Images Festival is seeking curators, interpreters, activists, artists to join its 2021 Programming Collective!

Images Festival is seeking curators, interpreters, activists, artists to join its 2021 Programming Collective!

Download a .pdf version of the call HERE.

The 2021 Programming 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 Collective is an experiment in remote curatorial cooperation. Programmers will be tasked with reviewing submissions from our call for entries, conducting independent research to identify and solicit works from artists, and digging through the past to identify historical media artworks that complement the contemporary work we present. Programmers will be expected to remain connected with other Collective members through online means, sharing ideas and updating one another on works and topics of interest. The Collective will meet once per week to support one another in evaluating works in consideration and shaping programs in a way that responds to (or challenges, or critiques) Images Festival’s artistic mandate. As such, interested applicants should be prepared to work collaboratively with other Collective members.

The Collective meetings and deliberation process will be supported by the Collective Facilitator, who will be responsible for upholding the Collective by involving, supporting, and empowering all participants, promoting active listening and honest communication, and encouraging the Collective to work toward consensus in its decision-making. 

The main duties for the Collective members include: 

● Review ON SCREEN submissions for the 2021 festival: single channel film and video work from local, Canadian and international distributors, artists/directors/producers

● Conduct independent research of other festival programs, distributor catalogues, studio visits, etc. to identify artists/programs of interest

● Participate in the collective development of 12 to 15 ON SCREEN programs

● Develop between 5-6 EDUCATION programs with the Programming Collective. This could include artist talks, workshops, and/or panels with educators, curators, and/or special guests.

● Host Q&As with artists for ON SCREEN programs. Host or identify moderators and participants for EDUCATION programs. Host in-person guests at the 2021 festival, if conditions allow for this

● Report to the Executive Director and Facilitator on progress on a regular basis

● Communicate with participating artists and distributors to confirm selections and establish film rental/exhibition booking terms, as well as production and presentation details

● Work alongside the Festival Coordinator and Operations Director to arrange scheduling and delivery of program notes according to established deadlines

● Work alongside the Technical Coordinator and Operations Director to identify the technical, accessibility, and logistical aspects of screenings for the Programmer’s programs

● Work within established programming budgets to establish fees for artists and presenters

● Recommend potential community partner organizations and assist with outreach

● Work in conjunction with Communications team on the promotion, publicity, and outreach related to programming

● Participate in the Festival post-mortem in May 2021

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 the cultural sector and media arts will be given preference. Experience working 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 contact us at employment@imagesfestival.com.

To Apply:

This is a temporary contract position reporting to the Executive Director. Hours for the position will fluctuate, from full-time between early November 2020 - January 2021 to part-time between February 2021 - May 2021. Overtime hours should be expected during the week of the festival (April 2021). The compensation for this position is $21 CAD per hour for approximately 750 hours, plus 4% vacation pay.

Interested applicants are asked to send a statement of interest outlining their relevant experience, proposing the type of projects they would like to see organized by the Programming Collective, and describing how their programming or curatorial approach aligns with Images’ mission. They should be comfortable with collective authorship of curatorial programs and open to participating in consensus-based decision-making processes. Applicants should include a short CV with their application. We ask that you please include your preferred pronouns, if any, in 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.*