Something Special Studios is hiring: Art Director, Experiential in New York

The Art Director, Experiential at Something Special Studios brings ideas to life through visual worlds, spatial storytelling, and elevated design across brand activations, installations, and cultural experiences. Part-conceptor and part-maker, this role transforms strategy and narrative into high-impact environments, immersive moments, and creative systems that audiences can feel. Working closely with Creative Directors, Spatial Designers, Strategists, and Production, the Experiential Art Director shapes the visual identity and design language of experiences from pitch to final execution. This role sits at the intersection of art direction, experiential design, and culture—creating work that not only solves a brief, but resonates emotionally and exists meaningfully in the real world. Key Responsibilities Creative Vision & Visual Direction Set and articulate the visual direction across experiential activations, campaigns, consumer experiences, and branded environments. Lead visual ideation and concept development for installations, pop-ups, immersive spaces, and cultural experiences. Guide teams through the end-to-end visual development process – ensuring strong conceptual foundations, design excellence, and cohesive storytelling. Partner with Creative Directors to shape the visual identity, aesthetic language, and creative direction for both the agency and client work. Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration Collaborate with Strategy, Production, and Design teams to align visual output with strategic goals and operational realities. Oversee visual development from conception through execution, maintaining quality, consistency, and fidelity across all deliverables. Serve as a creative liaison between internal teams, external partners, and clients – ensuring clear communication and visual alignment. Team & Culture Building Support, mentor, and inspire designers and junior creatives – cultivating a culture of collaboration, experimentation, and visual excellence. Identify and collaborate with top creative partners, both in-house and freelance, across disciplines such as art direction, design, and spatial storytelling. Foster relationships within the creative community, including artists, designers, and fabricators, to enrich project outcomes. Creative Development & Execution Support pitch development, presentation storytelling, and visual proposals for new business opportunities. Ensure that visual ideas are not only aesthetically exceptional but strategically grounded and feasible within scope. Supervise on-site visual execution for installations, brand activations, and live events as required. Qualifications 5–8+ years of creative experience in an agency, studio, or brand environment, with a focus on experiential marketing, brand activations, and/or integrated campaigns. A strong portfolio showcasing concept-driven, high-fidelity work – especially immersive, spatial, and experiential storytelling. Proven experience developing and directing visual design across complex, multidisciplinary projects. Deep understanding of cultural, artistic, and design trends that inform contemporary brand experiences. Strong client-facing presence; expert in visual presentation, communication, and storytelling. Hands‑on familiarity with design, spatial development, and fabrication processes for experiential work An established network of creative collaborators within art, design, and culture. #J-18808-Ljbffr In Summary: The Art Director, Experiential at Something Special Studios brings ideas to life through visual worlds, spatial storytelling, and elevated design across brand activations, installations, and cultural experiences . This role sits at the intersection of art direction, experiential design, and culture . En Español: El Director de Arte, Experiential en Something Special Studios trae ideas a la vida a través de mundos visuales, narración espacial y diseño elevado a lo largo de las activaciones de marca, instalaciones y experiencias culturales. Part-conceptor y partmaker, este papel transforma la estrategia y la narrativa en entornos de alto impacto, momentos inmersivos y sistemas creativos que los públicos pueden sentir. Trabajando estrechamente con directores creativos, diseñadores espaciales, estrategas y productores, el director de arte experimental moldea la identidad visual y el lenguaje del diseño de experiencias desde el tono hasta la ejecución final. Este rol se sitúa en la intersección de la dirección artística, el diseño experiencial y el trabajo creativo cultural que no solo resuelve un breve resonancia, sino que también resuena emocionalmente y existe de manera significativa en el mundo. Colaboración interdisciplinaria Colaborar con equipos de estrategia, producción y diseño para alinear la salida visual con objetivos estratégicos y realidades operativas. Supervisar el desarrollo visual desde la concepción hasta la ejecución, manteniendo calidad, consistencia y fidelidad en todos los productos entregados. Servir como un vínculo creativo entre equipos internos, socios externos y clientes asegurando una comunicación clara y alineación visual. Team & Culture Building Support, mentor e inspira a diseñadores y jóvenes creativos cultivar una cultura de colaboración, experimentación y excelencia visual. Identificar y colaborar con mejores socios creativos, tanto interna como independiente, en disciplinas tales como dirección artística, diseño y narración espacial. Fortalecer relaciones dentro de la comunidad creativa, incluidos artistas creativos , diseñadores, y fabricantes, para llevar a cabo proyectos. Una sólida cartera que muestra un trabajo basado en conceptos y de alta fidelidad especialmente inmersivo, espacial y narración experiencial. Experiencia probada en el desarrollo y la dirección del diseño visual a través de proyectos complejos y multidisciplinares. Comprensión profunda de las tendencias culturales, artísticas y de diseño que informan las experiencias contemporáneas de marca.