Job Description

 

WE’RE HIRING!
CONTRACTOR FOR 12 - 24 MONTHS

Job Description: Contractor

Responsible to: Mia Rushton and Eric Moschopedis, artist team

Contract: Freelance contract for 12 months (confirmed), up to 24 months (pending funding and project revenue)

Working Hours: 10 - 20 hours per week, self-led and flexible hours. The job will include evening and weekend work, and potentially some work away (incl. outside Canada). It is expected contractor will be unavailable for 4 weeks each year and 2 weeks during winter holidays.

Rate of Pay: $22 - $30/hour based on experience and region where contractor lives

Deadline for Applications: 9am, Monday 13th December 2021.

Interviews: Friday 17th December 2021. Zoom or in person.


Dear applicant,

We are Mia Rushton and Eric Moschopedis, an artist team from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Since 2008 we have been creating interdisciplinary exhibitions, temporary public art, social engagement, and interventions under the moniker, Mia + Eric. We are from Calgary, but we work regionally, nationally, and internationally. We have present our projects, artist talks, workshops, and exhibitions at both formal and DIY galleries, festivals, residencies, conferences, and post-secondary institutions. We often work in contemporary performance/theatre and visual art contexts. Although we are independent artists that work project to project, we function like an organization, juggling multiple temporary projects across different locations each year. For example, in 2020 and 2021 we were involved in nearly 40 talks, residencies, workshops and creative projects in Alberta, Ontario, British Columbia, Germany, Norway, and the UK. The form and scale of our work changes in response to the context in which we are working, which means no one project is alike. 

After 14 years of attending to both our creative practice and administrative and operational tasks, we are looking to contract an inspiring and ambitious individual to work with us as a contractor on our temporary projects—a new role that we hope to develop in partnership with you to help deliver our program of work over the next 12-24 months. 

Who we are looking for

We’re looking for someone to work on contract who can confidently take the reins on the day to day management of our practice with an emphasis on our project 3 WOODS. This will be the most urgent part of the role, but the right candidate will also have a vision for how their position might develop in future years. 

This contract position requires someone to be able to work independently, take initiative, seek out tasks to help organize and improve efficiency of our practice, be a self-starter, and also be able to work in a collaborative process on administrative tasks, communications, applications, social media, and project development/management. Someone who is detail oriented, adaptive, and approaches each day with a positive and accommodating attitude would be well suited for this position. A good sense of humour is also important. 

Our long-term plan is to develop a partnership with a contractor who can grow as we do; who is excited about working closely with an ambitious artist team and who will thrive on being hands-on in all aspects of our work. We want to work with someone who is organized, committed and tenacious, with an eye for detail and a passion for the work we make. We often work on multiple projects with very different forms and scales simultaneously, so our contractor needs to be undaunted by that. We’re also very often working outside of Calgary, so the ability to work independently is vital, as is the confidence to deal with urgent matters decisively on our behalf. A sensitivity to the creative process is essential, and the contractor will be crucial for protecting creative time for us.

We’re looking for a contractor with a progressive & positive outlook who can think creatively, flexibly and spontaneously about how we might do things together. We’re excited about working closely with someone new, and we don’t want to be limited by current models.

If the person we’re describing sounds like you, we would love to hear from you. Read the job description below and send us your CV with a cover letter outlining what you think you can bring to the role to hellomiaanderic@gmail.com, putting the title ‘CONTRACTOR APPLICATION’ in the subject line.

If you want to talk about any aspect of the role or the application process, please get in touch with us on at the email address above. To find out more about us and our work, visit www.miaanderic.ca. 

Mia + Eric are committed to working inclusively and we encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. Applicants need not be based in Calgary. We are open to international applications. 

Purpose Of The Role

  1. To enable Mia + Eric to continue creating extraordinary work for audiences in Canada and internationally.

  2. To lead on the management of Mia + Eric, dealing with the financial and organizational elements of our practice, as well as leading on project management and producing of our creative works, especially 3 WOODS.

  3. To ensure we make the best work through strategic long term planning.


Contractor Job Description

Since this is a new post, we imagine the scope/detail of the role will develop as we work together. In the first instance however, the role will include the following:

  1. Administration: To be responsible for sharing all administrative and financial management of Mia + Eric’s activities. This will include managing our budgets; book keeping and maintaining financial tracking systems; invoicing; document organization; and time management for our projects and forward planning.

  2. Funding: To develop and maintain strong relationships with funders, including Canada Council for the Arts, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, and Calgary Arts Development. This includes writing funding applications, reporting and identifying new sources of funding for our practice.

  3. Project Management: To project manage/produce temporary projects and creative work, including our upcoming project for 2022, 3 WOODS. This includes liaising with partners; dealing with logistics during the creation of new work; contracting and negotiations with venues, festivals and project partners; liaising with us on delivery of creative work; building new regional, national, and international relationships for Mia + Eric. Willingness to learn the specific approach/tone to our communications.

  4. Online Content: Maintaining online content including posting to social media (Instagram); upkeep and management of websites; preparing newsletters.

  5. Future Applications/Partnerships: Contractor will collect pertinent materials, documents, and submission details of applications and calls. Coordination of these applications includes ensuring deadlines are met, supporting documents are kept up to date, and relationships with commissioners/partners are well kept. Contractor will liaises with external organizations to develop partnerships and generate grant, funding, or income generating opportunities.

  6. Strategic Planning: To work with us on strategic planning and future visions for our practice in line with the our creative ambitions for future work.

  7. Other duties as reasonably required and as discussed and agreed.


Contractor Experience 

Essential

  1. Experience working closely with interdisciplinary socially engaged artists on a range of projects, including in unusual contexts and forms.

  2. Experience with managing organizational and project finances for an arts organization or artist team.

  3. Experience of project management/producing complex, unusual projects.

  4. Proven track record in securing funding from Canada Council for the Arts, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, and Calgary Arts Development.

  5. Experience working internationally or with international partners.

  6. Experience in liaising and negotiating with project partners (presenters, funders, commissioners etc.) on behalf of artists.

  7. Excellent communications skills.

  8. Excellent problem solving, organization and planning skills with a strong attention to detail.

  9. Excellent literacy in word processing, spreadsheets, design, and Squarespace applications.


We’re open to the possibility that the right person to build this role with might not have all the experience we’re looking for. We’re interested in hearing from exceptional people who might not fulfill all the criteria, but can show us that they are committed to becoming an integral part of our team.

Desirable

  1. Excellent knowledge of regional, national, and international contemporary performing/visual arts scene with an emphasis on social engagement, and a passion for and belief in our work.

  2. Well networked in Canada and further afield.

  3. Experience in managing and/or producing for an artist team or organization.