Recruitment and Selection of Teaching Artists of Color in Nonprofit Theatre Arts Education

Abstract

ABSTRACT Students in P-12 schools are losing access to the benefits of arts education. As more students identify as minority, the predominantly White teachers are not keeping pace to reflect students. Communities partner with nonprofit theatres, who staff programs with teaching artists. Teaching artists of color are necessary to reflect today's classrooms. This study focuses on how nonprofit theatre education departments can recruit and hire teaching artists of color. The method used was structured qualitative interviews focused on large regional theatres. The results demonstrate how organizations must prioritize diversity and expand diversity practices into recruitment and selection.