Art Director (Volunteer)

Description

Art Director (Volunteer)

Organization: Mentor A Promise (MAP)

Location: Remote with NYC-based collaboration as needed

Type: Volunteer (Senior Creative Leadership Role)

About Mentor A Promise

Mentor A Promise (MAP) is a NYC-based nonprofit serving children and youth ages 5–18 experiencing housing instability through mentorship, literacy, social-emotional learning, and creative expression. At MAP, art is not decorative — it is how children process their experiences, feel seen, and imagine possibility.

Our visual storytelling shapes how young people experience safety, dignity, and belonging across books, media, classrooms, and public spaces.

Role Overview

The Art Director leads MAP’s visual language across all platforms — including children’s books, educational materials, film, digital media, and brand storytelling. This role ensures that MAP’s visual identity is trauma-informed, culturally responsive, emotionally safe, and creatively strong.

The Art Director sets aesthetic standards, mentors illustrators and designers, and works closely with writers, filmmakers, educators, and communications teams to make sure every visual element reflects MAP’s values and mission.

Key Responsibilities

• Set and maintain MAP’s overall visual style and creative standards
• Lead art direction for children’s books, curriculum, film, and digital media
• Ensure artwork is trauma-informed, inclusive, and developmentally appropriate
• Guide illustrators, designers, and creative volunteers
• Review layouts, storyboards, and final artwork for quality and consistency
• Collaborate with editorial, education, and media teams
• Support production-ready files for print, video, and digital platforms

Qualifications

• Professional experience in illustration, design, art direction, or visual storytelling
• Strong eye for composition, color, and emotional tone
• Ability to give clear, supportive creative feedback
• Experience working across multiple media formats
• Deep respect for child-centered and trauma-informed storytelling
• Alignment with MAP’s mission and values

Preferred Skills

• Experience in children’s publishing, education, or social-impact media
• Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite, Procreate, or similar tools
• Experience mentoring or leading creative teams
• Background in culturally responsive design

Commitment

• Volunteer leadership role
• Approximately 5–10 hours per week
• Minimum 6-month commitment preferred
• Fully remote with optional NYC-based collaboration

What You’ll Gain

• Senior-level creative leadership experience
• The opportunity to shape art that reaches children in real need
• Collaboration with writers, educators, and filmmakers
• Professional recognition and letters of recommendation
• A lasting creative legacy in books and programs that bring comfort and hope

How to Apply

Interested candidates should apply directly through Idealist.

Help shape the visual world where children feel seen, safe, and inspired.

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with our organization. At this time, volunteer opportunities are limited to individuals based in the United States due to legal, safeguarding, data-privacy, and programmatic requirements. We appreciate your interest in our mission and your understanding of these constraints.