AMP: Artists' Meeting Place and Resource Collective

COMMUNITY INITIATIVES PROGRAM MANAGER

The Ford Theatre Foundation seeks a dynamic arts professional with extensive knowledge of the performing arts and the local arts community in Los Angeles County to play a pivotal role in leading the planning, development, and implementation of active community engagement programs at the John Anson Ford Theatres and at partnering sites in Los Angeles County. The Program Manager will manage initiatives that will increase the diversity of disciplines and cultures represented on the Ford Theatres stage and in its audiences and deepen existing relationships with cultural communities in the region. This position will report directly to the Managing Director of Productions.

ANTICIPATED ACTIVITIES

* Managing the Foundation's team of contracted community liaisons which provide outreach and technical assistance services to artists and producers within specific cultural communities, including developing their scope of work, assessing the success of their activities, providing oversight and feedback to improve community impact, and report the results of their work to Ford Theatre staff;

* Programming and producing the Foundation's Big!World!Fun! Family Series and on- and off-site participatory J.A.M. Session Series, including negotiating performance/workshop content and fees with potential artists, managing the program budget, collaborating with the Ford Theatres marketing staff to promote the series, and overseeing the overall production of the series;

* Attending performing arts events in all Los Angeles County communities to scout and recruit new producers and arts organizations to participate in the Ford Theatres Partnership Program, and to develop a roster of artists appropriate for other Arts Commission programs including the Los Angeles County Holiday Celebration and Musicians Roster programs;

* Managing the Ford's free ticket program which provides free tickets and transportation to the Ford for Los Angeles County-based community youth centers;

* Conducting outreach workshops and coordinating the Foundation's participation in community fairs and festivals to build relationships with targeted cultural and geographic populations and provide information regarding all Ford Theatre Foundation and Arts Commission program opportunities;

* Serving as primary contact for the Ford Theatre Foundation's Advisory Council.

QUALIFICATIONS

Successful applicants will:

* Have a bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university, preferably with major course work in the arts or a related field;
* Have three or more years experience in a non-profit or related field developing multicultural performing arts programming;

* Possess a deep knowledge of the arts community in Los Angeles County and be familiar with diverse forms of arts disciplines and cultural practices;

* Have experience working with diverse constituencies and communities that are traditionally underrepresented in the arts;

* Have outstanding written and oral communication skills and superior public speaking and presenting skills;
* Be able to facilitate productive, outcome-focused meetings with liaisons, artists, and community members;
* Be detail-oriented with demonstrated ability to multi-task, prioritize, and work well under pressure to meet competing deadlines;

* Be dependable, responsive, prepared, and flexible with the ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team;

* Have CA State-issued driver's license and reliable transportation to attend off-site programming as well as community outreach events;

* Be able to speak a second language (not required, but desirable)

* Have strong command of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook with the ability and willingness to learn new software/operating systems.

COMPENSATION

Salary will begin at $52,000 with medical and dental benefits.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Candidates are invited to submit a cover letter, resume, professional writing sample (include purpose and intended audience), and three professional references. All submissions should be emailed to the attention of Georgia Reyes at greyes@arts.lacounty.gov, with Community Initiatives Program Manager as the subject line. Please do not submit any application materials through the US mail or phone regarding the status of the submission. Applications will be reviewed starting on December 10, 2012. Position will remain open until the staffing need is met and may close without advance notice.

BACKGROUND

The John Anson Ford Theatres complex, one of the oldest performing arts venues in Los Angeles still in use, includes the open air Ford Amphitheatre and intimate indoor [Inside] the Ford theatre. Since its creation in 1994, the Ford Theatre Foundation has supported programs that address both the rich diversity of the performing arts within Los Angeles and maintain the Ford as a site for communities to gather for affirmative cultural experiences. To learn more about the Ford, please visit www.fordtheatres.org.

from LA Culture Net