Special Events Planner

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.