Art Centre Development Specialist

Arts Centre Development Specialist

NWT Art Centre Initiative

Job Title:

Arts Centre Development Specialist

Organization:

NWT Art Centre Initiative (A Project of MakeWay)

Location:

Yellowknife, NT

Position Type:

Part-time (20 hours per week)

Reporting to:

The Project Director, NWT Art Centre Initiative

Salary Range:

$50,000 – $60,000 annually

Creation/Revision Date:

December 17, 2023

The NWT Art Centre Initiative (“NWTACI”) is working to establish a centre for excellence in Northern Canadian Indigenous visual arts in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. NWTACI is dedicated to elevating awareness of and enhancing the prestige of visual art from the NWT. Our primary objective is to provide a space for individuals to view, appreciate and engage in the creation of art while inspiring and supporting young artists from across the North. The Centre will be a collecting institution, and will be classified as a Category A facility, allowing for the exchange of exhibits with galleries across the circumpolar world.

As an organization, we believe in fostering an environment and community that encourages excellence while valuing collaboration, reconciliation, sustainability, and inclusion.

The NWT Art Centre Initiative is a project of the MakeWay Charitable Foundation and therefore all NWTACI staff are employees of MakeWay.

Job Summary
The Arts Centre Development Specialist plays a pivotal role in the establishment and growth of the arts centre by conducting extensive research on similar arts centres, identifying best practices, and writing and submitting grant proposals. The role requires a combination of strategic thinking, research acumen, strong communication skills, and grant writing expertise to contribute to the successful development and growth of the arts centre.

Responsibilities Researching & Benchmarking

The Arts Centre Development Specialist will play a vital role in the startup of the arts centre by conducting comprehensive research on art galleries and centres in the circumpolar world. The research will include learning about funding and development strategies and exploring programming and services offered by similar establishments. Some of these responsibilities include:

• Conduct in-depth research on similar and successful arts centres to gather insights on their operational models, programming, funding initiatives and community engagement approaches.
• Identify and interview key personnel from successful arts centres to gather insight and perspective with the aim of uncovering best practices within the visual arts sector.
• Envision and propose creative initiatives that align with industry best practices and the Centre’s mission and goals.

Indigenous Consultation

As the Centre will emphasize Indigenous visual arts, it is essential to involve Indigenous stakeholders in all aspects of the Initiative, including the Centre’s development phase. Some of these responsibilities include:

• Consult Indigenous stakeholders, including artists, elders, and community leaders, to ensure their perspectives and input are considered in the development of the Centre.
• Engage with Indigenous stakeholders to develop programs that highlight Indigenous art, culture, and history with an aim of contributing to reconciliation and cultural education, and awareness.

Grant Writing & Submission

The Arts Centre Development Specialist is responsible for writing and submitting applications for funding sources that support the Centre’s vision of becoming the national centre of excellence for Northern Canadian Indigenous visual art. These responsibilities include:

• Write and submit grant proposals, applications, and reports to secure funding from foundations, government agencies and other grantors.
• Develop compelling grant proposals, ensuring alignment with grant requirements.
• Track proposal deadlines, maintain a grant calendar and ensure timely proposal submissions.

Communications & Marketing

The Arts Centre Development Specialist is responsible for developing a communications strategy to raise awareness of the Centre’s activities, events, and mission. Some of these responsibilities include:

• Under the guidance of the Project Director, develop a communications and marketing strategy, to engage Northern residents and to attract visitors and tourists from outside of Yellowknife.
• Create and distribute press releases and promotional materials across various platforms.
• Develop and distribute periodic newsletters and e-newsletters.
• Create and implement the Centre’s social media profile, to engage with the community, promote events and bring awareness to the Centre and its artists.
• Use branding materials including logos and promotional images to maintain a cohesive professional image.

Social Media Engagement & Content Creation

The Arts Centre Development Specialist is responsible for the creation and maintenance of a social media brand that aligns with the Centre’s vision, mission, and values. Some of these responsibilities include:

• Develop content for our website and social media platforms to engage and educate both the local market, and the tourism market.
• Use visual and written content to showcase the Centre’s projects and achievements.
• Use social media to update followers about upcoming events, artists, and current exhibits in the gallery.

Qualifications
Education & Experience

Typically, the skills for this position are acquired through a combination of the following:

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, art, or a related field, combined with (3) years’ experience working in communications and/or marketing.
• Ideally the candidate will have proven experience in grant writing for non-profit organizations.
• Previous work experience in non-profits would be considered an asset.
• Must have strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency in creating and managing engaging social media content.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• An appreciation and keen interest in indigenous arts and culture.
• A deep passion for the arts and commitment to our mission of building a centre for excellence in northern Canadian Indigenous visual arts, guided by our core values of excellence, collaboration, reconciliation, sustainability, and inclusion.
• Understanding of the non-profit sector would be considered an asset.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong research skills for identifying grant opportunities.
• Must be creative and have an eye for detail in developing engaging and attractive content.
• Must be able to demonstrate a high degree of professionalism, inclusion, and respect in all interactions and communications.
• Ability to work collaboratively with the team and all stakeholders.

Working Conditions
Hybrid Work Environment & Standard Working Hours

• The Arts Centre Development Specialist will be required to primarily work in an office environment. The Centre supports a flexible work environment and remote work options may be available.
• Standard working hours will typically be 20 hours per week on a Monday to Friday schedule. Specific working hours may vary, however there will be an expectation to connect with the Team once per day.
• The Arts Centre Development Specialist may be required to occasionally work weekends or evenings, when assisting with stakeholder engagement sessions.

Physical Working Conditions

• The Arts Centre Development Specialist works indoors, in an office setting. The incumbent is required to sit at a desk for up to eight (8) hours per day.

Mental Demands

• The role may involve increased periods of work. Stress management and the ability to prioritize tasks are important.
• When approaching proposal submissions, the Arts Centre Development Specialist must be prepared to work under deadline pressures.

Priority Hiring: Indigenous Candidates
Our organization is dedicated to advancing Indigenous representation within our workforce. We encourage and prioritize applications from Indigenous individuals who possess the required qualifications and share our commitment to excellence, inclusion, respect, creativity, and collaboration. These individuals will be given priority consideration during the hiring process.

Job Type: Part-time

Salary: $50,000.00-$60,000.00 per year

Expected hours: 20 per week

Benefits:

• Casual dress
• Dental care
• Extended health care
• Paid time off

Flexible Language Requirement:

• French not required

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Supplemental pay types:

• Overtime pay

Education:

• Bachelor's Degree (required)

Experience:

• Research: 5 years (required)
• Writing skills: 5 years (required)

Ability to Commute:

• Yellowknife, NT X1A 1N6 (required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Yellowknife, NT X1A 1N6: Relocate before starting work (required)

Work Location: In person