Oral History Interviewer
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity aims to inspire everyone who attends our campus – artists, leaders, and thinkers – to unleash their creative potential.
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity acknowledges, with deep respect and gratitude, our home on the side of Sacred Buffalo Guardian Mountain, in the beautiful and special territory of Treaty 7. We recognize the past, present, and future generations of Stoney Nakoda, Blackfoot, Tsuut’ina Nations, and Métis from Region 3, who help us steward this land, as well as honour and celebrate this place.
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity has been offering great programming for almost 90 years. It was established in 1933 as the Banff School of Drama, and granted full autonomy as a non-degree granting post-secondary educational institution in 1978. In 1972, the Centre established its first Indigenous Leadership program entitled Local Leadership, described as a “short course for Native People in Southern Alberta.” In 1995, the Centre’s leadership had the foresight to hire its first full-time director of Indigenous Leadership and Management, Andrew Bear Robe of the Siksika Nation. They also established an advisory body, our Indigenous Program Council, made up of Indigenous community and business leaders, to inform the program content and ensure its quality and relevance.
The Indigenous community directly associated to the Banff Centre as staff and faculty and beyond as participants would like to start planning for a celebration in 2022 commemorating fifty years of outstanding Indigenous programming by gathering information through the words and narratives of past staff, faculty and alumni. This is the second phase of work, following one that will create a robust timeline and collect non-video assets related to the history of Indigenous Leadership programming at the Centre.
We are seeking applications from individuals who are grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing. The successful candidate will document Banff Centre Indigenous programs, events, symposiums and gatherings offered from 1972 onward working closely with Indigenous Leadership and have good relationships with Indigenous communities.
Specific Accountabilities
Reporting to the Director, Indigenous Leadership, below are some key accountabilities:
- Create a work plan for the project.
- Schedule regular project team check-ins.
- Conduct between 30-50 oral history interviews of Indigenous Leadership alumni, past faculty, elder and staff from 1972 to today.
- Ensure the interview template, including the consent form, is appropriate to gathering information and properly reflect the gifts of Indigenous wisdom and leadership.
- Augment the chronological timeline from Phase 1 of the project from information gained from oral history interviews from 1972 onward.
- Develop 30-50 video profile pieces of interviewees with a still image and up to 300-400 words summarizing the person and their connection to the Centre/Indigenous Leadership.
- Develop a trailer of content for an introduction/background of Indigenous Leadership at Banff Centre.
- Provide all raw data, including video, audio, transcripts, images, etc. to the Banff Centre at the close of the project.
- Prepare a final report to the Banff Centre Indigenous Leadership staff on areas for future research, things to be aware of and reflections on the process.
- Prepare a closing presentation to Indigenous Leadership, the Banff Centre programming team, and others from senior leadership on this phase of the project.
Qualification and Educational Requirements:
- Strong examples of hands-on video content production and video producer experience.
- Strong technical knowledge of professional digital film and video production procedures, practices, techniques, terminology and electronics.
- 2 years’ experience conducting oral histories, especially with Indigenous community members.
- Excellent organizational and technical ability; able to creatively plan and translate abstract concepts into effective visual form.
- Ability to work under pressure of time, multiple simultaneous demands, and multiple constituencies.
- Self-starter, hard worker; with roll-up-your sleeves production and post-production savvy, and proven ability to take a video project from concept to delivery.
- Knowledge of production scheduling software is an asset.
- Basic nonlinear editing skills are an asset.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Strong teamwork skills and ability to take initiative and work independently or as part of a team.
Special Requirements
This position will be working remotely until Banff Centre lifts its internal remote work restrictions.
Employment Terms & Benefits
- In accordance with CUPE 4318, this is a unionized, hourly support staff position subject to a 500-hour probation period.
- This is a 3 month term position.
- This position pays a lump sum of $15,000.
Benefits of working at Banff Centre are:
- Staff housing options (based on availability).
- Professional Development.
- Staff cafeteria and restaurant discounts.
- Onsite fitness facility at a discounted rate – first month free for new staff!
- Free or reduced admission to Banff Centre performance and events.
Commitment to Diversity
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity is committed to creating an equitable, diverse, and inclusive campus for students, faculty, staff and visitors. Guided by our values, Banff Centre is rooted in Alberta with provincial, national and global impact. Our strength arises from inclusion; the diversity of people, ideas, perspectives, and cultural backgrounds in our work and team. We encourage women; First Nations, Métis and Inuit persons; members of visible minority groups; persons with disabilities; persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity and expression to apply.
Application Process
We are accepting applications for this position until a suitable candidate has been found.
Candidates offered a position with Banff Centre, in this capacity, will be required to obtain a criminal record check verifying a clear record before a final job offer can be finalized.
All Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity Employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 . Accommodation will be made for those who are legitimately exempted from vaccination requirements. Employment candidates must demonstrate during the recruitment process that they are Fully Vaccinated in accordance with the Centre’s COVID-19 Vaccination Directive as a pre-condition of employment.
To apply please visit banffcentre.ca/careers.
