Calgary

Gallery Assistant, Esker Foundation

Full-time (37.5 hours / week), in person, permanent position.

A typical work week is Wednesday-Sunday 10 am-6 pm. Occasional evenings will be required.

Esker Foundation is seeking an organized and creative thinker to join our gallery team in the role of Gallery Assistant. The Gallery Assistant reports to the Director/Curator and works closely with the Curatorial, Programs & Engagement, Bookshop, and Communication & Marketing teams. Primary responsibilities include managing the front desk and engaging with gallery visitors, providing assistance to the Director with general office and administration tasks, and assisting in the running of gallery events.

This is a full-time (37.5 hours per week), in-person, permanent position. A typical work week is Wednesday-Sunday, 10am-6pm. Occasional evening work will be required, given the nature of gallery programming. Should overtime be incurred, it will be compensated with time off in lieu at a rate of 1.5 hours for each hour of overtime worked. The salary for this position is $52,000. Benefits, following three months of employment, include health and dental, group retirement savings plan of 3% annually which is matched by the employee, 15 days paid vacation, 7 personal/health days, and underground parking.

The preferred start date for this position is September 9, 2024.

Application deadline: Thursday August 1, 2024 @ 6 pm MST

About Esker Foundation

Esker Foundation is located near the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers, a site known as Mohkinstsis, and a deeply significant place within Treaty 7 territory.  We acknowledge that the Treaty 7 region is part of the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy, including the Siksika, Piikani, and Kainai Nations; the Tsuut’ina Nation; and the Îyâxe Nakoda Nations, which includes the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Wesley Nations. This City of Calgary is also home to the Otipemisiwak Métis Government of the Métis Nation of Alberta, Districts 5 and 6.

Founded by Jim and Susan Hill in 2012, Esker Foundation is a privately funded contemporary art gallery guided by curiosity and passion. Through exhibitions, public programs, publishing, and commissioning activities, the Foundation supports artists and audiences through a variety of learning, connecting, and collaborative models. As a team, we strive to place the artist and their practice at the core of our work, and to support, in as many ways as we can, the complex, difficult, and playful dialogues that exhibitions can produce. We each believe in the value of exhibitions and public engagement being responsive and experimental, and our production, activities, and relationships are all built in support of these values.

Esker Foundation is committed to anti-racism, anti-oppression, equity, and inclusion. We strongly encourage applications from Equity-deserving communities including individuals who are gender diverse, LGBTQ+, Two-Spirit, and individuals who are Indigenous, Black, or People of Colour. (Equity-deserving groups are communities that experience significant collective barriers in participating in society. This could include attitudinal, historic, social and environmental barriers based on age, ethnicity, disability, economic status, gender, nationality, race, sexual orientation and transgender status.[1])

While we seek to be accessible, we wish to be transparent about the current limitations of our facilities. Esker Foundation is not fully accessible in the following ways:
Multiple doors in our building, including access doors in our underground parkade and keyless entry doors within the building, are not equipped with accessibility buttons. 

Esker Foundation is not presently equipped with technology that supports those with hearing or visual impairments.

We acknowledge that accessibility is a relational and dynamic conversation that will differ individual to individual. If you have any questions or concerns about barriers to access at Esker Foundation or the Atlantic Avenue Art Block, please reach out to employment@eskerfoundation.com

To learn more about the team at Esker Foundation please visit eskerfoundation.com/about/

Primary Responsibilities

Esker Foundation is committed to teamwork, professional development, and creating a supportive environment for growth and learning. All training for this position will be provided by Esker staff during regular gallery hours.

Front of House

You will primarily be responsible for managing the front desk and providing excellent in-person visitor experience. You will be an initial public contact for the gallery; answer and direct phone, email, and in-person inquiries; provide insight into gallery exhibitions; and help people feel warmly welcomed during their visit.

You will connect with the Curatorial, Programs & Engagement, Communication & Marketing, and Bookshop teams to engage in conversations around programming and exhibitions, and to cultivate in-depth knowledge on artists and their practices. Curiosity to gather knowledge on many levels and to appropriately engage with audiences will be key to enjoying and growing in this position.

Responsibilities include:

• Opening and closing the gallery during the Wednesday-Sunday work week.
• Monitoring the front desk during opening hours.
• Exhibition security checks and recording climate readings throughout the day.
• Providing an informative and welcoming experience for all visitors.
• Responding to, or directing, public inquiries received by phone, email, web, or in person.
• Managing the general Esker email account.
• Recording and managing up-to-date phone messages.
• Tenant bookings in Nest – which also includes general building and community relations.
• Tracking and recording gallery attendance and other statistics.
• Training volunteers on front desk responsibilities and Square POS.
• Assisting in Bookshop sales in-person and on e-commerce platforms, including the packaging and shipping of orders.

Gallery Administration

You will also assist the Director with general office and administration tasks.

Responsibilities include:

• Arranging and coordinating all staff meetings and master calendar for events.
• Arranging and tracking all applicable staff training.
• Assisting in EDIA research, audits, and staff training.
• Monitoring office/common area equipment and purchasing office supplies as required.
• Co-ordinating and booking artist and guest travel and accommodation.
• Shipping and receiving of all non-art related material.
• Arranging of courier services.
• Mailing exhibition invitations and brochures and managing mailing lists.
• Managing common kitchen, including purchasing supplies.
• Additional office admin and day-to-day gallery tasks as needed.

Public Program and Event Support

Assist with special events and public programs as required.

Responsibilities and skills required include:

• Assisting in the preparation and execution of opening receptions, including catering and bar needs.
• Assisting with both setup and cleanup of programming events.
• A full understanding of the technical support available for programs, including both software and hardware applications. This includes a working knowledge of Power Point, iPhoto, or other presentation software, as well as our in-house projectors, televisions, presentation hardware, microphones, and recording hardware.

Skills and Abilities:

With the recognition that skills and abilities do not necessarily need to be accompanied by an institutional qualification, formal educational credentials are not mandatory for this position.

• Flexible, respectful, and thoughtful to co-workers, artists and guests, volunteers, the local arts community, and the public.
• This role requires someone who is personable, friendly, open-minded, and enjoys interacting with people.
• The capacity to engage with and honour dialogues around reconciliation, inclusion, equity, and diversity.
• Knowledge of and interest in contemporary visual culture.
• Excellent research, communication, organizational, computer, and writing skills.
• The ability to communicate your ideas and present information to a variety of audiences.
• The ability to work in a deadline-driven and collaborative work environment. 
• The ability to take on and manage independent work initiatives and projects.
• An emotionally mature individual with strong self-awareness and a willingness to learn.
• Experience with the following software and platforms is an asset but not a requirement: Microsoft Office, macOS, Wordpress, Square Point of Sale, Adobe Creative Suite (i.e. Photoshop, InDesign).
• Applicants must be eligible to work in Canada.

How to Apply:

Please submit a cover letter outlining your relevant experience and skills and a resume or CV. Contact information for three professional references will be required if you are selected for an interview.

Professional references may include references from supervisors, co-workers, and professional colleagues, from a place of work or study, or where you have volunteered.

Send your application in one pdf to employment@eskerfoundation.com by Thursday August 1, 2024 @ 6pm MST with the subject line: Gallery Assistant

Interviews will be held either in-person or by Zoom in mid-August 2024.

The preferred start date for this position is September 09, 2024.

[1] This definition of “equity-deserving groups” is cited from the ‘Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigenization Key Terms’ of Queen’s University’s Human Rights and Equity Office. https://www.queensu.ca/hreo/sites/webpublish.queensu.ca.hreowww/files/fi...

[DIF Program IV: Artist Talk]

Scenes from Artistic Chroniclers

International Partnership in Support of Arts Creation(ISAC) | Canada-Korea Connections

About the event

• Date: Wednesday, June 26, 2024
• Time: 7 - 8 pm
• Location: The Memorial Park Library, address 1221 2 St SW, Calgary
• Artist: Chang Hanna, Soyoung Chung, Han Sungpil, Ella Morton, Sanaz Mazinani, Jinny Yu
• Price: Free

We intend to have the artists introduce their representative works and share their experiences from the ICE & FIRE tour.
ICE refers to melting glaciers, and FIRE represents unquenchable wildfires. The focal points that each artist captures from the disaster scenes they experience are likely to be different and are expected to be recorded and blended into their works, creating new artistic landscapes. 
During this talk, we would like to designate the participating artists of this project as ‘Artistic Chroniclers.’ We aim to introduce how these artistic chroniclers document the scenes from their field surveys with in-depth reflection on environmental ecology.

 

Who we are

'Debris from Ice and Fire(DIF)' is a global art project conducted with the support of the International Partnership in Support of Arts Creation(ISAC)’s 『2022-2024 Canada-Korea Connections』 driven by the partnership between the Canada Council for the Arts and the Arts Council Korea. 

The DIF would like to bring contemporary visual artists from Canada and Korea, who have been continuously conducting in-depth research and reflection on environmental ecology, to explore the climate change-induced natural disaster sites in Banff & Jasper National Parks and to visually interpret the debris collected through exploration, while actively sharing artistic opinions.

SPACE SO(spaceso.kr/, www.instagram.com/space__so), a contemporary art gallery based in Seoul Korea, has been selected for 『2023-2024 Korea-Canada Exchange Program』 of ISAC to conduct ‘Debris from Ice and Fire(DIF)’ project.

International Partnership in Support of Arts Creation(ISAC, www.arko.or.kr/eng/international/joint) aims to lay the foundation for revitalizing cultural and artistic exchanges between two countries by creating an art exchange fund between the Arts Council Korea(ARKO, www.arko.or.kr/eng) and International cultural and artistic support organizations. ISAC is creating an environment in which artists from both countries can continue to exchange and cooperate. Two-way international collaboration is promoted by signing MoU and matching budgets with overseas institutions, and specific implementation methods with partner entities are approached and customized by country.

ISAC looks to boost creative connections between Canada and Korea by supporting projects focused on artistic co-creation between the two countries. It’s inspired by the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries and is made possible through a partnership between the Canada Council for the Arts(canadacouncil.ca), the Arts Council Korea, and Global Affairs Canada(www.international.gc.ca) 

Hurry before it sells out!

Screen printing (or silkscreen) is a printmaking technique where layers of ink are pulled through a mesh screen to create a wonderfully detailed image, often with multiple layers of transparent ink interacting with one another. In this comprehensive workshop, students will gain an understanding of the processes involved in creating a screen print on paper within a professional printmaking studio and will leave with the knowledge and experience required to produce work independently.

This course is suitable for all levels with no prior experience needed.

What you’ll learn: ​​​​

• Both analogue and digital methods of creating stencilsCoating a screen with emulsion
• Burning the screen on the exposure unit
• Mixing ink
• Registering multiple layers
• Pulling prints
• Cleaning/ reclaiming screens

About the instructor:

Originally from Montreal Quebec, Statz completed his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the Alberta College of Art + Design in 2000, and received his Masters of Fine Arts degree in Print Media at Concordia University in 2008. Currently based in Calgary Alberta, Statz’s work has been exhibited across Canada, The United States, and Europe.
Instagram: @statzart  

Workshop Fee
$375.00* prices not subject to GST

*Access to using the A/P studio equipment, including as a workshop participant, requires an A/P membership. Annual memberships are $30 and $10 for current students and current recipients of AISH. Membership fees can be applied directly to your workshop registration.

Click here for more information and to register

Additional Notes:

• Class limited to 4 Participants
• Adults 18+ Years Old

At a glance

Employment: Canada Summer Jobs Contract (8-weeks)
Hours: 35 hours/week
Term Date: June 24, 2024 to August 16, 2024
Wage: $22/hr
Location: Calgary (in-office)

Join us today and see for yourself some of the many reasons why were voted one of Alberta’s Top Employers!

To apply, send your resume and cover letter to: employment@artscommons.ca

Closing Date: June 6, 2024

Supervised by the VP, Programming and mentored by the Associate Director, Creative and other senior members of the Programming team, the Special Events Planner is a summer contract position that is focused on supporting a multitude of duties relating to Programming activities within a busy and multi-faceted performing arts space.

You are passionate about the local arts scene – and live performance in particular! You believe in advocating and amplifying the voice of equity-seeking communities through the arts, and you enjoy engaging with different genres, styles, and artistic practices. You’re willing and able to assist with the load-in, set-up, and strike of an outdoor performance; and you know your way around assisting and organizing a live event. You’re also equally comfortable with administrative tasks and digital tools necessary for communicating and collaborating online.

You’re comfortable when working independently with online tasks, but you shine when working and connecting in person with others. You’re a strong communicator – written, over the phone, and in-person – and you’re comfortable taking direction and asking for clarification when you need it. You are excited about problem-solving, but you’re not afraid to ask for help and guidance as you learn to navigate the world of Programming within a creative arts administration environment.

Who we are:

Arts Commons is an ecosystem inclusive of artists, resident companies, and community groups. As one of the largest performing arts centres in Canada, Arts Commons strives to break down barriers to cultural participation by providing a modern, open, and inclusive gathering space in a central location.

At Arts Commons:

Our belief

• That equitable access to the arts is a human right

Our responsibility

• To redefine a bold and adventurous Calgary by championing and investing in creativity

Our mission

• To be an inspirational force where artists, community and organizations celebrate cultural identities, experience the full breadth of human emotions, and ignite positive change 

What we offer:

On top of the excitement of working with a team of committed performing and visual arts professionals at one of Canada’s top performing arts facilities, Arts Commons offers:  

• A collaborative, engaging and values driven work environment 
• Wage of $22/hr
• A dynamic role that will have you engaging with the arts and communities in different parks and outdoor spaces throughout the spring/summer

What we value:

We are looking for individuals who share our vision of building a creative and compassionate society, inspired through the arts. Our team is made up of people with a diverse range of interests — singers, actors, musicians, playwrights, coaches, teachers, gamers, bakers, photographers, athletes, dancers. People whose interests encompass the widest spectrum. We even have furry, four-legged friends in the office. We value people who strive to do the right thing, and work to be their best. People with open minds, hearts and arms. 

What you will get to do here:      

The focus of this role is to support the Programming team in the coordination, delivery, and associated administration of our presenting, community connects, education, and visual and media arts activities and events. In this role, you will gain experience in putting shows on stages, and in unusual spaces, both inside and outside of Arts Commons. You will learn about scheduling for a multitude of activities, as well as learn about the administrative procedures for Programming in the areas of contracting, online filing systems such as Microsoft Teams and SharePoint environments, licensing, insurance, of various forms of financial tracking.

Working within a department that programs music, dance, theatre, education, and visual and media art, the Special Events Planner will be afforded the opportunity to learn about all the infrastructure that supports performance events occurring within our building and any associated outdoor events. Working within a dynamic and changing work environment, this role will have you learning about how to balance and juggle a multitude of identities and responsibilities within the programming realm.
Helpful skills to bring to the position, while also being motivated to expand on them include: Adaptability, Collaboration, Clear Communication, Creativity and Innovation, Digital Skills and Problem-Solving

Where you fit within our ecosystem:

The Special Events Planner is a member of the Arts Commons Programming team. Supervised by the VP, Programming and mentored by the Associate Director, Creative in combination with the Associate Director, Education and Senior Curator, Visual & Media Arts, this individual will attend weekly Programming meetings, have one-on-one in person meetings with all the above, but will be primarily guided by the Associate Director, Creative. In addition to working closely with all members of the Programming team, this role will interact with various interdepartmental teams, as well as with contracted event technicians, teaching facilitators, artists, and the public.

You will be a great fit if you…

Must haves:

• Comfortable working in collaborative environments
• Knowledgeable and able to work confidently in Microsoft Office suite / Office 365
• Is comfortable and enjoys using technology and online tools or programs
• Strong communication skills – both written and verbal
• Positive ‘can-do’ attitude and adaptability to working on dynamic tasks and with a multitude of different individuals
• Sound problem solving, decision making and creative thinking abilities
• Knowledgeable and interested in Calgary’s local arts-scene
• Ability to lift at least 35 lbs. and navigate uneven terrain, as needed for any outdoor events (e.g. outdoor park spaces)
• As this position is part of the Canada Summer Jobs program, it is a funding requirement that applicants must be between the ages of 15-30 years in order to be considered 

Nice to have:

• Experience with live performance production (e.g. theatre, music, dance, etc.) and coordinating live events (e.g. stage management, advancing, etc.)
• Experience working with artists
• Experience within an administrative support role

If you are interested in applying to this exciting opportunity, please forward your resume and cover letter in confidence to:

Human Resources
Arts Commons
205 - 8th Ave SE Calgary, Alberta T2G 0K9
Email: employment@artscommons.ca

Interviews will be conducted on an on-going basis and the job posting will officially close when a suitable candidate is found. For best consideration, please apply by the deadline date. While we hope to fill this position as early as possible, our commitment to finding the right candidate may require more time.

We thank all interested applicants in advance but will only be contacting those selected for an interview.

If you have any specific questions to ask in relation to the role, please send them to the email address above and a member of our team will do our best to respond to you in a timely manner.

Commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility (IDEA)

As part of our organization’s commitment to IDEA, we work to remove barriers in collaboration with a broad range of voices. Removing these barriers begins with the hiring process. To that end, we are committed to recruiting, hiring, training, and promoting qualified people of all backgrounds, and providing accessible employment practices. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage of the recruitment process, and applicants are asked to make their accommodation needs known.

We strongly encourage applicants who identify as part of underrepresented groups, including women, people of colour and those with disabilities to apply. Even if your past experiences do not align perfectly with every qualification, we strongly encourage you to apply anyway!

An excitement and passion for Arts Commons can go a long way here, whether it’s in this role or another.

At a glance

Employment: Permanent
Hours: FT (40 hrs)
Start Date: ASAP
Salary: $45,000 - $53,000
Location: Calgary (in-person)

Join us today and see for yourself some of the many reasons why were voted one of Alberta’s Top Employers!

To apply, send your resume, cover letter and portfolio to: employment@artscommons.ca
Closing Date: June 3, 2024

Reporting to and working closely with the Manager, Communications & Media Relations, the Digital Communications Coordinator is an important member of the Brand and Audience Development team – providing support to Arts Commons' internal and external communication strategies and marketing initiatives that help develop and drive the promotion of the Arts Commons (master) brand and our sub-brands’ (Education, Galleries, Connects, Presents) activities.

As our Digital Communications Coordinator, you will energize our marketing and communication initiatives by creating impactful promotional and automated email campaigns, and monitoring and analyzing patron data to measure the effectiveness of our communication efforts. You will also use your creative voice to write compelling stories that convey our brand offerings and generate audience engagement.

As an arts advocate, you aim to bring together artists and art enthusiasts through innovative ways of promoting community connections. You build excitement and awareness by supporting the development of promotional materials, online campaigns, and other initiatives that enhance patron loyalty and drive growth. Overall, you thrive in a fast-paced environment and are eager to help elevate our brand’s visibility.

Who we are:

Arts Commons is an ecosystem inclusive of artists, resident companies, and community groups. As one of the largest performing arts centres in Canada, Arts Commons strives to break down barriers to cultural participation by providing a modern, open, and inclusive gathering space in a central location.

At Arts Commons:

Our Belief

• That equitable access to the arts is a human right

Our Responsibility

• To Redefine a bold and adventurous Calgary by championing and investing in creativity

Our Mission

• To be an inspirational force where artists, community and organizations celebrate cultural identities, experience the full breadth of human emotions, and ignite positive change

What we offer:

On top of the everyday excitement of working inside one of Canada’s top performing arts facilities with a team of professionals that share a passion for the arts, Arts Commons offers a competitive salary and a wide range of benefits for this role:

• A collaborative, engaging and values driven work environment
• An annual salary in the range of $45,000 - $53,000
•  A comprehensive health and dental benefits package, with RSP matching and access to an Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP).
•  A positive working culture, keeping employee health and wellness a priority with generous paid time off policies and an annual lifestyle allowance.
• A dynamic role that will have you engaging in many different aspects of the arts

What we value:

We are looking for individuals who share our vision of building a creative and compassionate society, inspired through the arts. Our team is made up of people with a diverse range of interests — singers, actors, musicians, playwrights, coaches, teachers, gamers, bakers, photographers, athletes, dancers. People whose interests encompass the widest spectrum. We even have furry, four-legged friends in the office. We value people who strive to do the right thing, and work to be their best. People with open minds, hearts, and arms.

What you will get to do here:

As our Digital Communications Coordinator, you will have the opportunity to work with a dynamic team in leading the creation of our e-communications, including sales e-blasts, pre-show advisories, and special invitations. You will also assist in executing communications plans by preparing written materials for Arts Commons stakeholders including patrons, media, community partners, and internal stakeholders. Your expertise in data analysis and reporting will aid in informing departmental decision-making and strategic planning, ensuring that our integrated communications initiatives are effective and data-driven.

In this role, you will focus on developing communication materials that maximize the visibility and impact of Arts Commons’ master and sub-brands. Success in the role will depend on your ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects and deadlines across key areas, including e-communications administration, data analysis and reporting, audience development, and communications and promotional support.

Strategic Goal: Amplify and enhance the organization’s impact while championing Arts Commons’ marketing and communications initiatives for audiences through impactful digital communication strategies, data-driven decision making, and comprehensive promotional efforts to achieve meaningful results in loyalty, satisfaction, and sales.

Where you fit within our ecosystem:

The Digital Communications Coordinator is a member of the Brand & Audience Development department and reports to the Manager, Communications & Media Relations. This role works closely with other departments, such as the Ticketing Services, Development, and Programming, to ensure consistency in our internal and external communication efforts and identify opportunities for collaboration.

You will be a great fit if you…

Must haves:

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Digital Marketing, or related field and/ or a combination of comparable education and experience
• 1-3 years’ experience managing and administering CRM and/or e-mail marketing software
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
• Sharp attention to detail – vigilant in analysis and proof reading
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and customer service skills
• Excellent writing skills across platforms and audiences
• Exceptional organizational and time management skills
• Positive attitude and willingness to learn
• Strong analytical skills
• Ability to work independently and in collaboration with other team members
• Critical thinking – analyze the numbers, look at trends and data, and come to new conclusions based on findings
• Ability to synthesize information quickly, make appropriate decisions, and offer recommendations and propose solutions
• Experience supporting marketing and communications initiatives in an in-house environment
• Experience with and passion for CMS, CRM, email, and marketing analytics tools & KPIs

Nice to have:

• Database administration, an asset
• Knowledge of Calgary arts and culture, an asset

If you are interested in applying to this exciting opportunity, please forward your resume, cover letter and portfolio in confidence to:

Human Resources
Arts Commons
205 - 8th Ave SE Calgary, Alberta T2G 0K9
Email: employment@artscommons.ca

Interviews will be conducted on an on-going basis and the job posting will officially close when a suitable candidate is found. For best consideration, please apply by the deadline date. While we hope to fill this position as earliest as possible, our commitment to finding the right candidate may require more time.

We thank all interested applicants in advance but will only be contacting those selected for an interview.If you have any specific questions to ask in relation to the role, please send them to the email address above and a member of our team will do our best to respond to you in a timely manner.

Commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility (IDEA)

As part of our organization’s commitment to IDEA, we work to remove barriers in collaboration with a broad range of voices. Removing these barriers begins with the hiring process. To that end, we are committed to recruiting, hiring, training, and promoting qualified people of all backgrounds, and providing accessible employment practices. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage of the recruitment process, and applicants are asked to make their accommodation needs known.

We strongly encourage applicants who identify as part of underrepresented groups, including women, people of colour and those with disabilities to apply. Even if your past experiences do not align perfectly with every qualification, we strongly encourage you to apply anyway! An excitement and passion for Arts Commons can go a long way here, whether it’s in this role or another.