*** Thank you to all who put time and energy into submitting applications for this position, it has been filled. ***
Contemporary Art Forum Kitchener and Area (CAFKA) seeks Education Coordinator to join our team.
Application Deadline: July 9, 2023
Expected Start Date: July 15, 2023 (start date flexible for the right candidate)
For more than 20 years CAFKA has supported a diverse spectrum of local, national, and international artists in the Kitchener-Waterloo (KW) region through biennial programming in public spaces, annual exhibitions, a regular series of ‘Big Ideas in Art and Culture’ lectures, educational programs, and other special projects. CAFKA is a producer, advocate and educator for public, interactive and interventionist contemporary art practices, and is a pilar in KW arts community as the only artist-run visual arts organization in the region. CAFKA’s free biennial program happens in unexpected public spaces, expanding contemporary art experiences outside of gallery environments and positioning them as integral parts of community life—accessible to everyone, regardless of socio-economic status or background. CAFKA develops opportunities for people in the community and beyond to learn about contemporary art, and engage in discourse around issues of public and private space.
Job Description:
Working closely with and reporting to the Director, the Education Coordinator will spearhead the development of a Youth Council program at CAFKA, also taking responsibility for the planning and coordination programs in schools. Other responsibilities include writing and editing interpretive texts for use on signage and social media, working with CAFKA’s Development and Outreach Specialist to create a series of social events and workshops for community members, and the coordination of an anti-oppression reading series. The candidate will gain skills in arts administration, community engagement, budget development, project management, art education, marketing and communications, partnership development and curatorial research. This position provides a unique opportunity for the candidate to gain valuable experience in arts and cultural administration, and to learn the logistics and processes required to design and implement educational art programs for different audiences and stakeholders.
Qualifications:
– A passion for contemporary art in public spaces.
– Familiarity with Kitchener-Waterloo regional community.
– University degree in visual art, studio art, curatorial studies, or art education, with a specialization in contemporary art at the Masters level preferred.
– Familiarity with Microsoft 360, Dropbox, and Mac iOS is considered an asset.
– Working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite, Zoom, Mailchimp, Eventbrite, and/or Drupal is considered an asset.
– Familiarity with social media platforms is considered an asset.
– Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
– Excellent interpersonal skills.
– Excellent planning and organizational skills as well as public presentation and written communication skills.
– Capable of working on multiple projects independently and as part of a team.
– Willingness to work on a variety of tasks.
– Commitment to anti-racism and anti-oppression.
– Highly organized and detail oriented.
– A team player dedicated to building a collegial and collaborative environment as well as continuously building respectful and trusting relationships with internal and external stakeholders and community members.
– Valid driver’s licence is considered an asset.
Tasks performed by the Education Coordinator include:
Organizational/Logistical Support:
– Works alongside the staff and volunteers to fulfill mandate of CAFKA and represent the organization publicly.
Project Management:
– Works with Director to develop and schedule Youth Council programs, curricular school tours, public interpretive tours, and other public programming.
– Participates in networking and develops relationships with a variety of stakeholders, including local teachers and representatives from school boards.
– Maintains relationships with the general public, and with professional organizations and associations specifically related to visual art and artist-run organizations.
– Assists in establishing and maintaining effective relationships with cultural, municipal and business communities locally and nationally.
Public Programming/Audience Development:
– Works with the Director, Programming, and Education Committees to develop engaging public programming.
– Secures participants in support of outreach and education initiatives aimed at engaging new and diverse audiences.
– Develops interpretation materials for artist installations to be used on signage, on social media, and for educational tours, with editorial support from the Director.
– Engages in outreach to local school boards, scheduling and coordinating school tours.
– Participates in the development of marketing strategies for the biennial, increasing public profile and targeting specific audiences.
– Contributes writing and editing to a post-biennial exhibition catalogue.
– Works with Programming and Education Committees to develop and design public programs.
– Organizes and delivers training on conducting biennial tours to staff and volunteers.
– Undertakes other related duties as required.
How to Apply:
Please submit a cover letter and CV in a single PDF to cafka @ cafka.org with the subject “[your name] YCW Education Coordinator Application” by August 15th, 2023. We would prefer to receive applications electronically. Should you require accommodation at any time throughout the application process, please contact operations @ cafka.org
We thank all applicants, but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
CAFKA is committed to anti-racism and anti-oppression. We invite individuals who reflect the diversity of our community to apply, including those who identify as Indigenous, Black, people of colour, LGBTQIA2S+ individuals, people with disabilities, and members of equity seeking communities. CAFKA is guided by an anti-racism action plan and engages in an accountability audit annually.
This position is funded by the Young Canada Works Program. You must meet the following eligibility requirements in order to be considered for this position:
An individual may be eligible for an internship if they:
– are a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident, or have refugee status in Canada (non-Canadians holding temporary work visas or awaiting permanent status are not eligible);
– are legally entitled to work in Canada;
– are between 16 and 30 years of age at the start of employment;
– are willing to commit to the full duration of the work assignment;
– will not have another full-time job (over 30 hours a week) while employed with the program;
– are unemployed or underemployed;
– are a college or university graduate; and
– are not receiving Employment Insurance (EI) benefits while employed with the program.
IMAGE: Zest Artist Collective (ZAC) workshop for the CAFKA.23 biennial, in Riverside Park, Cambridge. PHOTO: Eric Almberg