants and doing digital check in/out for parents.

If accepted, this position will be paid $24.15 per hour with 30 minutes of paid prep time per class, in addition to a $250 stipend for curriculum development. Additional hours will be paid for attendance at required trainings and meetings with MAC administration. This position reports to the Director of Studios, Laura Wilde. If interested, opportunities to continue employment past the summer months is possible.

To apply, please submit a resume and three professional references to lwilde@mesaaz.gov.

Volunteers

Due to staffing, Mesa Arts Center is currently pausing all new volunteer applications until May 1, 2025. If you would like to still reach out to us about potentially volunteering or have any questions, please send an email to: volunteers@mesaartscenter.com. Thank you for your patience and understanding, we look forward to re-opening volunteer applications soon!  

"At MAC I have met some of the nicest and most interesting volunteers, employees, instructors, and patrons. It is wonderful to share our lives, interests, and commonalities. I have learned lots of new things from our interactions.” - Louise Mueller

The mission of the volunteer office is to recognize and utilize the talents of community members to assist in expanding services to the public while economizing staff time. Whether you have an artistic talent that you would like to share or would just like to get involved, volunteering at Mesa Arts Center is the perfect opportunity to give back to the community while enjoying and supporting the arts. Volunteers are required to pass a Level 2 Federal background check and attend a Volunteer Orientation prior to taking on volunteer roles.

“Working at the Mesa Arts Center and Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum have been the high light of my life. I have met wonderful people and fellow volunteers. Each person I have met, have a story and have experienced a life full of challenges and adventures.” - Donna Bruner

Benefits for Active Volunteers

• Gain valuable experience in the arts field
• Give back to your community while supporting the arts
• Make wonderful new friendships
• Earn points while you volunteer to redeem for Mesa Arts Center select theater tickets, membership opportunities and more!

Volunteer Opportunities

• Special Events Aide
• Theater Usher
• Docent
• Museum Admissions Attendant
• Instructor's Aide
• Store Assistant
• Administrative Aide

For Current Volunteers

Click HERE to log-in to the Volunteer Website

Click HERE to download the schedule for the 2nd half of the 2024-25 Season

Volunteers

We provide ways for community members to artistically participate in arts activities during festivals and other community events. We are always looking for volunteers to assist in these events. 

To learn how to apply to the Volunteer Program, please click here. 

Interns

Engagement Office Internships 

Interns work directly with artists and staff of the Engagement Office department to create and implement site-specific community arts programming.

Bartender/Concessions Worker - Hourly Pay: $20

Essential Functions:

• Sell concessions, including soft drinks, alcohol and various food items
• Serve customers in an efficient and friendly manner
• Interact with customers and resolve customer complaints and relay relevant information to the supervisor
• Perform sales transactions in a timely fashion
• Enter sales into the register to ensure accurate sales records
• Run cash register
• Responsible for all assigned change funds and cash receipts
• Ensure cash drawer is in compliance with standards
• Perform other duties such as replenishing condiments and supplies in addition to cleaning concession area
• Comply with all sanitation and safety requirements
• Other duties as assigned

Required Skills, Education and Experience:

• Basic working knowledge of food and beverage
• Basic math skills to accurately count and handle money
• Ability to follow instructions and perform work effectively
• Positive attitude and neat appearance
• Must have food handler's card valid in the State of Arizona
• Must have license to serve alcohol
• Must be TIPS certified

Substance Abuse Testing - Not required for the City, however, the Temporary Agency may require substance abuse testing as a condition of their employment.

Fingerprinting - Due to the safety sensitive nature of this classification, individuals shall be subject to a fingerprint based criminal background check through Department of Public Safety (DPS) and Federal Bureau of Information (FBI).

To apply, please contact Marathon Staffing at 480.867.6810

MCA Docents

A Docent is a teacher who serves Mesa Contemporary Arts and the community in the field of art education. Docents are considered key volunteers and extensions of the Mesa Contemporary Arts staff. They provide public and private tours and provide auxiliary security in exhibition areas during special events and opening receptions. Docents attend bi-monthly meetings, which include lectures and workshops on current exhibitions as well as art related field trips. 

To learn how to apply to the Volunteer Program, please click here.

Museum Admissions Attendants

Museum Admissions Attendants are primarily responsible for ensuring a welcoming and positive experience for all visitors to Mesa Contemporary Arts. These volunteers manage the Admissions Desk, handle Point of Sale transactions for museum admissions, greet visitors upon arrival and on the phone, answering general questions and providing friendly customer service to all patrons. For more information, click here to view a complete job description.

To learn how to apply to the Volunteer Program, please click here.

MCA Interns

Internships are a way students can gain professional experience and provide a service in their community. At Mesa Contemporary Arts, interns are an integral part of the staff and assist with all aspects of the museum, including curatorial, objects management, exhibition installation and art education. Interns become familiar with proper museum procedures and expand their knowledge of the profession.

To learn how to apply to the Internship Program, please click here.

Call To Artists

Artists applications are accepted throught the year. 

Please download artist application here.

Mesa Arts Center Creative Economy Fund

Application Deadline: May 2

As part of a larger initiative to continue activating Downtown Mesa, increase the growing number and variety of offerings at Mesa Arts Center (MAC), and continue building an environment of creativity and discovery downtown, the CREATIVE ECONOMY FUND in-kind grant program is being continued for a 15^th and final year. This will be the final year for the Creative Economy Fund.

The intent of this program is to:

1. Reduce cost pressures for professional and semi-professional organizations who use or wish to use MAC venues;
2. Help bring new cultural offerings to the Mesa and East Valley communities; and
3. Encourage new organizations to present or produce an event at MAC in order to form new partnerships and relationships across cultural organizations in the region.

Mesa Arts Center’s CREATIVE ECONOMY FUND will support reduced rental fees at Mesa Arts Center for non-profit organizations presenting an arts project, event, activity, workshop, or a series of any of the above. Organizations may submit only one application for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The Creative Economy Fund will be discontinued after the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The deadline for applications is 5:00 PM on Friday May 2, 2025.

25-26 Creative Economy Fund Application

Are you interested in having your educational or arts organization perform on one of the beautiful world-class stages at the Mesa Arts Center? Would you enjoy a day or night in the spotlight? If so, then consider applying for a Mesa Arts Center Foundation (MACF) grant awarded via the popular Arts at the Center Program.

Up to six Arts at the Center grant recipients are chosen each year to present a theater, dance, music or other types of creative performance on one of MAC’s stages. Theater seating can accommodate from 100 to 1,500 attendees, depending upon your needs. 

And the best part? An Arts at the Center grant allows presenters to (1) have the facilities rental fee waived and (2) receive up to $1,000 in financial support to offset some of the related production costs.

Arts at the Center grant applications are accepted on a rolling basis. 
There are still openings available and application for performance opportunities is strongly encouraged. 

KEY DATES FOR THIS CYCLE:

COMING SOON!

 PLEASE NOTE both the Letter of Interest and Finalist applications are very short and easy to complete. The two part process is designed to make applying quick and painless.

For more information and to download an application, click here.