Grace Art Camp’s Counselor Leadership Program is designed to offer high school and college students opportunities in a collaborative community, building leadership skills in working with younger children and the arts. Successful counselors are energetic, enthusiastic, and willing to learn and contribute to the community. They are paid an hourly rate determined by current minimum wage and incrementally increases with experience.

Counselor positions are held from late June to mid-August. Counselors must reapply each year. Assignments are based on expected weekly enrollment and are subject to change at the discretion of Grace Institute.

General Qualifications:

• Attend the required and crucial Grace Art Camp orientation and hands-on training (this is paid training for all hired Counselors and lunch is also provided for everyone). There will be additional enhanced training dates/times as that programming is developed in the spring.
• Because camp is organized into weekly sessions, attendance for the full week assigned is required unless special permission is granted ahead of time. Please include in your application possible conflicts with the camp schedule.
• Have experience caring for younger children, and passion in one or more artistic areas of interest via high school or through other lessons or curriculum.
• Communicate directly with Grace Institute hiring staff during the application, training, assignment, and performance process.
• Are 16 years of age and older.

2025 COUNSELOR APPLICATIONs Are Now closed

Summer 2026 Applications will be posted in Early February

Please submit completed 3-page application and optional resume to:
Ashley Klump, Executive Director
via email at ashleyk@grace-institute.org or mail to:
Grace Art Camp, 1535 NE 17^th Ave, Portland, OR 97232

(Emailed applications MUST be sent as a PDF document;
Please DO NOT load into Google Docs platform, it obscures the formatting and you will need to resubmit.)

Counselor Positions

Counselors-in-Training (CITs) are volunteers at camp that help guide campers and provide a welcoming atmosphere. Many of the counselors begin as counselors-in-training and are vital to the ongoing training and development of our youth counselor program.

Visit our CIT page here to learn more.

Color Counselors work in teams of 3-4 counselors/CITs and are assigned to a “color group cohort” consisting of ~22 campers of a particular age range. This position allows counselors to form a rapport with the campers in their groups; they are with their color group during drop-off, pick-up, assemblies, and studio rotations. During studio time, color counselors support their group in the specific studio rotation.

The youngest color group is the Orange group (also called POD). This group is unique because it has a home room and different schedule than the other color groups. Counselors and CITs who wish to work with the Orange group should have a desire to work with young children and be able to foster a safe and supportive environment for 4-5 year olds.

Studio Counselors are assigned to a specific art studio that they work in all week and provide campers with a bridge between the individual studio and the rest of camp. They have previously worked with and are skilled in the medium of their studio. A Studio Counselor’s primary function is to assist the artist leading the studio including prepping materials, helping campers during studio time, and keeping the studio tidy.

Extended Hours Counselors monitor and engage with campers who stay after once the camp day ends. Extended Hours counselors typically work Monday-Friday from 2:30 until 5:00 or 6:00pm. For counselors who wish to work extended hours in addition to a regular week at camp, hours are 3:00 to around 5:30pm but can vary based on your availability and staffing needs.

Security Counselors (ages 18+) are the face of camp, possessing great energy, enthusiasm, related experience, and the ability to engage positively with children and families. Security counselors ensure the safety of campers and the campus facilities, lead and monitor camper recess. This includes ensuring that the camp premises are free of any disturbances, nuisances, or hazardous materials on an ongoing basis; readying the campus each morning and closing the campus down each afternoon. Security counselors possess the ability to be firm and diplomatic with strangers who approach the campus before, during, and after camp hours. Hours run between 38-40 hours per week and may encompass all weeks of camp.

Administrative Assistant works closely with the Registrar and Business Manager to make sure the “behind the scenes” side of camp is running smoothly. Jobs assigned to the Admin Assistant often include registration assistance, copying, making name buttons, data entry, proofing, and other tasks related to the daily and weekly organization of camp. The Admin Assistant usually work up to nine weeks including the weeks before and one week after camp.

Assistant Studio Artist (ASA) is an experienced artist assistant (college-level) in a studio or medium in which they have demonstrated skills and previous work experience. The ASA positions are generally only needed in the Glass, Ceramics or Fibre Arts studios. Please indicate on your application or highlight your resume the qualifications that directly relate to this unique position.

Senior Leadership, Senior and Junior Counselor Placement

Junior counselors (ages 16-17) usually work between 2-4 weeks depending on level of experience, past performance evaluations, and camp needs. The starting pay for junior counselors is current minimum wage and goes up with experience for senior counselors and beyond. Senior counselors (ages 17+) are generally seniors in high school and college students who possess strong leadership and mentoring capabilities, and who go above and beyond the needs of camp. Senior counselors are selected based on demonstrated experience and skill, as well as past performance evaluations. Senior counselors are usually selected to work 4-7 weeks of camp. Senior Leadership counselors (ages 18+ and prior experience at GAC) are college students with prior Art Camp experience and who possess strong leadership and mentoring capabilities, and often go above and beyond the needs of camp. Senior and Senior Leadership counselors are often selected to work 5-7 weeks of camp.

For more information about the above positions, please contact our executive Director ASHLEY KLUMP via e-mail at ASHLEYK@grace-institute.org or call 503.331.8155 X102. Thank you for your interest in working at Grace Art Camp!

Statement of Non-Discrimination
Grace Institute does not discriminate in its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, socioeconomic status, religion, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, military or veteran status, and any other marginalized characteristics protected under applicable federal, state or local law.