Images Festival is seeking a Facilitator to join its 2021 Programming Collective!

Images Festival is seeking a Facilitator to join its 2021 Programming Collective!

Download a .pdf version of the call HERE.

The 2021 Programming Collective is an experiment in remote curatorial cooperation. The Collective is a group of four people responsible for organizing the ON SCREEN programs and reviewing proposals for OFF SCREEN and LIVE presenting partnerships for our annual festival, scheduled for April 2021. The Collective will also be responsible for identifying topics and participants for EDUCATION programs, which include workshops, artist talks, and panels. 

The Facilitator plays an important role in the Collective, acting as a neutral source of support for the group. They will guide the group’s deliberation and decision-making process, and are ultimately responsible for upholding the Collective by involving, supporting, and empowering all participants, promoting active listening and honest communication, and helping its members achieve consensus in their decisions. The Facilitator will organize and lead weekly programming meetings, where the Collective will discuss and evaluate works/projects in consideration with the ultimate goal of shaping programs in ways that respond to (or challenge, or critique) Images Festival’s artistic mandate. The Facilitator is expected to remain connected with other Collective members outside of scheduled meetings throughout the course of the contract using online means (e-mail, Slack, etc.), in order to track the progress of the group’s research and discussions and to integrate these discussions in the weekly meetings.

The main duties for the Facilitator include: 

● Work with the Executive Director to understand the Collective’s goals and design the facilitation model

● Attend and facilitate all Programming Collective meetings

● Schedule and prepare agendas for Programming Collective meetings, with input from the Collective members, Festival Coordinator, Operations Director, and Executive Director

● Adapt facilitation methods in response to the Collective’s needs and group dynamics

● Ensure actions and decisions are clearly stated and recorded by the Festival Coordinator

● Introduce facilitation tools in meetings, as needed

● Propose solutions while maintaining neutrality

● Ensure that Collective members’ accessibility requirements are met

● Connect with individual Collective members to listen to and address their concerns

● Help the Programming Collective address and resolve conflict when it arises, adhering to Images Festival’s Dispute Resolution Policy

● Prepare and submit a project evaluation of the collective programming process and participate in the Images Festival 2021 Post-Mortem

*The Facilitator may be asked to participate in a public session during the 2021 Images Festival, to present their experiences and feedback around the collective programming process

The Programming Collective is expected to organize programs that respond to Images Festival’s Artistic Mandate and that align with our values. The Collective should:

● Embrace experimentation in practice, form, genre, and style

● Position works by independent Canadian artists alongside those of their international colleagues

● Prioritize access when selecting works, writing program notes, and organizing physical and online spaces

● Explore the multiplicity of artistic practices that reflect our community, including works by artists who identify as Black, Indigenous, people of colour, people with disabilities, queer and transgender people

● Highlight works that defy convention and counter dominant histories

● Respond to local, national, and global artistic and socio-political contexts

Skills and Experience:

We are open to a wide range of applicants for this position. Individuals with training and expertise in grassroots organizing, community engagement, and group facilitation will be given preference. Experience working in the arts or in artist-run centres will be considered an asset. People of various levels of experience—lived, educational, and professional—who feel they have the skills and competencies required to meaningfully contribute to this project are encouraged to apply. Given the remote nature of our current working conditions, applicants from outside of Toronto will be considered.

Equity and Access:

Images Festival is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing an accessible festival and workplace, and continue to work to reduce the barriers to participation in our events and employment. We welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities, people who self-identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, Racialized, and/or LGBTQ2S+. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. Please please contact us at employment@imagesfestival.com.

To Apply:

This is a temporary, part-time contract position reporting to the Executive Director. The Facilitator is expected to work between 8 - 12 hours per week from November 2020 - May 2021. The compensation for this position is $21 CAD per hour for approximately 300 hours, plus 4% vacation pay.

Interested applicants are asked to send a letter of interest outlining their relevant experience, and describing how their approach to group facilitation can support Images’ Programming Collective. Applicants should send a short CV with their application. We ask that you please include your preferred pronouns, if any, with your application. 

The deadline for applications is October 14, 2020 at 5PM. 

Applications can be addressed to the Hiring Committee and sent to: employment @ imagesfestival.com (*please attach PDF files only)

Please include where you saw this posting in your letter of interest.

*We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. In situations with several qualified candidates, preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents.*