We are excited to invite two dynamic, curious and highly experienced individuals to join our team as Festival Co-Directors.
Tāwhiri is a charitable company dedicated to delivering exceptional festivals and events in Te-Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington), Aotearoa. Our festivals include the Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts, Wellington Jazz Festival, Te Hui Ahurei Reo Māori o Te Whanganui-a-Tara and Lexus Song Quest.
Overview
E kimi ana mātou i tētehi tokorua ki te whakakī i ngā tūranga Ringatohu-Toi, he tūranga takirua. Tēnei te tono atu ki a koe.
Ko ngā Ringatohu Toi ka noho ki te Tīma Kaiārahi o Tāwhiri. Ka mahi ngātahi rāua ki te whakatakoto i te ara toi mō ngā whetiwara me ngā kaupapa ā Tāwhiri, ka rua ki te whakatinana i o mātou mātāpono, ka toru ki te whakatutuki i ngā whāinga rautaki, ka mutu ki te whakatutuki i ngā whāinga kua tāia ki te Kaupapa Here Kākano Maha.
We are seeking two Festival Co-Directors to lead the programming of our festivals. We invite you to apply.
The Festival Co-Directors are part of the Leadership Team of Tāwhiri. They work in collaboration with each other to shape the artistic direction of Tāwhiri’s festivals and events, embody our company values, achieve its strategic objectives, and realise the outcomes outlined in our Interculturalism Policy.
The two Festival Co-Directors will lead the artistic programming, strategy, and scoping for our festivals. This collaborative programming approach, combining complementary skills, aims to enhance mutual support and artistic innovation. The roles are fixed term for four years, Wellington-based, constituting 1.4 FTE between them.
The split of responsibilities for programming the various elements of our festivals will be decided through the recruitment process where we match the skills, experience, networks, and working styles of the successful candidates.
Tāwhiri is committed to presenting and supporting Māori artists, stories, and audiences, as well as international and Aotearoa New Zealand artists. Our team culture is collaborative, hard-working, and thoughtful.
Requirements
The successful candidates must demonstrate:
- experience in programming / curation at a senior level
- strong networks across Aotearoa and internationally in the performing arts
- a broad understanding and interest in contemporary performing arts, theatre, dance, circus, opera, music, events of scale, with demonstrated experience in creating or producing at least one of these genres in a professional context (including Festivals or venues)
- a sophisticated and hands-on understanding of the elements of the artistic process, development, production, and presentation of a performance/work
- a curiosity in, or a developed understanding of, audience trends
- the ability to forecast and navigate budget forecasts including box office, producing, and logistics
- excellent administration skills
- an open and warm working style that is respectful and responsive to the needs of artists and fellow team members.
We are very interested in hearing from candidates who have skills and experience in:
- Mātauranga Maori
- Toi Māori and kaupapa Māori events
- Understanding and comprehension of verbal, written and conversational Te Reo Māori.
Programming at Tāwhiri is navigated through consultation and conversation between Festival Co-Directors and the Leadership Team. The Leadership Team has responsibility for ensuring our events are feasible in terms of tīkanga, producing, logistics, technical & production, audience, marketing, and fundraising. As such, team fit and strong collaborative skills are essential.
Application Process
Contact recruitment@tawhiri.nzto receive a Position Description and candidate pack.
Joint applications are welcome if the pair can fulfill all elements of the roles between them. You can also opt to be considered as part of a pair and as an individual.
We welcome candidates with relevant skills from Aotearoa New Zealand and internationally. You must have the legal right to work and live in New Zealand and meet any entry requirements if you’re outside the country.
The offers of appointment will be made by mid-February 2024 with a start date of mid-2024.
How to Apply
Contact recruitment@tawhiri.nz to receive a candidate pack. Submit your application by 5pm, Monday 4 December 2023 (NZ time) to recruitment@tawhiri.nz. Include a CV and cover letter that specifically speaks to the skills, experience and capabilities listed in the job description.
