Every August, the Vancouver Queer Film Festival celebrates the best in independent queer cinema and facilitates a world-class community gathering through a compelling film program, variety of talkbacks, performances, panels and workshops. Following a very successful 2016 Festival, Out On Screen is planning to build a sophisticated, diverse and provocative Festival for 2017 in the lead up to its 30th anniversary Festival in 2018.
Role Overview
The Artistic Director provides creative, curatorial and executive leadership to Out On Screen’s annual Vancouver Queer Film Festival and other artistic programming. This arts-centred role involves curating an artistic program and carrying out the planning, organizing, directing, controlling and administering of the Film Festival program in collaboration with an Operations Coordinator and staff reports. This significantly visible community-based role requires a dynamic, expressive, adaptive, thoughtful, and resourceful leader who understands and inspires committed engagement in diverse communities and has the ability to organize a large and detailed event. The Artistic Director’s approach to the Vancouver Queer Film Festival and other programming is consistent with Out On Screen’s Vision, Mission, Guiding Principles, Values, Governance/Operational Policies and Strategic Plan.
In particular, the Artistic Director is responsible for the leadership and management of all artistic programming, including the Vancouver Queer Film Festival, in the following areas:
- Curating programming which showcases world-class queer film that centers the lived experiences of the full diversity of our community, engaging and expanding on current audiences, creating space for critical conversations through film that will advance our communities, and curating a Festival for our community that both celebrates and shines a light on our communities.
- Advancing & implementing the vision, design, media & communications profile of the Festival;
- Revenue development of the Festival & financial responsibility of Festival budget; and
- Leading Festival staff in the operation of the Vancouver Queer Film Festival.
The Artistic Director is an arts-centered individual who is passionate and committed to advancing the lives of queer, trans and two-spirit people. The ideal candidate has 5 or more years of professional work experience in a management role working in an arts environment. Expressive and dynamic writing, building and maintaining community relationships, staff management, event management and demonstrated artistic vision are essential skillsets for this position. This leadership role requires an individual who understands and lives by an intersectional, anti-oppression framework, who has a deep knowledge of the queer, trans and two-spirit community and can bring these to life through their artistic vision. A successful Artistic Director is committed to meaningfully participating in reconciliation, decolonization and being in right relations with two-spirit and Indigenous people of this land.
Working Conditions
The Artistic Director position is a full-time year-round permanent position within a strong values-based organizational culture that strives to work together to foster a sense of belonging, affirmation and connection to other community members and to social movements through film. This position requires a high level of team collaboration, yet also requires significant autonomy. Due to the Festival event cycles, this role is extremely busy from March to mid-September. This creates a demanding schedule, but is followed by a ‘slower’ period during which there is opportunity for flexibility in work schedules. National and international travel to other queer arts and film events will be required.
The Artistic Director position includes a comprehensive salary and benefits package. The individual will work with a passionate team of individuals and be a leading voice within the queer, trans and two-spirit communities that Out On Screen seeks to serve.
To Apply for this Position
This executive search is conducted by Realize Strategies Co-operative. For more information, please view the role description or visit www.realize.coop/opportunities.
Out On Screen strives for meaningful employment from all communities and for its team to reflect the diversity of the communities it serves. First Nations, people of colour, and people across spectrums of gender, sexuality, age and abilities are encouraged to apply.
To apply, please submit your cover letter and resume in one PDF document to Alison Marshall or Rita Farkas at: executivesearch@realize.coop
Applications should be submitted by January 28th, 2017. Early applications are encouraged.
