Summer Job Opportunity: Indigenous Relations & Programming Assistant

DATE : May 14, 2026

DEADLINE: May 25, 2026 - 5:00 pm

At a glance

Employment: Temporary Contract (Canada Summer Jobs)

Hours: Full-Time (40-hours per week)

Term Date: 7 weeks, ranging from June to July 2026

Salary: $22/hr

Location: Calgary (on-site)

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

Closing Date: Monday, May 25, 2026

OPEN POSITION: Indigenous Relations & Programming Assistant (Canada Summer Jobs)

As part of the Canada Summer Jobs initiative for youth employment, Werklund Centre is excited to share a 7-week summer opportunity for the role of Indigenous Relations & Programming Assistant. This position supports the planning, coordination, and delivery of culturally grounded events, programs, and community initiatives that celebrate Indigenous voices, storytelling, creativity, and meaningful connection through the arts.

You are someone who is passionate about people, community, collaboration, and creating welcoming spaces where everyone feels seen and supported. You are curious, adaptable, eager to learn, and excited to build relationships with diverse communities. Respect and cultural awareness are essential in this role, including valuing diverse perspectives, traditions, and lived experiences. Whether supporting live events, engaging with artists and community partners, or contributing ideas behind the scenes, you bring positive energy, creativity, and a willingness to jump in wherever needed.

Throughout the summer, you will develop practical skills in event coordination, community engagement, arts programming, administration and collaboration, while contributing to impactful initiatives. You believe the arts are a powerful way to bring people together, spark conversation, and strengthen community.

WHO WE ARE

Werklund Centre (formerly Arts Commons) is the steward of Western Canada's largest arts centre and the artistic and civic cornerstone of Calgary's downtown core that fosters the arts through live performance, educational opportunities, and artist development. For 40 years, it has been a key contributor to the social, economic, cultural, and intellectual life and well-being of Calgarians-a commitment that is being renewed through the Werklund Centre Transformation project, the largest cultural infrastructure project in Canadian history.

Our Belief : Equitable access to the arts is a basic human right

Our Responsibility: To redefine a bold and adventurous Calgary by championing and investing in creativity

Our Mission: We pursue artistic leadership through shared cultural experiences-creating opportunities that bring people together to celebrate who Calgary is today and spark the conversations that will shape our city's future

WHAT WE OFFER

Employee Promise

We cultivate a diverse community that encourages collaboration, connection, and empowerment. On top of the excitement of working with a team of committed performing and visual arts professionals & enthusiasts at one of Canada's top performing arts facilities, Werklund Centre offers:

• A collaborative, engaging, and values-driven work environment
• A wage of $22/hour for a 7-week contract, ranging from June to July 2026, at approximately 40 hours per week. Schedule to be determined based on the availability of the selected candidate
• A dynamic role that provides opportunities to engage with the arts and diverse communities

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 Indigenous Relations & Programming Assistant role at Werklund Centre is a dynamic opportunity where no two days look the same. You will help support the planning, coordination, and delivery of Indigenous-led programming, cultural events, and community initiatives, including National Indigenous History Month and other signature programs throughout the season, while gaining exposure to both the creative and operational sides of arts and community programming. Throughout the 7-week work term, you'll contribute to meaningful initiatives that centre Indigenous voices, cultural knowledge, and community relationships.

Your duties will range in supporting event coordination and logistics, working alongside Indigenous artists, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and community partners, providing on-site event support, and helping ensure events are welcoming, well-organized, and culturally respectful. You will support with research and documentation connected to Truth and Reconciliation initiatives, including reviewing past programs, preparing summaries and reports, and support the development of resources that strengthen learning and engagement across the organization. Additionally, you'll assist with various administrative tasks in both the Strategic Projects and Programming worlds, such as data entry, scheduling, communications, and general coordination. You'll be part of a supportive, collaborative environment where curiosity, learning, and teamwork are encouraged, and where your contributions directly support impactful public programming.

WHERE YOU FIT WITHIN OUR ECOSYSTEM

Reporting to the VP, Strategic Projects and working closely with members of the Programming team, the Indigenous Relations & Programming Assistant provides support with Indigenous programming, Werklund Centre events, and organizational initiatives. In this role, you will regularly collaborate across departments including Event Services, Production, Marketing, and Brand & Audience Development. You will also work with our community partners and external collaborators to support inclusive and culturally grounded initiatives, helping strengthen relationships and support meaningful engagement across our programming activities.

YOU WILL BE A GREAT FIT IF YOU . . .

Must haves:

• Working towards or completion of a post-secondary program in Arts Administration, Indigenous Studies, Education, Community Development, Event Management, or a related field
• Demonstrates strong organizational and multitasking skills, with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple assignments effectively
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with strong attention to detail
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively with a variety of stakeholders
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), with experience in data tracking, reporting, and document preparation
• Brings creativity, curiosity, a sense of humor, high energy, and enthusiasm for engaging with diverse constituents.
• Cultural awareness, sensitivity, and respect when working with Indigenous communities
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Ability to communicate and foster relationships with diverse stakeholders including Elders, artists, educators, and youth
• A passion for the arts!

Nice to have:

• Demonstrated interest in Indigenous arts, culture, and Truth and Reconciliation initiatives
• Experience in event coordination, community engagement, or administrative support is an asset

Working Conditions & Physical Requirements:

• Occasional evening and weekend work, as required for events
• Lifting boxes up to 25lbs. for event setup

Eligible Participants:

This role is funded by the Canada Summer Jobs program, which aims to create employment opportunities for young Canadians. As per program requirements, to be eligible for this position applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Be between 15 and 30 years of age at the beginning of the employment period
• Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or a person who has been granted refugee protection under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act for the duration of the employment

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

Human Resources

Werklund Centre

205 - 8th Ave SE Calgary, Alberta T2G 0K9

Email: employment@werklundcentre.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 and 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 Werklund Centre can go a long way here, whether it's in this role or another.