VANCOUVER ART GALLERY ASSOCIATION

1 FULL-TIME POSITION AVAILABLE

PUBLIC PROGRAMS COORDINATOR – FAMILY AND YOUTH PROGRAMS

Reporting to the Director of Public Programs, the incumbent will utilize knowledge and experience of the visual arts, visual culture, and live performance, along with event production, curatorial skills, and research skills to conceive, develop and lead on public programmes for families and youth which will vary in format.

Working as part of the Education and Public Programs team this position will require a close working relationship with Curatorial and other departments, a comprehensive knowledge of the visual arts and cultural production, an understanding of working with families and children of all ages as well as broad cultural awareness of other disciplines.

The aim of public programs is to instigate and develop art productions, practices and projects that expand the notion of art, the museum and audience. This role will work specifically on imagining how families and youth might develop greater relationships with the Vancouver Art Gallery, visual arts, artists and culture in general.

ABOUT THE GALLERY

The Vancouver Art Gallery, one of the largest and innovative art museums in Canada, is undergoing a multi-phase organizational transformation after celebrating 90 years of operation. With a permanent collection of more than 12,000 works of art, the Gallery is implementing a campaign to build a new purpose-built gallery facility in downtown Vancouver planned to open in 2027. This is a moment of growth, exploration and change, as the Gallery re-articulates its relationship to communities and audiences and envisions the role of an art museum in the 21st century.

The new building designed by Swiss Architects Herzog and de Meuron will provide an optimal platform to reimagine the Gallery’s relationship with the world. The new Gallery building will be the most ecologically sustainable art museum in Canada. The creation of a world-class purpose-built art facility will enable the Gallery to foster deeper and wider community relations and expand audiences, celebrate Indigenous culture, and acknowledge the diverse heritage and histories of place and people in Canada and the ancestral and unceded territories of the Traditional Coast Salish Lands including the Musqueam (xʷməθkʷəy̓əm), Squamish (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw) and Tsleil-Waututh (səlilwətaɬ) Nations.

Complementing and building upon a rich institutional history of exhibiting photography and moving image, design, craft, material and popular culture—in an expanded field of visual culture—the Gallery further seeks the development of an online and virtual space—“a second building”—that blurs the line between the “real” and “virtual” worlds. Through innovative art programming, the Gallery will be a leader in interpreting Canada’s past, present and future.

Duties will include the:

Conception, project-management and delivery of family programs which currently include the Sunday Family Days and other informal educational events, live performance, artist projects, courses, workshops and other programs specific to the needs of audiences; understanding new and current thinking in museum education and consider how to develop programs specific to families and youth; build strong working relationships and develop programs with local, national and international artists, performers, institutions and organizations; conceiving and preparing art projects and activities for visitors of all ages; project managing the conception and delivery of all programs and assessing visitor’s experience; training, coordination and assisting in the management of a key group of art providers who would liaise with the incumbent on delivery and execution of activities; teaching and leading some key projects dealing directly with the public; writing copy; inviting and briefing a range of public program providers including freelance educators, performers and artists; developing and managing a core group of volunteers who assist in the delivery of events; managing established budgets and grant proposals; coordinating logistics and managing internal briefings; developing and maintaining relationships with community groups, arts and cultural institutions, as well as individuals; working on developing a public programs web presence and on-line archive of activity; contributing to the development and expansion of gallery interpretation; and the continual contribution to the creative and intellectual strategy of public programs.

Qualifications & Skills

University graduate at a Bachelor’s level in an arts related field from a recognised university, plus three to five years related experience as an arts educator or public programmer in an art gallery/museum or educational environment with a specific interest and experience of families and/or youth; an in-depth knowledge of contemporary art with some knowledge of ‘participatory’ artistic practices, event production and interpretative methodologies as well as comprehensive knowledge of contemporary theory and practice in education, decolonization in museums, and in-gallery learning; comprehensive knowledge of the local, national and international youth, academic and artistic communities; a thorough knowledge of new technologies and their relationship in contemporary culture; a comprehensive understanding of devising, writing pedagogy, and leading workshops, schools, camps and other related learning programs specific to families, children and youth; excellent writing skills; an ability to communicate complex ideas effectively to a range of audiences; to work with family program staff in a compassionate, collaborative and responsive manner, to manage several projects simultaneously; to work calmly, creatively and effectively; to meet deadlines; to manage budgets; to source and submit grant and trust applications when applicable; in possession of strong public presentation skills; teaching, performing and workshop experience is an asset.

Please email your resume to the Director of People and Culture by Wednesday, January 18, 2023. Vancouver Art Gallery, 750 Hornby Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6Z 2H7, email [email protected]

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those short-listed will be contacted.

The Vancouver Art Gallery commits to providing equitable access to everyone. We actively support accessibility, anti-racism, LGBTQ2S+ inclusion and encourage diversity in our staff, visitors, volunteers, and programming. We cultivate a safer space where all voices are heard, valued, and represented. The Gallery stands against hatred, discrimination, racism, homophobia, and transphobia.