O4A Fellow

About 4A Arts

4A Arts is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to mobilizing Americans around the recognition that arts, culture, design, and craft are essential to meaningful lives, vibrant communities, and strong economies. Through its Organizing for the Arts (O4A) initiative, 4A Arts works with state advocacy partners nationwide to educate, engage, and mobilize citizens in support of increased public investment in the arts.

About the Fellowship

The O4A Fellowship is a 16-week, intensive part-time program that equips one fellow in each partner state to work closely with a State Arts Advocacy Organization (SAAO) to build advocacy capacity from the ground up. Fellows are the first field layer of 4A Arts' growing national network. They do consequential work for their state while contributing to a cohort of peers doing the same across the country. Fellows are expected to work independently, think strategically, and leave something lasting behind.

What Fellows Do

Each fellow’s role will look slightly different, according to their state’s needs and priorities. Fellows can expect to do any of the following:

Member Recruitment & Civic Engagement

• Conduct outreach to prospective SAAO members — arts organizations, artists, educators, and advocates not yet in the network
• Use 4A Arts templates and tools to make calls, send emails, and engage warm contacts
• Audit existing SAAO membership to identify who is active, disengaged, or untapped
• Reach out to current and prospective members to engage in arts advocacy opportunities
• Co-facilitate advocacy workshops for SAAO members using 4A Arts' framework
• Deliver “advocacy raps” and administer surveys at local arts performances
• Track all outreach in a shared pipeline system

Content, Storytelling & Digital Engagement

• Attend 1-2 local arts events per month and capture photos, video clips, and quotes; use pre-built Canva templates to turn content into 2 to three social media posts per week
• Monitor SAAO social accounts daily and respond to comments, questions, and mentions and encourage engagement.
• Identify active engagers and follow up with a personal invitation to take a next step — signing up as an advocate, attending an event, or joining the SAAO. Flag these for the SAAO and log notable interactions in the shared pipeline for recruitment follow-up

State Specific Projects

• Design, execute and/or assist with projects tailored to the SAAO's needs and priorities, such as: a targeted recruitment campaign, a customized advocacy toolkit, a local advocacy activation, a survey on support for the arts, supporting statewide advocacy initiatives, and/or developing their adopt a legislator advocacy program

Structure & Support

• Time commitment: approximately 15 hours per week for 16 weeks
• Primary supervisor: 4A Arts Organizing Manager
• Local guidance: SAAO Director
• Cohort: Weekly virtual meetings for shared learning, troubleshooting, and guidance
• Location: Remote, with work oriented toward a specific assigned state

Who We're Looking For

Must-haves:

• Experience in/knowledge about advocacy, nonprofit organizing, community outreach, and/or the arts
• Comfortable making cold and warm calls and following up persistently
• Able to use your smartphone to capture photos and video
• Ability to travel for arts events (Arts Advocacy Day at the Capitol, local performances, etc.)
• Willing to learn basic Canva skills for social media formatting (design experience a plus)
• Must work independently and manage your own time across a part-time schedule
• Are genuinely curious about how arts policy and advocacy works at the state level
• Communicate clearly - through writing, on the phone, and in facilitated settings
• Are organized and consistent with documentation and tracking
• Live in one of the following states: AZ, FL, KY, MO, NC, ME, or SD (1 fellow per state)

Great-to-haves:

• Existing ties to the arts community in your assigned state
• Graphic design experience
• Experience facilitating workshops or trainings
• Managed social media for a nonprofit or advocacy organization

4A Arts is an equal opportunity, inclusive employer that considers candidates without regard to race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, marital, disabled or veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. All qualified applicants will be afforded equal employment opportunities without discrimination.

Fellows are part-time employees of 4A Arts and are not eligible for benefits. Fellowship dates are November 2, 2026 – March 12, 2027. Fellows will not work (and therefore will not be paid) during the weeks of November 23–29, 2026, and December 21, 2026 – January 3, 2027. Fellows are paid $25 per hour, up to a maximum of 15 hours per week. Mileage and travel expenses incurred for authorized work-related travel will be reimbursed.