ArtAttack! Coordinator

Company Overview

Buddies in Bad Times Theatre is Toronto’s leading destination for artistically rigorous alternative theatre and a world leader in developing queer voices and stories for the stage. Buddies offers a year-round program that includes a full season of queer theatre, new works festivals, artist residencies, and intergenerational training and education initiatives. We have dedicated time over the last two years addressing the company’s inherent complicity in perpetuating racism, anti-Blackness, and ableism. There is a section on our website dedicated to updating our community on the ongoing work towards better equity practices in an effort to remain accountable to this very important work. To learn more visit: Organizational Change — Buddies in Bad Times Theatre: https://buddiesinbadtimes.com/organizational-change/

Buddies follows COVID-19 protocols to ensure safety of staff, led by our Joint Health and Safety Committee who work to ensure safety standards are met, and adjustments made when needed or requested.

Job Description

Position Type: Contract
Positions Available: 1
Contract Fee: $15,000-$18,000 Depending on Experience 
This is a hybrid position
Posting Date:  March 27, 2024
Closing Date:  April 9, 2024 at midnight
Start Date: ASAP  
Reporting to: ted witzel, Artistic Director
Working Closely With: Aidan Morishita-Miki, Producer

Buddies in Bad Times, known to friends as Buddies, is a queer organization: for us queerness is a political/aesthetic orientation, more than (just) an identitarian subcategory, our queerness is oppositional, disobedient, and centers and celebrates otherness and radical outsiders.

ROLE

Buddies in Bad Times is thrilled to be searching for an ArtAttack! Coordinator to lead the charge for one of Toronto’s most cherished and vibrant art auctions. ArtAttack! is not just an event; it’s a celebration, a fundraiser, and an art party rolled into one, with a bold aim to raise $80,000 (see past catalogues 2023, 2022, 2019). We are on the lookout for someone with the passion, organizational prowess, love of/knowledge of the visual arts scene, and creative flair to coordinate this multifaceted event that includes a live auction and the beloved Tuck Shop. ArtAttack is a longstanding Buddies tradition—we have lots of internal knowledge of the event, but we’re always looking for ways to innovate and rejuvenate. The ArtAttack! Coordinator will support the Buddies team ASAP until the end of November.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

As the ArtAttack! Coordinator, your role is pivotal to the success of the event. You’ll be involved in every aspect from the ground up, ensuring that every detail is polished and every participant, from artist to bidder, experiences the magic of ArtAttack!. Your tasks will include:

• Artwork and Auction Management: Oversee the entire lifecycle of artwork donations, from sourcing, managing a curatorial team, collection, data entry and tracking to ensuring art pieces are framed, auction-ready, and delivered to successful bidders.
• Event Planning and Execution: Spearhead the coordination of event logistics, including the live auction and Tuck Shop, ensuring a seamless experience for all attendees.
• Marketing and Communications Support: Collaborate with the marketing team to publicize the event, website and catalogue creation, manage guest lists, and maintain active communication with registrants leading up to the event. Utilize your connections in the visual arts world to help us reach art-loving audiences who will have an amazing time at a queer fundraiser that will give them a chance to build their collections. 
• Operational Support: Coordinate event logistics such as supply shopping, setup, showrunning, and teardown, and manage the coordination of pickups and deliveries of art.
• Sponsorship and Donations: Engage in soliciting event sponsorships and in-kind donations, amplifying the impact and reach of ArtAttack!.
• Administrative Excellence: Take charge of Curatorial Committee meetings from coordination to minute-taking, support the creation of reporting and tax receipts, and ensure smooth scheduling and attendance of essential Buddies meetings.
• Software and Systems Savvy: Utilize key department software and systems, including Theatre Manager, Google Workspace, SquareSpace, and Slack, to streamline operations and enhance efficiency.

ABOUT YOU:

• Passionate about art and culture, with a particular soft spot for Buddies and its mission.
• A logistical witch (gender neutral), capable of juggling multiple tasks with grace under pressure.
• Exceptionally organized, detail-oriented, and adept at both planning and execution phases of event management.
• Knowledge of or experience working in visual arts, knowledge of museological standards and practices would be an asset
• Proficient in handling data, with experience in managing databases and comfortable with digital tools and platforms.
• An excellent communicator, both in writing and verbally, comfortable in a dynamic team environment.
• Creative, innovative, and always looking for ways to enhance the event experience for everyone involved.
• Available and eager to commit to the timeline leading up to and including the event (which will happen in early November 2024), with the flexibility to work evenings and weekends as needed.
• Driver’s license is an asset