Dancemakers

Curator Job Posting

April 2014

Mandate

Dancemakers animates a space where contemporary dance creation, presentation and development provoke unexpected discoveries, sensations and meanings. 

Dancemakers invites artists and publics - locally, nationally and internationally - to engage in dance that mines the relationships between bodies, environments, sounds and images, all starting from the here and now.

Dancemakers works through a rigorous meeting of collaborators who investigate the collision between dance, other fields and the questions that inform them

Context 

As Dancemakers celebrates its fortieth anniversary in an exciting new era of responsive change, the company is launching an innovative new creation/production model that will drive our vision into the future and position Dancemakers as a Canadian leader in contemporary dance.  Re-imagining how, by and for whom we make dances, the Incubation/Production House (IPH) model will invite three Resident Artists (RA) to incubate and produce new work over staggered three-year terms.  A newly appointed position of Curator will lead the crucial task of making connections between the RA creations, the field and the publics we serve. 

Title and Reporting Relationships

Job title:                      Curator

Reports to:                  Board of Directors

Works with:                 Executive Director

Reporting staff:           Resident Artists, company dancers, variety of artistic professionals

Purpose of the Job

Reporting to the Board of Directors and working in close collaboration with the Executive Director, the Curator stewards and implements the company’s vision through a strong curatorial practice that links art and the public. The Curator is the company’s lead artistic position though not a performance maker for Dancemakers.

Primary Responsibilities

·         Envisions and implements the task of making connections between the Resident Artist (RA) creations, the field and the public

·         Provides written and other interpretive materials that create curatorial understanding for Dancemakers’ public, audiences and stakeholders

·         Supports the Executive Director in outlining appropriate budgeting, resource allocation and primary partner development initiatives

·         Provides next season programming forecasts in accordance with organizational objectives and within Board defined timelines

·         Maintains an open and proactive dialogue with local, national and international organizations and individuals on new advances in curatorial and performance practices

·         Stewards a positive public profile for Dancemakers

Staff Supervisory/Management Responsibilities

·         Resident Artists: annual selection of a resident artist who create work for Dancemakers over a three-year cycle

·         Company dancers: five positions to be filled annually in collaboration with the RA’s

·         Guest Artists: select independently, or in collaboration with the RA’s, teachers, choreographers or other artists to deliver professional development activities.

·         Populates and leads the Resident Artist Advisory Committee process

·         Collaborates with the Resident Artists in defining and delivering engagement activities that emerge from the RA’s practices

·         Writes creative materials that are used in marketing the company and its projects

·         Supervises assists and is in regular dialogue with the Resident Artists.

·         Writes all creative portions of project and operating grants

Financial Responsibilities

·         Collaborates with the Executive Director to create production budgets for each incubation and production period for each RA over their three year term.

·         Collaborates with the Executive Director to identify and steward new and existing primary financial partners

External interactions

·         In collaboration with the Board of Directors and the Executive Director, acts as the artistic, vision and advocacy voice of the company to all stakeholders including paid and volunteer staff; public, individual and corporate funders; the general public; and the artistic community

·         Designs and produces outreach, audience development and educational activities and programs for Dancemakers’ publics

·         Suggests and facilitates touring opportunities for work generated by the Resident Artists

Working conditions and Environment

·         This is a part-time position based on a weekly salary over a defined number of weeks to be determined on an annual basis

·         Working hours require flexibility depending on project needs and will include evenings, weekends, some holidays and travel

·         This is a contract position

Knowledge and Skills Required

·         A clearly articulated curatorial vision and practice in the performing arts

·         A history of demonstrable curatorial practice in action

·         A strong and committed relationship to contemporary practice in dance and/or the performing arts

·         A strong understanding of the Canadian and International contemporary performance communities and their prevailing discourses

·         Experience with conceiving and implementing engagement practices with a broad spectrum of individuals including but not limited to artists, non-artists, youth and diversely-defined communities

·         Experience with conceiving and implementing field support activities including but not limited to producing, presentation, teaching and workshop design

·         A desire for and proven success with working collaboratively

·         Excellent written and verbal communication skills that can serve a number of purposes including grants, press releases, marketing and publicity and social media

·         Advanced knowledge of production budgeting

·         Understanding and experience of working in a changing environment 

Application deadline May 23rd at 5pm, 2014

Applications should be sent by email only to: info@dancemakers.org

To apply please send the following:

A 250 word bio

CV/Resume

Artistic/Curatorial Statement (general) - 2 pages max

Letter of Intent (Dancemakers' specific) - 1 page max

Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.