Position Type: Contract or P/T Salary
Positions Available: 1
Annual fee: $20,000-$25,000 depending on experience
Closing Date: Sunday, February 25, 2024
Start Date: Spring 2024
Buddies in Bad Times, known to friends as Buddies, is a queer organization: for us queerness is a political/aesthetic orientation, more than (just) an identitarian subcategory, our queerness is oppositional, disobedient, and centres and celebrates otherness and radical outsiders.
ROLE
Rhubarb transforms Buddies into a hotbed of experimentation, with artists challenging our notions of what art-making and art-watching can be. As a festival and an event, Rhubarb is in a constant state of (re)invention. We are seeking a visionary Rhubarb Festival Director who combines curatorial insight with practical production skills to lead one of our flagship events, the Rhubarb Festival.
MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:
Artistic Vision and Implementation: Collaborate with the Artistic Director and Artistic Associate to establish and implement the artistic vision for the 2025 Rhubarb Festival and related initiatives including but limited to artistic theme, schedule, and use of venue. The curatorial focus of Rhubarb is live art and related disciplines. Increasingly we aim for Rhubarb to have an international focus. Expanding upon these commitments is vital.
Budget Management: Oversee and manage the festival budget, conducting regular check-ins for updates and revisions in conjunction with the artistic director.
Grant Applications: Contribute insights and assist in preparing grant applications, lead grant writing for grants that secure specific funding for Rhubarb (i.e. for Canadian Heritage).
Partnership Generation: Work with the Artistic Director to build and nurture partnerships with other festivals, nationally and internationally.
Submissions: Craft and distribute a compelling call for submissions & actively encourage and engage with potential artists to apply. Read, assess, and make informed decisions on all submissions. Coordinate and oversee the entire selection process, including any selection committees.
Festival Announcements & Marketing: Work closely with the marketing team to design and implement festival marketing initiatives.
Festival Producing: Working closely with our Producer and Production Team, lead producing of the Festival to ensure Rhubarb runs smoothly and brings audiences to our space.
Festival Artist Support: Offer dramaturgical and production support to participants, ensuring a nurturing and creative environment. Act as a liaison for artists, ensuring hospitality and artist relations.
Data Collection and Reporting: Assist in gathering statistical information for reporting and evaluation purposes. Oversee and report on grants directly impacting the Rhubarb Festival. Lead a post-festival assessment to gauge success and areas for improvement. Deliver a comprehensive final report, including a statistical analysis of the festival’s impact.
Regularly attend staff meetings, providing updates and addressing needs related to programming and production.
ABOUT YOU:
- Proven experience in festival or event curation and production.
- Sharp curatorial curiosity, particularly in the field of live art.
- Strong budget management and organizational skills.
- Excellent communication and team coordination abilities.
- Passionate about promoting innovative and diverse artistic expressions.
- Familiarity with grant application processes and marketing strategies.
HOW TO APPLY:
We prioritize applications from folks from equity-deserving groups, including those who identify as Indigenous, racialized, Trans, Nonbinary, Queer, Disabled, Neurodiverse, Mad and intersections of those identities. We enthusiastically invite submissions from individuals from a diversity of performing arts practices.
To apply, prepare a resume and cover letter (we welcome you to bring your creativity) and fill out the form below:
Candidates who are advanced in the selection process may be asked to prepare materials demonstrating their creative vision for the festival. Any work beyond a first interview will be paid at an hourly rate, and all creative work presented within the recruitment process will remain the intellectual property of the applicant.
We are committed to inclusive, barrier-free recruitment and selection processes and work environments – if you require accommodations at any point in the application or recruitment process please submit them in confidence to hiring@buddiesinbadtimes.com – Kristina Lemieux monitors this email.
ABOUT BUDDIES:
Buddies in Bad Times Theatre is Toronto’s leading destination for artistically rigorous alternative theatre and a world leader in developing queer voices and stories for the stage. Buddies offers a year-round program that includes a full season of queer theatre, new works festivals, artist residencies, and intergenerational training and education initiatives.We have dedicated time over the last two years addressing the company’s inherent complicity in perpetuating racism, anti-Blackness, and ableism. There is a section on our website dedicated to updating our community on the ongoing work towards better equity practices in an effort to remain accountable to this very important work. To learn more visit: Organizational Change — Buddies in Bad Times Theatre
Buddies follows COVID-19 protocols to ensure safety of staff, led by our Joint Health and Safety Committee who work to ensure safety standards are met, and adjustments made when needed or requested.