Workshop: Grant Writing-Theatre Section, Toronto Arts Council

Grants to Playwrights Program

Thursday May 27th

5:00-7:00 pm

The Toronto Arts Council and Playwrights Guild of Canada will host a grant writing workshop to help writers apply to the Toronto Arts Council’s Playwrights’ Program. This is an information session for playwrights with very little grant writing experience and/or knowledge of Toronto Arts Council programs.

The Grants to Playwrights Program supports writers in the creation of new works or works-in-progress for stage or radio plays. Emerging, mid-career and senior playwrights can apply. The next deadline for applications is June15th, 2010.

Applications are available on line at: www.torontoartscouncil.org

The workshop is free but all participants must register.  Registration is limited.

Location

Playwrights Guild of Canada

210-215 Spadina Ave.

(near corner of Spadina and Queen)

To register email margo@torontoartscouncil.org by May 21st

Workshop: Random Acts of Culture: Reclaiming Art and Community in the 21st Century, Jumblies Theatre

Thurs. May 20th, 6:30 to 9:00

Clarke Mackey will present and discuss ideas from his book Random Acts of Culture: Reclaiming Art and Community in the 21st Century at the Fixt Point Studio, 1550 Queen St. West in Parkdale

Clarke Mackey’s new book reexamines of contemporary culture and challenges many widely held assumptions. He argues that, besides popular mass culture and the high culture of the elites, there is a third category of cultural activity that is old as human society itself but is seldom discussed: vernacular culture. Activities in this category include conversation between friends, social gatherings and rituals, play and participatory sports, informal storytelling, musical jam sessions, cooking and gardening, homemade architecture, and street festivals. In this talk, Mackey proposes that a simple, conscious emphasis on practicing and celebrating such activities at the expense of passive, consumer culture would have far-reaching beneficial effects on all aspects of human life in the new millennium.

Clarke Mackey’s feature films, television shows, and documentaries on social justice issues have won awards and garnered much critical praise over the last forty years. In the early nineteen eighties he took a six-year sabbatical from his media career to work as a preschool teacher. It was during this time that he first developed his ideas about vernacular culture. Years later Mackey created an innovative multimedia website called Memory Palace: Vernacular Culture in the Digital Age. His new book, to be published this fall, is the culmination of a thirty-year journey to make sense of these ideas. Clarke Mackey has taught in the Department of Film and Media at Queen’s University since 1988.

AND the launch of a new Jumblies publication: Out of Place – collected essays by Jumblies artists, interns and colleagues. The first issue includes essays by Elizabeth Rucker, Michael Burtt, Diana Tso, Eric Schwindt and Maggie Hutcheson, and the second issue (to be published in fall 2010) will include essays by Lisa Marie DiLiberto, Leah Houston and others.

6:30 – greetings, food and drinks
7:00 – presentation and discussion
8:00 – mingling and more drinks and refreshments
PWYC for soup, drinks and snacks

For more info. contact:
info@jumbliestheatre.org
416-203-8428

Call for Submissions: CBT Play Creation Unit, Carlos Bulosan Theatre

The CBT Play Creation Unit is a novice play creation program.  It introduces participants to various approaches to making theatre.  Through regular workshops and sessions with professional theatre artists, we help participants identify, cultivate and explore their creative voice.  Each member will create a 10-15 minute piece of theatre that will be presented in CBT’s annual showcase of new work Tales from the Flipside at the end of March 2011.

Submission Guidelines:

• A letter of interest outlining why you would like to be part of the program, including an idea you would like to develop into a piece of theatre
• A 1-2 page submission of creative writing (this can take the form of dialogue, poetry, prose, short story, etc.)

The Play Creation Unit begins meeting September 2010 through to January 2011.

The deadline for submissions is June 18, 2010.

Submissions can be sent by email to: info@carlosbulosan.com

The Carlos Bulosan Theatre’s (CBT’s) mandate is to reflect on social issues affecting the Filipino and broader community. CBT is also committed to creating innovative work that reflects a vibrant, new generation of Filipino-Canadian artists. CBT seeks to encourage and develop Filipino-Canadian writers, performers, and other artists within the community.

Job Posting: Corporate Development and Special Events Manager, Opera Atelier

Opera Atelier, Canada’s Baroque Theatre Company, is seeking a dynamic individual to join its team of arts professionals as the Corporate Development and Special Events Manager. Now is an exciting time to be a part of Opera Atelier. We are about to enter our 25^th anniversary season and have experienced a 30% increase in both subscriptions and donations in the last two years. Opera Atelier’s Annual Versailles Gala raised 46% more than budgeted in 2010.

Reporting to the Director of Development, the Corporate Development and Special Events Manager will be responsible for the identification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship and renewal of all corporate sponsors and donors and the management our main fundraising event, the Versailles Gala. In addition, this position will be responsible other OA fundraising events and activities as required.

The successful candidate will be a professional who has a sense of humour, boundless energy and enthusiasm, and a strong work ethic. The position requires someone who thrives on challenges, works well under pressure, is a good communicator, is a self-motivated team player, is well organized and is an expert at multi-tasking. A quick learner, the successful candidate will be able to take direction, has good judgment and grasps standard office technologies easily. An interest in opera or the arts is desirable.

Specific Responsibilities

• Identification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship of corporate sponsors and donors
• Financial responsibilities including budget development, revenue and expense management
• Event management, from planning to day-of execution
• ticket sales and gifts-in-kind
• Management of  Event Committee(s) and their activities
• Coordination of the design, production and distribution of all event related materials, including new media and promotions
• Development of and adherence to the critical path for each event
• Management of data for all event invitees, participants, suppliers, donors and sponsors
• Stewardship of all attendees, suppliers, donors and sponsors
• Work collaboratively with OA colleagues and volunteers including, but not limited to: artistic, production, facility operations, marketing
• Supervision of volunteers
• Supervision of interns or support staff

Qualifications

• University degree or comparable work experience
• Minimum of 2 years experience in special events or corporate sponsorship, with emphasis on fundraising objectives
• Assertive but tactful
• Exceptional attention to detail and donor/sponsor fulfillment/stewardship
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Experience in motivating and working with senior volunteers
• Excellent knowledge of all Microsoft Office applications, particularly Word and Excel
• Experience using fundraising software would be an asset

Desirable

• Knowledge of the Toronto business community and Toronto “society”
• Previous experience with an arts organization
• An interest in opera

Please note that this position entails work on evenings, weekends and holidays.

This is a full-time salaried position with benefits.

The application deadline is Monday, May 31, 2010. Opera Atelier thanks, in advance, all applicants but only those considered for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls or emails please.

Please respond in writing to:

Ali Kashani

Director of Development

Opera Atelier

157 King Street East, 4^th Floor

Toronto, ON M5C 1G9

Applications by email or fax will not be accepted.

Job Posting: Director of Marketing, Opera Atelier

Opera Atelier, Canada’s Baroque Theatre Company, is seeking a dynamic individual to join its team of arts professionals as the Director of Marketing. Now is an exciting time to be a part of Opera Atelier. We are about to enter our 25^th anniversary season and have experienced a 30% increase in both subscriptions and donations in the last two years.

This position is responsible for creating and implementing all marketing and promotional strategies necessary to generate and grow a $1 million ticket revenue budget and build the profile of Opera Atelier locally and internationally. The work environment is creative, collegial and fast-paced.

Specific Responsibilities

• developing departmental budgets and financial reporting and forecasting
• subscriber acquisition and retention campaigns  and single ticket campaigns,
• new audience strategies including social media
• development and maintenance of the company’s brand
• front of house operations at the venues
• all box office activities, including patron management
• identifying and negotiating key vendor agreements
• media buying (print and radio) and distribution
• managing contracts for website development and maintenance + on line marketing and promotions
• supervises a small staff, including the audience services coordinator and the marketing and education manager
• liaises closely with key partners Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, the Elgin Theatre and Ticketmaster
• database management for the purpose of maximizing both revenue and sales
• revenue management for sales campaigns
• patron segmentation, ticket pricing, CRM initiatives, and e-commerce
• promotions (traditional media and new media)
• telemarketing, group sales and box office operations.

Qualifications/skills

• An undergraduate degree
• Media buying experience
• Understanding of marketing principles and
• Knowledge of graphic design and print production
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including copywriting and proofreading
• Excellent knowledge of all Microsoft Office applications, particularly Word and Excel
• Experience using ticketing software such as Theatre Manager or Paciolan would be an asset

Desirable

• Knowledge of classical music/opera repertoire

This is a full-time salaried position with benefits. Please note that this position entails work on evenings, weekends and holidays.

The application deadline is Monday, May 31, 2010. Opera Atelier thanks, in advance, all applicants but only those considered for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls or emails please.

Please respond in writing to:

Jane Hargraft

General Manager

Opera Atelier

157 King Street East, 4^th floor

Toronto, ON M5C 1G9

Applications by email or fax will not be accepted.