Volunteer Opportunity: Board of Directors
- Posted January 8th, 2009
Calgary Arts Development's nominating committee invites applications for Board of Director positions to commence in 2009. These are voluntary positions ideal for corporate, community and artistic leaders dedicated to building a culturally vibrant city that inspires and engages the world. Applications from Calgarians of diverse perspectives and backgrounds are welcomed and encouraged. The Board will make recommendations to Calgary City Council in March for formal appointment by May.
The Board operates under a policy governance framework with a mandate from Calgary City Council. The Board provides high level direction to the CEO and exercises fiduciary oversight of the affairs of the organization. Members are appointed for a term of up to three years and may be reappointed for one further term of three years. The time commitment requires preparation for and attendance at monthly meetings with some additional committee work. Board members are also expected to spend some time increasing their understanding of opportunities and challenges facing the arts sector in Calgary, including the role of the arts in building a great city.
We are currently seeking board members that reflect the full diversity of Calgary, with preference afforded to individuals with accomplishments and experience in the following areas:
- Accountants
- Professional artists
- Arts administrators
- Civic planners/consultants
- Business development
- Governance
Successful applicants will have:
- A passion for city-building and the advancement of the arts in Calgary
- Exemplary professional, business, and community minded ethics
- A track record of volunteer service and contribution
- A strong understanding and experience in public or private board governance and strategic planning
If you are interested in this opportunity, please submit a cover letter and resumé, in confidence, to:
Colin Jackson, Chair, Governance & HR Committee, Calgary Arts Development Authority
3rd Floor, Calgary Public Building, 205 8th Avenue SE Calgary, AB T2G 0K9 (For courier or hand deliveries, please note: Calgary Arts Development's office is currently located on the 6th floor. We will be moving to the 3rd floor sometime during the second or third week of January).
Email: governance@calgaryartsdevelopment.com
Applications must be received by February 13, 2009 for 2009 appointments.
Confirmation of receipt will be sent to applicants within one week of the respective closing dates. Due to the anticipated volume of applicants, only individuals selected for an interview will be contacted directly.
If you have any questions about this posting, please contact:
Terry Rock, President, Calgary Arts Development Authority
3rd Floor, Calgary Public Building, 205 8th Avenue SE, Calgary, AB, T2G 0K9.
Phone: (403) 264-5330, ext. 101; Fax: (403) 262-9644; Email: terry.rock@calgaryartsdevelopment.com
About Calgary Arts Development
Calgary Arts Development plays a leadership role in realizing the potential for arts and culture in Calgary. As the city’s designated arts development authority, we are a central hub that learns about, promotes, connects, advocates for and leads strategic initiatives in the arts to animate Calgary as a vibrant cultural centre. Calgary Arts Development allocates municipal funding for the arts provided by the City of Calgary through granting programs that support operations and innovation for more than 140 artists and arts organizations in Calgary.
Some international volunteer
Some international volunteer organisations define their primary mission altruistically as fighting poverty and improving the living standards of people in the developing world, e.g. Voluntary Services Overseas has almost 2,000 skilled professionals working as volunteers to pass on their expertise to local people so that, when they return home, their skills remain. When these homeowners insurance organisations work in partnership with governments, the results can be impressive. But when other organisations or individual First World governments support the work of volunteer groups, there can be questions as to whether their real motives are poverty alleviation or wealth creation for some of the poor or policies intended to benefit the donor states. This confusion exists because experience shows[who?] that what is volunteered can distort the foreign and economic policy of the country receiving the aid. The economies of many low-income countries suffer from "industrialisation without prosperity" and "investment without growth". This arises because "development assistance" guides many Third World governments to pursue "development" policies that have been wasteful, ill-conceived, unproductive or even so positively destructive that they could not have been sustained without outside support.
Indeed, some of the offers of aid have distorted the general spirit of volunteerism, treating local voluntary advertising agencies action as “contributions in kind”, i.e. as conditions requiring local people to earn the right to donor “largesse” by modifying their behaviour. This can be seen as patronising and offensive to the recipients because the aid expressly serves the policy aims of the donors rather than the needs of the recipients.