Programming Director, Images Festival

Images Festival is seeking a Programming Director!

Images Festival is a platform for the exhibition and discourse of independent film and media art that aspires to elevate conversations between artists, scholars, and the public about the politics of the moving image.

Created in 1987, Images has spent the last 35 years presenting media works that are challenging in their form and content. Images showcases the intersection of emerging and established practices and invites open critical dialogue in the film and media arts community around the political herstories of moving image production, distribution, exhibition, and representation. Based in Toronto, the festival includes screenings, exhibitions, performances, events, educational initiatives, and online presentations.

The Programming Director plays a pivotal role in establishing the curatorial and artistic direction of the annual festival, and oversees all aspects of its programming. The person in this position specializes in the programming of contemporary moving image arts and film, and will be tasked with: reviewing submissions from our call for entries; conducting independent research to identify and solicit works from artists; digging through the past to identify historical media artworks that complement the contemporary work we present; selecting and framing the works being shown; and presenting the program at our annual festival. The person in this position will share responsibilities with the Executive Director and will work collaboratively with them and the Board of Directors to set organizational goals, plans, and priorities within a model of mutual support and shared accountability.

The main duties for the Programming Director include:

Programming & Production

• Establish the overall programming direction for Images Festival in collaboration with the festival’s resident Programmer/s, in a way that responds to and/or challenges the festival’s artistic mandate
• Delegate and manage review of all ON SCREEN, OFF SCREEN, LIVE, and GUEST submissions for the festival. Images regularly receives hundreds of submitted works, which will be divided for review between the Programming Director and Programmer/s, and other members of Images’ team at the Programming Director’s discretion
• Conduct independent research of other festival programs, distributor catalogues, studio visits, etc. to identify artists and programs of interest
• Develop and lead Education programming (Artist Talks, Workshops, Panels, and Research Forum) that responds to overall programming vision
• Manage programming critical path, and oversee annual programming schedule and venue assignments, with support from the Executive Director and Technical Manager
• Ensure all programming material delivery deadlines are met for festival catalogue and website production
• Liaise with artists, filmmakers, guest curators, and speakers, and facilitate their attendance and participation, with support from the Festival Coordinator and Technical Coordinator
• Coordinate technical work, including overseeing technical installations, screenings, performances, and venues. Oversee details relating to installing and deinstalling installation works including: equipment rental, transportation and installation, materials purchase and construction and coordination of volunteers
• Support Technical Manager and Technical Coordinator with coordination of print traffic prior to and after the festival
• Develop and nurture relationships with exhibition and presentation partners
• Other duties and/or opportunities may arise and be assigned to the Programming Director in consultation with the ED and/or the Board of Directors, with respect to the Programming Director’s core responsibilities and capacity

Management & Organization Planning

• Supervise and delegate tasks and responsibilities to the programming team with respect for collective and individual capacity
• Conduct performance evaluations for programming team
• Adhere to and provide guidance to the programming team on Images Festival’s human resources policies
• Attend monthly meetings with Images Festival’s Board of Directors
• Contribute to short-, medium-, and long-term strategic planning and review with the Executive Director and Board of Directors
• Participate in annual policy review with the Executive Director and Board of Directors

Funding & Finances

• Prepare public and private funding requests with the Executive Director
• Prepare annual activity reports with the Executive Director
• Develop and manage the annual Programming budget with the Executive Director
• Manage expenditures and revenue per Programming budget (artist fees, accessibility services, venue rentals, etc.)
• Pursue funding to support professional development opportunities (travel, research, etc.) for programming team

The Programming Director is expected to organize programs that respond to Images Festival’s Artistic Mandate and that align with our values. The Director should be prepared to:

• Embrace experimentation in practice, form, genre, and style
• Position works by independent Canadian artists alongside those of their international colleagues
• Prioritize access when selecting works, writing program notes, and organizing presentations in physical and online spaces
• Explore the multiplicity of artistic practices that reflect our community, including works by artists who identify as Black, Indigenous, people of colour, people with disabilities, queer and transgender people
• Highlight works that defy convention and counter dominant histories
• Respond to local, national, and global artistic and socio-political contexts

Compensation:

This position is a full-time, permanent position, based in Toronto. Full-time work consists of five days (35 hours) per week from January – June, and four days (28 hours) per week from July – December. While we are currently working remotely, we expect to return to working from our offices at 401 Richmond St. West in downtown Toronto in 2022.

The salary for this position is $46,500 per year, minus applicable taxes and CPP/EI contributions.

On top of their salary, the Programming Director will receive the following benefits:

• Health Benefits
• 2 weeks paid vacation
• 2 weeks paid office closures in December and August (4 weeks total)
• Flexible Working Schedule
• Unlimited Personal Days

Skills and Experience:

We are open to a wide range of applicants for this position. Individuals with training and expertise in the cultural sector and media arts will be given preference. Experience working in artist-run centres will be considered an asset. People of various levels of experience—lived, educational, and professional—who feel they have the skills and competencies required to meaningfully contribute to this work are encouraged to apply.

Equity and Access:

Images Festival is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing an accessible festival and workplace, and continue to work to reduce the barriers to participation in our events and employment. We welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities, people who self-identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, Racialized, and/or 2SLGBTQ+. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. Please contact us at employment@imagesfestival.com.

To Apply:

Applicants are asked to send a statement of interest outlining their relevant experience, proposing the type of projects they would like to see organized by Images Festival, and describing how their programming or curatorial approach aligns with Images’ mission. Applicants should be comfortable with collective authorship of curatorial programs and open to developing programming in collaboration with numerous partner organizations. Applicants should include a CV with their application, as well as a brief (2-3 page maximum) writing sample. We ask that you please include your preferred pronouns, if any, in your application.

The deadline for applications is November 10, 2021 at 5PM.

Applications can be addressed to the Hiring Committee and sent to:
employment@imagesfestival.com (*please attach PDF files only)

Please include where you saw this posting in your letter of interest.

For more information about our organization and policies, please visit our website at: imagesfestival.com/about-us and imagesfestival.com/accountability

* We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. In situations with several qualified candidates, preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents. *