We invite you to refer to the BareBones Statement of Intentions before considering applying to BareBones. Black people, Indigenous people, people of the global majority, transgender people, and people with disabilities will be prioritized.
Description
BareBones Productions is seeking to hire several Large Puppet Artists for the 2026 Halloween Extravaganza who will work individually and collaboratively with BareBones Co-Directors, artistic/production staff, and community members from end of August, through September and October, and into the beginning of November. Large Puppet Artists will work with these communities to create a public performance/ritual related to grief, death, ancestors, loss, and remembering, to be performed over four evenings around the date of Halloween. Performances will be located in Powderhorn Park at 3400 15th Avenue South Minneapolis, MN.
Qualifications
- Strong puppetry, theater, performance, and/or visual art skills
- Experience creating large-scale outdoor visual and performance art pieces
- Experience teaching, guiding, supporting, and managing a wide variety of community members, including folks of various ages, races, cultures, genders, family structures, abilities, spiritual beliefs, and who speak a variety of languages
- Willingness to learn, self-reflect, and grow in the areas of equity, inclusion, and anti-bias
- Strong communication, organization, and time-management skills
- Adaptability and flexibility
Must Work/Attend
- BareBones Buildup 2025 (paid orientation). Collaboration with the 2025 Team to create protocols to address interpersonal dynamics, safety, workload fairness, communication, & organization
- Artistic staff Storyboarding, Community Storyboarding, Build Site move, and Build Kick-Off
- Build events, rehearsals, and additional meetings as scheduled by the Co-Directors, Artistic Team, and Production Team, per protocols developed at BareBones Buildup 2025
- Four performances to be held on October 30, 31, and November 1, 2, 2025. Rain date will be November 3, if a performance is canceled due to weather
- Four educational workshops provided to the community by BareBones Board
- See Calendar for more specifics
Responsibilities
- Design, build, and rehearse one or more very large puppet(s) in collaboration with Co-Directors and Artistic Staff
- Engage a wide range of community members to participate in designing, building, rehearsing, and performing large puppets
- Collaborate with Directors/Facilitators, BareBones staff/artists, and volunteers/community to create a 45-to-60-minute performance including puppetry, music, fire, and stilting
- Prioritize the physical/emotional safety of every participant
- Participate in digital communication (email, text, phone) promptly
- Participate in a variety of clean-up activities and final wrap-up survey after November 4, 2025
- As this is a temporary, independent contractor position, candidates are required to have access to materials and technologies necessary for the job
Terms
| Location | Twin Cities Metro, Minnesota |
| Type | Independent contractor, temporary |
| Category | Art and Art Admin |
| Apply By | June 8, 2026 |
| Hiring Date | Approx. June 2026 |
| Job Dates | August 1 to November 15, 2026 |
| Stipdend | $750.00 |
| BareBones BuildUp Attendance Stipend | $100.00 |
The BareBones Board/Hiring Committee wishes that we could pay more. We recognize compensation is more like symbolic appreciation rather than a livable wage. This show would not be possible without many people's in-kind donations (love hours). In addition to the listed stipend, BareBones provides all staff with snacks or meals at most meetings, builds, and rehearsals, and access to request small funds for basic needs if needed to fully participate in BareBones duties.
Please Note: This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
How to Apply
Please apply via the BareBones job application Google form, by June 8, 2026. Any applications sent via other methods will not be reviewed. Email [email protected] with any questions.