OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION
The Textile Museum of Canada is seeking a highly motivated team player with a friendly disposition for the position of Scotiabank Education Assistant.
The Education Assistant will support the educational and curatorial mandates of the Textile Museum of Canada and will assist the Curator of Education and the Education and Interpretive Coordinator in organizing and implementing programs. The assistant will be specifically responsible for the development and implementation of our Textile Teach-Ins, our twice-monthly, free workshops that offer instruction on textile techniques. They will assist the Curator of Education in the development, promotion, and delivery of the school program and other outreach activities. Additionally once it is safe to do so, they would develop activities (in consultation with volunteer educators), lead hands-on activities with our teaching collection, and develop family guides that could be available on other days of the week to casual visitors. This position reports to the Curator of Education and works with all departments of this mid-sized institution.
ADRESSING COVID-19
To help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, the Textile Museum of Canada temporarily closed on March 15. With the City of Toronto moving to Stage 2 of reopening, the Museum is set to open its doors on Aug 5th for reduced hours and days. Programming will be delivered through digital and physical hybrid approaches. The Education Assistant will work both onsite and remotely as required.
PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (REMOTE)
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Works to further the goals and objectives of the Museum as it participates in virtual activities as a result of the COVID-19 closure.
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Helps to deliver the Museum’s school programs as needed; helps to create educational resource materials; manages student art projects and exhibitions.
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Assists with maintaining and documenting the Museum’s teaching collection including describing, cataloguing, data entry, and editing.
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Updates interactive resources kits and materials; assists in the delivery of information workshops and professional development sessions to educators and other groups
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Assists the education department in general duties as required
PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (ONSITE)
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Acts in a respectful, accountable, and generous manner towards other staff, volunteers, and the general public.
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Plans and implements workshops to support our Textile Teach-In Program; determines activities that align with exhibitions and develops structure to teach and engage audience in hands-on making.
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Activates Fibre space, the Museums education centre on Saturday afternoons. Plans educational activities that engage families and visitors of all ages. Delivers programs, and or supports community partners to deliver content. Oversees Saturday and evening education events as they occur.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/SKILLS
Must be physically capable of lifting up to 35 lbs; have experience and the ability to lift and handle art objects.
REQUIREMENTS
The candidate has to be comfortable working remotely until it is safe to work onsite. The candidate will have knowledge of the arts and culture sector and a passion for education; they will have knowledge of textile processes and ideally have an artistic practice that will inform their hands-on teaching. The candidate must be comfortable working with a variety of public groups, diverse audiences, and visitors or all ages.
ANTICIPATED START DATE
September 2020
DURATION
4-6 month contract
RATE
$18/hour
DEADLINE
April 21, 2020 at midnight
QUALIFICATIONS
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Current OCAD U students or 2020 grads (focusing on Criticism & Curatorial Practices, Visual Studies, Fine Art, Art History, education or similar)
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Experience or interest in working with museum collections, public programs and collections in a public museum or gallery
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Knowledge of documentation practices and procedures pertaining to museum objects
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Demonstrated understanding of the cultural importance of museum and gallery practice
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Strong organizational and communication skills, and the ability to work flexibly in a creative and collaborative team environment
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Good judgment and problem-solving skills
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Computer skills: experience with MS Office (Word, Excel), Web browsing, and email are required; familiarity with database systems, Adobe Photoshop and HTML would be considered real assets
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Knowledge and understanding of textile art and techniques is preferred
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
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Full contact information (Name, phone, and email and current resume).
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Cover letter outlining your interest in the opportunity and relevant experience.
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Creative portfolio (PDF or website). Please highlight 3-5 key projects.
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
Please submit all components online via Typeform
Established in 1975 and originally incorporated as The Canadian Museum of Carpets andTextiles, the Textile Museum of Canada has established itself as a vibrant cultural place that promotes community engagement through our programs and services. Our operations are driven by a committed Board of Directors, Committee Members and staff of 18 employees, as well as a vital and engaged community of more than 150 volunteers.
As the only national museum in Canada exclusively dedicated to the study and presentation of textiles from cultures around the world, we occupy a unique position among other leading cultural institutions in the country. The universality of textiles is at the heart of our work and provides the stimulus and opportunity to engage communities around us as well as thousands of national and international visitors.
The Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers recognizes Scotiabank for its generous support for the Career Launcher program