AMP: Artists' Meeting Place and Resource Collective

from Franklin Furnace

Employment Opportunity
Mountain Standard Time Performative Art

Position: Research Assistant
Application deadline: August 30, 2020

About Mountain Standard Time

Mountain Standard Time (M:ST) is a non-profit arts organization dedicated to the creation, research, and presentation of contemporary performative art practices. Foregrounding the body, we create artistic and cultural contexts where nuanced dialogues, ethical reflexivity, and social change are animated through experimental, risk-taking programming.

M:ST was established in 2001 as a collaborative endeavor between several local arts organizations and we continue to connect local and global artistic communities through our unique performative art programming and partnerships. Our activities include artistic research and production residencies, online and print publications, workshops, lectures, panel discussions, advocacy, and our biennial festival.

Our mission, vision, and values are listed here https://www.mountainstandardtime.org/about and we encourage applicants to review them before applying.

We are seeking a Research Assistant

The Research Assistant will be tasked with conducting preliminary research into organizational structuring and resource distribution strategies outside of non-profit contexts. Care will be taken to acknowledge the specific histories and socio-political contexts in which these knowledges are produced and when possible credit specific individuals/groups involved in their creation. The research is intended to build M:ST’s decision-making capacity, will inform future visioning initiatives, and will be shared with our organizational partners and the public.

This is a contract position remunerating $25.00 per hour, for a total contract of $5,000.00 (or 200 hours total). The start date and hours worked per week will be arranged to suit the applicant. M:ST’s office is based in the CommunityWise Resource Centre in Mohkinstsis/Calgary, and applicants are welcome to work from the office or remotely.

Responsibilities of the Research Assistant:
• co-determine scope and depth of research in collaboration with the Artistic Director
• co-determine the training required to engage responsibly in this work, ex.: training on informed consent, interviewing, crediting sources, etc.
• review and summarize materials from various sources
• organize and conduct interviews in person, over the phone, or by video conferencing
• maintain detailed and accurate records
• compiling research into document for public access
• attend regular meeting with the Artistic Director and monthly meetings with the Board of Directors

Supports for the position:

• budget for interviewee and storyteller honorariums + payments to subject matter experts
• budget for translation and/or interpretation
• guidance from the Artistic Director, and when applicable, the Equity Committee
• training and mentorship by seasoned Researcher

Essential skills and experience:

• excellent interpersonal communication skills
• understanding of key concepts, such as informed consent and appropriation
• experience skillfully and successfully organizing time, resources, and information
• self-motivation, flexibility, and the ability to complete tasks in a timely manner without direct supervision
• access to a computer

Desired skills and experience:
• bilingual or multilingual
• understanding of Mohkinstsis/Calgary-based artist-run centre history and existing funding models
• excellent written communication skills

Hiring procedure:

M:ST is implementing a three-part hiring process.

Part 1: Apply. Send us either:
• a 5 minute video (link or video),
• a 5 minute voice recording (link or video),
• or a cover letter and resume
to info@mountainstandardtime.org by August 30, 2020. Your email should have the subject line “ATTN: Research Assistant.”

Part 2: Interview. Meet an M:ST Board Director, Staff Member, and a community representative over Zoom for 45 min – 1 hour long conversation.

Part 3: Paid Research Week. Three applicants will be asked to engage in one week of paid part-time research (10 hours at $25.00 per hour) in a co-working environment before the final hiring decision is made. The intention behind the third stage is to cultivate a mutually beneficial and consensual work environment, wherein each of the three applicants has an opportunity to make new connections, be supported, and make an informed decision on whether they would like to work with M:ST.

We highly encourage applications from individuals from BIPOC communities, persons with disabilities, persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, persons from poor and working class backgrounds, and others with the skills and knowledge to engage these communities.

M:ST is committed to accommodating applicants with barriers to the recruitment procedures outlined above. Please contact our Artistic Director, Desiree Nault at desiree@mountainstandardtime.org or (403) 837-6678 if you require accommodation or have questions about the materials or procedures used at any time during this process. We will work with you to determine how to meet your needs throughout recruitment and your staff contract.

M:ST acknowledges that we stand on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot and the people of the Treaty 7 region, which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina and the Stoney Nakoda First Nations. The City of Calgary is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region III. Amidst the ongoing social, cultural and environmental effects of colonialism, we are committed to dialogue and collaboration with Indigenous artists and communities as part of our mandate to foster performative art practices in Southern Alberta.