Festival Technical Director
The application deadline for this opportunity has passed.
Applications accepted until Friday, August 19, 2019.
One Yellow Rabbit is seeking an enthusiastic and experienced team player to fill the contract position of festival technical director for the 34th Annual High Performance Rodeo, Calgary’s International Festival of the Arts.
A key member of the High Performance Rodeo team, and reporting to the festival production manager, the technical director delivers on time and on budget technical support and planning to all artists and festival partners. This role will work closely with the festival production manager and will be responsible for coordinating technical suppliers, labour and schedules for a variety of productions at several venues. A representative for the High Performance Rodeo, they will often be the primary point of contact for venue managers, venue technical staff, visiting companies and artists.
Fee: $8,000 total contract fee
Contract Dates: Ideal start date for this position is December 2, 2019, contract ends January 31, 2020.
Hours: This contract position is estimated at 25 to 30 hours per week in December (which can be scheduled in a flexible manner around other engagements), with extended hours during the festival January 8 to 26, 2020. It is an expectation of all applicants that they will be available for full-time/festival hours, including evenings and weekends.
Key Accountabilities:
- Liaise with artists and their representatives both before and during productions in the High Performance Rodeo in order to determine equipment, venue usage and schedule needs.
- Work closely with the production manager and festival producer regarding venue needs and artist schedules (load-in/out, riders, etc.).
- Work closely with all members of the festival team in order to fulfill shared team deliverables.
- Attend festival team meetings in December and during the weeks of the festival.
- Liaise with venue representatives in order to plan for the load in, performance period and load out of productions in the festival.
- Supervise and support venue technical staff as required. Act as technical lead for festival venues.
- Maintain schedule plans with a balanced eye for efficiency and budget considerations.
- Coordinate freight, deliveries, pickups, and returns of equipment and properties for companies and suppliers.
- Coordinate venue setups including front of house, audience seating and remote box office requirements.
- Occasionally fill roles as a general technician where appropriate.
- Create and distribute daily and weekly schedules for various venues and productions as required.
- Create and distribute drawings and technical paperwork.
- Be on the ground and readily available for the duration of the High Performance Rodeo for all event-related questions and concerns.
- Assist with planning and execution of ancillary festival events and programs as needed.
- Produce well-organized records for archival purposes, including expense reports and budgets, petty cash, and take part in a post-mortem process after the conclusion of the festival.
- Work with fellow staff to ensure the best available standards of hospitality and inclusiveness for the artists we welcome.
- Other duties as required.
We are looking for a candidate who has:
- A background in performing arts, technical theatre production (including lighting, audio, staging and rigging), event management, and CAD applications.
- Previous experience in the role of supervisor.
- An ability to work independently and in close collaboration with a team.
- Excellent communication skills—listening, receiving, clarifying and conveying.
- Ability to multitask, manage multiple projects that have an over-lapping workflow.
- Previous experience working with budgets and tracking expenses.
- Ability to excel while working in a fast-paced, festival environment.
- A valid driver’s license and ability to drive rental vehicles will be considered an asset, as is access to a vehicle for use during the contract.
- The ability to use your own laptop and/or other devices in our office and remotely is also considered an asset.
To apply for this position please email the following materials to reception@oyr.org by Friday, August 19, 2019, at 5:00pm with the subject heading Technical Director HPR2020:
- A cover letter detailing your interest in the position addressed to Oliver Armstrong, Festival Production Manager.
- A resume that highlights your relevant experience.
- Two references with current contact information.
We thank everyone who applies for their interest, but only those candidates offered an interview will be contacted.
The High Performance Rodeo is committed to employment equity and diversity, and encourage applications from all interested individuals. We can provide training in certain aspects of the position, and want to support the right candidate to be successful in this contract role.
About the High Performance Rodeo
For three wild weeks in January, One Yellow Rabbit’s High Performance Rodeo, Calgary’s International Festival of the Arts, is where the action is. It’s a chance to watch touring performances from across Canada, acclaimed international shows, and new and experimental work from artists here in Calgary.
The programming is bold, cutting-edge, funny, frank, and full of heart. There’s theatre, dance, music, film, free lunchtime concerts, late-night cabarets, and so much more. Shows in the basement of the Calgary Tower, at the Royal Canadian Legion, in the +15’s, a wrestling ring, an elevator, in City Hall, Eau Claire Market, the Glenbow, Central Library, Big Secret Theatre, Lunchbox, DJD, and the Jack Singer Concert Hall.
The High Performance Rodeo takes over downtown Calgary in all shapes, sizes, and sounds—defying description and tantalizing the tastes of arts and culture lovers. Audiences brave the January cold or revel in the chinook heat-wave, comb over the festival guide, and come out to play.
The High Performance Rodeo is about championing creativity, building community, celebrating diverse voices, and promoting self-expression in all forms. For 33 years, the festival has been a launching pad for local artists and a spotlight onto the world’s stage. It’s a unique experience that only happens here.
For more information, visit hprodeo.ca.
