The Essential School of Painting (ESOP)
Job Summary
Job Description
The Essential School of Painting (ESOP) is one of London’s leading independent art schools dedicated exclusively to painting. For over twenty years we have offered an atelier-scale model of art education founded on sustained studio practice, intensive individual tuition and the belief that painters develop through rigorous making and critical conversation. At its heart is our two-year Advanced Painting Course, a postgraduate programme in which every painter has their own studio space on the premises.
We are seeking an outstanding practising painter and educator to lead the Advanced Painting Course. Working closely with the Artistic Director, you will shape the artistic life of the programme: leading individual tutorials, coordinating visiting tutors, programming visiting artists, delivering seminars and workshops, and overseeing the School’s exhibitions. It is a rare chance to lead a studio-based postgraduate painting programme while sustaining your own practice.
You will be an established painter with a significant exhibiting record; an experienced, generous teacher able to mentor across many approaches without imposing your own; deeply engaged with contemporary painting; attentive to each student’s development; well-organised; and comfortable representing the School publicly.
Remuneration: £18,000-£20,000 depending on experience – a part-time, 30-week academic-year appointment (September-June; 2 teaching days per week plus a half-day for preparation and administration), renewable, with a probationary first term.
To apply, please see the How to apply section. Closing date: 23.59hrs Friday 21 August 2026. ESOP welcomes applications from painters of all backgrounds; reasonable adjustments are available at every stage.
Job Requirements
We are looking for an outstanding practising painter and educator who is: an established painter with a significant exhibiting record, including solo and group exhibitions; an experienced teacher, preferably in Higher Education or postgraduate art education; able to mentor across a wide range of painting practices without imposing their own; deeply engaged with contemporary painting and equally committed to material practice and critical enquiry; a generous, collegiate colleague with the temperament and pastoral judgement to support a diverse cohort, including students with disabilities or additional needs; an excellent communicator, well-organised and able to manage a complex studio programme; comfortable representing the School publicly; and able to commit to the academic-year pattern and to be in post for the start of the year.
Job Overview
- Job Title: Course Leader – Advanced Painting
- Salary: £15k-£20k
- Hours:
Part time - Artform: Visual arts
- Role: Teaching
- Contract: Contract
- Closing date: Fri, 21 Aug 2026
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Location:
UK-wide
Apply now
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