Arts opportunity

This self-directed writing residency supports new writers of young adult and children’s books at varying levels of accomplishment—from not-yet-published writers to those with one published book—to improve their writing skills and expand their practice, taking it to the next level. 

Participants in Early Career Writers of Young Adult and Children's Books will have the opportunity to work closely with faculty Jordan Scott, Jen Ferguson, and Tanya Boteju, and professional guest David Robertson (Tundra Books) as well as a community of artistic peers. With one-on-one mentorship sessions, faculty talks, and public events, this energizing and transformative residency will help writers build critical vocabulary as well as community, making them better critics of their own and others’ work. 

Description

This two-week residency has a flexible format that allows participants to choose the amount of programming and support they are looking for.

Optional elements include:

• thematic talks from specialist faculty and guests.
• one-on-one mentoring sessions with faculty to discuss ideas, experiences and obstacles.
• Q & A sessions.
• workshops to explore techniques, aspects, and devices writers may find useful in their practice.
• public reading opportunities.

All participants will have individual accommodation and a small private studio where they can focus on their writing practice. 

The residency is designed to cater to any new writer of young adult or children’s books interested in mentorship, public reading opportunities, and feedback from faculty and fellow participants. 

The residency will provide participants with tailored opportunities for professional development and creative growth and is open to writers with:

• no publications
• a few publications, or 
• a first book for young adults or children. 

Participants will benefit most if they are comfortable working autonomously in an unstructured environment. The program suits those focused on:

• working on a specific project.
• creating new works.

This program is run in English and only accepts projects that are being written in English. English is the language of Banff Centre correspondence.

Application Deadline: June 4, 2025
Program Dates: Nov 24, 2025 - Dec 5, 2025

For more information and to apply: bit.ly/3QHTDkN

At a glance

Employment: Permanent, Salaried
Hours: FT (40 hrs); occasional evenings and weekends, as required
Start Date: ASAP
Salary: $51,000 - $58,000 annually
Location: Calgary (in-person) and some off-site locations as required for meetings and events

Closing Date: March 14, 2025

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

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

Job Description: 

Reporting to the Associate Director, Education, the Education Specialist is a key contributor to the planning and execution of dynamic arts education programs. This role is instrumental in planning and executing engaging educational experiences, that are aligned to the teachers and leaners needs. With a keen eye for detail, the Education Specialist ensures seamless logistics for school performances and experience while fostering meaningful connections between the arts and education.

You are a passionate advocate for arts education, deeply committed to its role in learning, personal growth, and community building. You understand the transformative power of the arts and are driven to create equitable, inclusive, and inspiring educational experiences. As a creative thinker and problem solver, you excel at designing and facilitating arts-based learning opportunities that resonate with diverse audiences. Whether leading workshops, developing curriculum resources, or coordinating event logistics, you bring strong communication skills and a collaborative spirit to every aspect of your work.

You thrive in both independent and team-oriented environments, balancing planning with hands-on program delivery. Highly organized and adaptable, you navigate multiple priorities with ease, always finding innovative ways to engage and inspire students and educators. Most importantly, you find joy in empowering others-unlocking potential, fostering creativity, and making a lasting impact through arts education.

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
• An annual salary in the range of $51,000 - $58,000
• 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 with the arts community in many ways

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:

This position plays a vital role in leading and coordinating arts education initiatives, serving as the site coordinator and teaching artist coordinator for the ConocoPhillips Hub for Inspired Learning. In this role, you will act as the primary liaison for educators, artists, and logistics teams-ensuring smooth coordination of bussing, scheduling, supplies, and communications. Under the guidance of the Associate Director, you will design and facilitate arts-based workshops that align with curriculum objectives and provincial education goals, fostering meaningful connections between the arts and student learning.

As the performance coordinator and curriculum connector for Arts Commons Presents (ACP) Education, you will oversee the fulfillment of ACP Education performances, working closely with the box office team to manage logistics and ensure seamless event execution. 

You will also play a key mentorship role, supporting teaching artists in both in-class and online learning environments, while coordinating workshops, special events, and ad hoc programs that inspire creativity and engagement. Beyond program facilitation, you will take the lead in essential education administration tasks, including documentation, archiving, and collecting feedback to enhance future programming.

Above all, you will be an essential part of a collaborative and dynamic team, ensuring that both teaching artists and students experience high-quality, innovative, and accessible arts education.

Strategic Objectives:

Lead and enhance Arts Commons Education programs by effectively coordinating teaching artists, performances, and curriculum connections while strengthening community ties, optimizing resources, and supporting the growth of local teaching artists to create impactful arts-based learning experiences for students and educators.

Where you fit within our ecosystem:

The Education Specialist is a member of the Arts Commons Programming team and reports to the Associate Director, Education. You will work closely with the entire Arts Commons Programming team as well as members of the Production, Development, Brand & Audience Development, Finance departments, as well as local artists, schools, teachers, students, and public participants.

You will be a great fit if you…

Must haves:

• Passion for the Arts: This isn't just a job-it's a calling. You believe in the power of the arts to educate, inspire, and transform communities.
• Education & Experience: You've got a College Diploma in Arts Administration or a bachelor's degree in fine arts-or an equally awesome combination of education and experience that has prepared you for this role.
• Arts & Education Know-How: You bring at least 5 years of experience in arts and education and 3 years of event/project coordination, box office sales, or equivalent hands-on experience-whether that's in a classroom, on a stage, or behind the scenes.
• Master Multitasker: Juggling multiple projects with overlapping deadlines? No problem! You thrive in a fast-paced, creative environment and know how to keep all the moving pieces in sync.
• Communication Pro Extraordinaire: Whether it's listening, clarifying, collaborating, or presenting, you're a pro at getting the right message across with clarity and enthusiasm.
• Data Wizardry: You can track, analyze, and report data in ways that make sense to different audiences, from spreadsheets to storytelling.
• Classroom & Workshop Rockstar: You've got experience leading engaging arts-based education programs-whether in a classroom, a community space, or a recreational setting.
• Excel Enthusiast: You're comfortable with spreadsheets, formulas, and calculations (yes, even percentages and proportions). Bonus points if you can make pivot tables exciting!
• Alberta K-12 Knowledge: You have a solid grasp of the Alberta K-12 curriculum and understand how to align arts programming with educational priorities.
• Big-Picture Thinker: You connect the dots between new information and future trends, using insights to build creative solutions.
• Time-Management Guru: Balancing admin work, teaching, and logistics doesn't scare you-you know how to prioritize and get things done efficiently.
• Vulnerable Sector Check: A must-have to ensure the safety of the communities we serve.

Nice to have:

• Previous experience with Tessitura & ArtsVision, an asset
• Valid driver's license and access to a reliable vehicle or means of transportation, as required for attending to offsite meetings
• First Aid Certification
• An artistic practice in drama, dance, visual arts or music

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 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 Arts Commons can go a long way here, whether it's in this role or another.

Create, Clarify, Connect

Dates: October 24-25, 2025

Times: 12 pm - 5 pm ET

Why Attend? 

Gain new skills, refine your craft, rekindle your creative spirit, and connect with a vibrant community of writers while celebrating the power of human stories. 

Registration:

• Early Bird (Before June 1): $140 
• Standard (After June 1): $250 

What’s Included: 

• 2 days of workshops, meeting other creative people, finding inspiration, and having fun 
• Select workshop recordings
• A copy of Create & Curate (500 writing and art prompts) 
• Fee waiver for any Unleash Contest (Book Prize or WIP) 

Featured workshops:

• Writing without expectations with Laura Esther Sciortino's generative and interactive workshop.
• Manifest your creative life with Amy L. Bernstein's all-genre workshop.
• Explore how to write for social good with Nancy Townsley
• Learn the art of revision in poetry with Alexis Ivy
• Discuss art and aging with Carol Fischbach and Christina V. Larsen
• Examine what we can create in community with Sonia Perna
• Learn to rekindle your childhood creativity with a multimedia art workshop by Vanja Kragulj
• Creative leadership & networking co-hosted by Jen Knox and Chris Shanahan
• The art of audio with audiobook narrator Suzanne Warfield
• Discuss technology, adapting prose to film, and more ... 

For more information, see the following link: unleashpress.submittable.com/submit
 

Unleash Press

Deadline to submit: July 15, 2025

The Unleash WIP Award offers writers support in the amount of $500 to supplement costs to support the completion of a book-length work of fiction, nonfiction or poetry. Writers will receive editorial feedback, coaching meetings, and an excerpt/interview feature in Unleash Lit.

Guidelines

Submit up to the first 25 pages of your WIP (.DOC, .DOCX) and answers to the following questions in the same document:

• Who are you as a creative person, and what is your creative vision? (No CV or resumes here)
• Who is your intended audience for this project, and why?

Entries will be judged on originality, emotional resonance, and the author’s vision of the work they’d like to create. Please keep your name off all attachments. Share who you are as a creative, without disclosing your name.

Submissions will be accepted until July 15, 2025.

For more information and to submit visit unleashpress.submittable.com/submit/279757/work-in-progress-contest.