Teaching Artist Guild offers asset map, pay-rate calculator and job board to support national teaching artists

The Teaching Artist Guild (TAG) outlined national tools and networks for teaching artists including a public asset map, pay-rate calculator, training-program listings and a job board.

Katie Rainey, co-executive director of the Teaching Artist Guild, said TAG operates as a practitioner-led organization and offers an asset map where teaching artists can create profiles listing art forms, travel willingness and rates. She described the pay-rate calculator — used by thousands monthly — as a transparency tool to help teaching artists and organizations calculate fair compensation and to advocate for higher wages.

Rainey said TAG’s pay-rate calculator pulls regional economic data to provide ballpark hourly and annual income figures and recommended that artists also use an itemized budget template (posted on TAG’s site) to include supplies, travel, lodging and per diems when preparing proposals. She noted the calculator focuses on facilitation and planning rates and that travel and expenses should typically be added to a budget.

Other TAG resources include regional networks, a national resource database, training-program listings, an events calendar and a job board (organizations pay to post jobs; teaching artists can request free posting assistance via TAG). Rainey said TAG is coordinating with ITAC to merge or better integrate databases and resources. TAG also runs listening tours, literary salons and archival insights from teaching artists across the country.

Rainey encouraged teaching artists to join regional networks or TAG’s national advisory council to access mentorship, job leads and collective advocacy, and she offered technical help for new users who need assistance creating a free asset-map profile.