Artistic Director
The application deadline for this opportunity has passed.
New Works Calgary (NWC) was created when artist John Snow commissioned composition by Allan Rae and discovered there were no performance opportunities for the piece. Surprised by this, the Snow family held a concert of new music by Calgary composers and musicians in April 1984, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Canadian Music Centre. The success of this concert encouraged Snow and co-founder Quentin Doolittle to start concert series that featured new works by Calgary composers. As a result, the New Works of Art Calgary society was established in 1984 and has maintained annual concert seasons ever since.
New Works Calgary, through its concert series, supports the creation and performance of contemporary concert music with an emphasis on Calgary and Southern Alberta composers and musicians. It encourages the exploration of relationships between music and other artistic disciplines, offering inquisitive audiences thought-provoking, enriching and unique experiences.
For 10 years, New Works Calgary has been very fortunate to work with the composer, Dr. Laurie Radford, as our Artistic Director. Dr. Radford’s visionary leadership has helped New Works Calgary to become one of Canada’s leading contemporary music organizations. Dr. Radford will step down at the end of New Works Calgary’s 2019/20 season.
About the Role
New Works Calgary (NWC) is currently searching for an artistic director who can challenge, develop, and grow its programming. NWC seeks to identify a new artistic director who can respect the incredible history of our organization, while further developing NWC to new levels within its artistic focus. The ideal candidate should be ready to challenge our audiences with thought-provoking artistry, all the while continuing to provide highly enriching and unique experiences through our programs.
The successful candidate will fulfill the following duties:
- Be responsible for all programming decisions.
- Work closely with the organization’s part-time administrative staff of general manager, marketing coordinator, and production coordinator, as well as the board of directors to create and produce programs which include outstanding education and outreach initiatives, an annual concert season, the biennial Calgary New Music Festival, commissions of new works, and other special projects.
- Work to progress New Works Calgary’s mandate to support Calgary and Southern Albertan composers, collaborate with artists of all disciplines, and maintain gender parity in programming.
- Work closely with artists to maintain the highest standards in all program areas.
- Foster collaborative relationships with artists and organizations in Calgary of all disciplines.
- Actively participate in fundraising initiatives with individuals, foundations and corporations.
- Assist with grant proposal applications and reports with the general manager.
The schedule is flexible and hours vary depending on the time of year, with a competitive annual salary.
Although NWC’s search is not limited to local residents, the ideal candidate will live in the Calgary region and thus be an active participant in the ongoing development of the organization within the community. The following skills and experience criteria are those we seek in an ideal candidate:
- A broad knowledge of the Calgary, regional, national, and international new music field.
- An advanced music degree or equivalent performance/artistic experience.
- Excellent writing and communication skills.
- The ability to multi-task and manage firm deadlines.
- At least five years of successful programming experience in new music.
Applications and proposals from qualified candidates are welcome. Interested applicants should submit the following materials:
- Cover letter
- Resume/CV
- Writing sample (no more than 1 page)
- Proposal for the 2020/21 New Works Calgary concert season with proposed theme/vision, artists/ensembles, venues, and budget (no more than two pages).
- Contact information for at least three professional references.
Limit material to no more than eight pages. All applications will be treated as confidential and references will not be contacted without the candidate’s prior knowledge and agreement. Please submit applications via email with attachments as a single PDF file to info@neworkscalgary.com.
The deadline for applications is October 31st, 2019. The successful candidate will be announced by January 2020.
To learn more about New Works Calgary and to view our past concert seasons, you can visit neworkscalgary.com, or find us on social media using the handle @NeworksCalgary.
If you have questions or to have a conversation before applying, please contact Simon MacLeod, President, at info@neworkscalgary.com.
