WORK WITH US

Arts BC is seeking a Program & Service Specialist to support our members in their professional development and work as arts workers, artists, and volunteers working in British Columbia. In this role, you will be responsible for connecting Arts BC members with the tools and resources they need, in alignment with Arts BC’s values and principles of equity that inform our work.

In this role you will be responsible for sourcing, curating and creating resources in anticipation of, and in response to, our members’ needs and requests. You will also manage Arts BC programs such as the Hotline, Roundtable, and Insight Team, and support events such as Community Cultural Forums (CCFs), regional events, and bi-annual conferences.

This role is essential in Arts BC’s contribution to Systems Change, supporting a sector shift towards more equitable practices and healthier ways of working. Through values-based decision making and practices, your work will advance sector change by amplifying equity-centered resources and ways of working.

• Foster a culture of knowledge sharing and collaboration among Arts BC members and within our community and sector, promoting and advancing principles of equity and equity-based practices within the sector;
• Respond to requests by telephone and email for information and tools from Arts BC members on a wide range of topics including: non-profit operations, governance, advocacy, self employed business practices for artists, and more; 
• When appropriate, connect members to peers and Insight Team members, and know when to refer to government agencies and departments such as the CRA, funders, and BC Employment Standards;  
• Find, curate, and develop resources and tools to support the professional development of arts administrators, arts workers, and artists in British Columbia;
• Conduct research and analysis to identify wise practices in knowledge sharing and learning, and recommend new approaches and tools as appropriate;
• Contribute to the maintenance and updating of the organization’s resource library
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of knowledge sharing initiatives, and report on key metrics and outcomes;
• Facilitate bi-weekly Roundtables every second Tuesday at noon, gathering and sharing funding opportunities, resources, and event details in our Roundtable notes, and sharing key information and sector updates with Roundtable participants;
• Working with the Executive Director, coordinate professional development learning events, such as Community Cultural Forums, bi-annual conferences, and regional gatherings;
• Regularly collect and disseminate data arising from this work.

• Minimum of 3-5 years of experience working in arts administration
• In-depth knowledge and comprehensive understanding of the the arts and culture sector, and an thorough understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing artists and arts organizations in British Columbia
• First-hand experience working with one or more arts non-profit organization, providing you with a thorough understanding of day-to-day operations and big picture challenges and opportunities
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of systems change in the context of the arts and culture sector
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively with a diverse range of stakeholders
• Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks simultaneously
• Experience with non-urban and community arts is an asset
• Experience with database management and content management systems is an asset

This contracted role is part of a growth plan to continue to expand the capacity of Arts BC. The Program & Service Specialist will reside in British Columbia, and will work closely with Arts BC’s part-time staff and other contractors. The above-noted services will be delivered remotely, over 10-15 hours per week primarily during Arts BC office hours. This contract role does not constitute an employer-employee relationship and performance will be measured on agreed-upon delivery of quarterly workplans. This contract is ideal for an experienced arts administrator who is engaged in other work. 

Please submit resume, cover letter and names of 3 references to: [email protected]

Please direct all questions regarding this position to the email address above.

Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Application deadline: Tuesday May 23rd at 5pm PST

Community arts and culture leaders are the living, breathing force in BC’s creative ecosystem. They are our most precious resource and help to generate vibrant communities and artistic activity throughout our province. Arts BC is a resource itself and works to cultivate community cultural development through knowledge-sharing, collaborations and partnerships, and serving its province-wide network of arts council, arts, culture and heritage organizations, individual artists and creative entrepreneurs, municipal cultural managers, community and partner groups — The People Power of the Arts!

To accomplish our work we are committed to the following:

• Sharing knowledge in an open and transparent way with respect and integrity.
• Encouraging forward-thinking by being creative in our work and amplifying new ideas.
• Making a difference by equipping our provincial network with the tools they need.
• Higher standards in the delivery of our work to improve community arts and cultural practices in BC.
• Stewardship in upholding open and inclusive province-wide conversation in arts and culture matters.
• Striving to challenge and reduce barriers to services and opportunities, while advocating for equity, diversity and accessibility in our work and across the sector.

Please refer to our current Strategic Plan and Basis of Unity for more details.

Arts BC is currently powered by 6 core team members and contractors who work variable hours and manage our day-to-day operations and the delivery of various programs and services. We also work with a varying number of additional contractors, depending on programming. Arts BC is committed to building and supporting a team of individuals and presenters who represent diverse groups and who have different needs from their work situation. We are a remote team and, for the most part, our team members set their own hours around deadlines, scheduling, and meetings, which offers incredible flexibility. We are a professional organization, yet we enjoy keeping our interactions positive and respectful with each other, and with everyone in our community. We communicate via Slack, and our office systems are fully digitized, including Google Drive, MembershipWorks, and Asana.

Our team members are focused on and committed to their own continued learning of dismantling systems of oppression and marginalization, and Arts BC offers programming to support members and our community in these endeavours.