Artistic Director’s Job Description

Workshop West Playwrights’ Theatre Society (WWT) is seeking a creative and innovative individual for the post of Artistic Director. The Artistic Directorship is a senior artistic management position reporting to the Board of Directors as an employee of WWT. The Artistic Director is responsible and directly accountable to the Board of Directors.

The successful candidate will have strong artistic and dramaturgical credentials as well as outstanding administrative, interpersonal and management skills.

About Workshop West Theatre (WWT)

Legal Mandate
The production and presentation for the public of Canadian plays and the education of the public in playwrighting skills.

Workshop West Theatre began its journey in 1978, and continues to be one of the most prolific and influential theatre companies in Western Canada.

Mission Statement
Workshop West Playwrights’ Theatre is a professional, Edmonton-based theatre dedicated to the development, production, promotion, and presentation of new Canadian playwrights and their plays, and to the education of the public in playwrighting skills.

Workshop West Playwrights’ Theatre

• Creates venues, programming, and growth opportunities for playwrights and theatre artists including: productions, presentations, festivals, and dramaturgical support for playwrights, play development exercises, commissions and residencies;
• Involves the community in new play development
• Reflects the diversity of Canadian playwrighting,
• Encourages artistic excellence, risk-taking, and respectful collaboration,
• Collaborates with other organizations of similar focus locally, nationally, and internationally,
• Operates within a stable organizational and financial structure.

Responsibilities of the Artistic Director

Accountable to the Board of Directors, the Artistic Director is responsible for the artistic planning, development, production and direction as stipulated in the mandate of WWT. As a member of the senior management team reporting to the Board, the Artistic Director has responsibility for management and leadership of the theatre including fiscal stewardship, board and community relations, fundraising, education, and artistic development. A strong connection with the local and national theatre industry and industry professionals is required along with a commitment to serve WWT patrons and supporters. Artistic vision with a strong creative background as a director and dramaturg is essential.

The successful candidate will be responsible for the following:

• Strategic short and long term artistic planning that provides visionary and inspirational artistic leadership to WWT
• Conceiving a season and selecting plays for WWT main stage productions
• Curating and selecting new plays for workshops
• Soliciting and reading new play submissions
• Curating the annual Canoe Theatre Festival
• Directing a minimum of one (1) production per season
• Engaging guest directors for productions and dramaturgs for playwriting workshops
• Representing the theatre locally, nationally and internationally to maintain and enhance WWT highly regarded profile
• Engaging new and diverse audiences
• Working with the General Manager to ensure the smooth and effective functioning of WWT
• Engaging the WWT creative, stage management and production team members in consultation with the guest director as required
• Contributing to fundraising and donor development activities of the organization
• Contributing to budget development specifically as it relates to productions including grant submission to Federal, Provincial and Municipal Governments.
• Attending and contributing to board development and governance

Qualifications
The successful applicant’s résumé will support the following criteria:

• A proven track record of excellence in artistic achievement in the direction of professional productions and dramaturgy of new Canadian works with positive financial results
• A high motivation to build and engage audiences for WWT, combined with an informed perspective on current audience trends and desires
• Ability to motivate, inspire and collaborate with artistic personnel, administrative staff, donors, board members, and other volunteers in reaching specific goals and priorities
• A working and comprehensive knowledge of the Edmonton professional theatre community.
This knowledge should include:

1. Emerging and established artists along with the theatre companies operating in Edmonton and the surrounding area 
2. Theatre training institutions in Edmonton and the surrounding area, from which the Edmonton theatre community draws the majority of its performers, designers and technicians

• Ability to build effective working relationships with artists, theatre industry colleagues, donors, board members, community leaders and funding agencies
• Ability to prepare detailed operating and production budgets that can be delivered within approved resource allocations in collaboration with the General Manager
• Demonstrates flexibility in dealing with unforeseen circumstances
• A leadership approach that creates a positive, mutually supportive working relationship between the artistic and administrative personnel
• A working knowledge of the CTA, PGC and ADC contracts
• A comprehensive understanding of local, provincial and federal funding agencies with a demonstrable record of success with the granting process

How to Apply

This is a contract position with salary and benefits to be negotiated commensurate with experience of the successful individual.
The official start date is no later than September 1, 2014.

Interested candidates are invited to send their résumé with a covering letter to:

The Artistic Committee
c/o Marian Brant
Workshop West Theatre
11516 – 103 Street
Edmonton, Alberta T5G 2H9
OR
Via e-mail wwtadsearch@gmail.com

The deadline for receipt of applications is 11:59 p.m. MDT.
Tuesday, 22 April 2014.

We thank all applicants in advance for their interest in WWT, however, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for an interview with the Artistic Committee