Position Type: City Manager`s Office/Arts & Cultural Engagement SpecialistDate Posted: 11/1/2024Location: Civic CenterDate Available: TBDClosing Date: 11/15/2024
SALARY RANGE: $38.856-$49.886/HOUR *Starting salary is dependent upon qualifications, but in most cases is no higher than the midpoint for the range. NATURE OF WORK: The Arts and Cultural Engagement Coordinator is a newly created position within the Economic Development Division focused on activating, supporting, and promoting the arts through art curation, event planning, relationship building, and marketing initiatives. The job duties involve liaising with the Evanston Arts Council and City of Evanston departments to help devise and implement cultural arts strategies to attract and retain artists and art/entertainment businesses, increase visits to local businesses and events, and foster community engagement through the arts. This position will work with the City Council, Arts Council and community members to interpret the total art needs of the city, including working to develop and implement a Cultural Arts Plan. The new coordinator position will perform work to assist in implementing the City of Evanston's Evanston Thrives Business District Action Plan which features creative placemaking opportunities.ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS (Specific assignment will include some or all of the following):
- Liaises with the Evanston Arts Council and economic development team to create and implement a vision for the Cultural Arts landscape in Evanston.
- Assists with conceptualizing, planning, and executing various cultural arts events aimed at connecting the arts community, increasing visitors, community member engagement, business attraction/retention and investors.
- Creates engaging content for various marketing channels, including social media, newsletters, press releases, and websites as well as heightened levels of regional and national attention to the local art scene utilizing the City's Enjoy Evanston brand and website.
- Coordinates with the Evanston Arts Council and economic development team to support local artists and art organizations in the community.
- Develop and maintain relationships with existing businesses, artists and arts organizations, connecting to each other and to resources, providing opportunities for community-building, networking, and professional development.
- Endeavors to align and integrate the City's arts activities into the larger Evanston arts eco-system of artists, organizations, civic and business groups.
- Collaborates with the City of Evanston, Special Service Areas (SSA's), the Evanston Chamber of Commerce and other local business districts to develop the organizational capacity of Evanston's artists and art entities.
- Serves as the spokesperson on arts matters and main point of contact between the Arts Council, artists and organizations, and the arts public at large.
- Assist with monthly Arts Council and Economic Development Committee agenda management
- Assist with communication effort including data presentation, newsletters, website updates.
- Develops grants strategy (both raising and awarding funds) for the Arts
- Attends mandatory evening and weekend meetings and events.
- Complete other duties as assigned.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS OF WORK:
- Must possess a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university in urban planning or business, arts administration, hospitality, communications, economics, or a substantially similar discipline. Master's degree is preferred.
- Must possess two (2) or more years of progressively responsible art engagement/promotion work experience involving community, neighborhood, or business district event planning and webinar content production/creation. Experience working as municipal arts or cultural events administrator, local chamber of commerce, business district improvement area, special service area, or related municipal position in which job responsibilities involve direct contact with cultural Arts and entertainment business districts, and individual businesses is preferred.
- Must possess a valid driver's license and a safe driving record.
- Knowledge, skills, and abilities in the following areas:
- Proven track-record of work in community engagement, arts programming, special event planning, community relationship building.
- Experience working with artists and/or arts organizations and/or entertainment programming.
- Knowledge of marketing, communications, and public relations, with experience in outreach and communications to a broad base audience.
- Knowledge of arts funding sources, grant writing, budget management, and financial reporting.
- Ability to be innovative, self-motivated, self-driven, creative, resourceful, and independent thinking;
- Strong problem-solving skills with an ability to quickly assess issues and challenges and begin to develop alternative solutions for preferred arts and economic development projects and programs.
- Ability and willingness to create, propose, and advocate for new solutions for arts and economic development challenges.
- Ability to take information and adapt, as appropriate, to the arts and economic development priorities and strategies.
- Considerable knowledge of and ability to use Internet search engines, word processing software, email, and Windows operating systems.
- Experience utilizing social media in a professional capacity through marketing, social campaigns, advertising, and/or business promotion.
- Experience with Placer.AI or other data applications or willingness to learn.
- Ability to work with and relate to diverse citizens from varying socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds.
- Excellent communication, organizational, and project management skills.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS OF WORK:
- The ability to work in a primarily sedentary position, with the ability to occasionally use force to exert up to 10 pounds. The ability to lift, carry, or otherwise move objects, books, materials, etc., using up to 25 pounds of force frequently and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.
- The employee is subject to inside environmental conditions: protection from weather conditions, but not necessarily from indoor temperature changes.
- There are no environmental hazards associated with this classification.
SUPERVISION: The Arts and Cultural Engagement Coordinator reports to the Economic Development Manager, who outlines work assignments, reviews work in progress and assesses completed work. Works closely with the Economic Development Coordinator and Specialist as well as all relevant departments/divisions to assist and inform in processing arts and economic development-related issues and policies and best practices as appropriate. Guidance is provided via the Evanston Arts Council, Evanston Arts Council's Purpose, Mission, and Values, Economic Development strategic plan, economic development vision statement, economic development work program, City Code, City policies and procedures, and applicable state and federal laws and regulations, ensuring that planning initiatives are met. Work is evaluated at least annually with respect to progress toward achieving goals, leadership, communication skills, customer service, and ability to work productively and effectively with employees at all levels in the organization as well as community groups, businesses, major employers, and the general public. PUBLIC CONTACT: The employee has regular and frequent contact with department and division employees and other City employees; regular contact with individual citizens and groups, including artists, arts organizations, business associations and elected officials. Facilitation of presentations during public SELECTION METHOD Structured Oral InterviewTo view the full job description and apply for this position, please visit www.cityofevanston.org on or before the closing date. Chosen candidates will be required to provide proof of licenses, certifications, and education required for this position. Candidates will also be subject to qualifying pre-employment processes, including medical examination, drug/alcohol screen, employment verification, and criminal background check. The City of Evanston is an equal opportunity employer and ensures against discrimination in employment on the basis of a person's race, color, sex, age, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, military discharge status, source of income, housing status, or gender identity. The City of Evanston is also committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. Any person needing mobility or communications access assistance should contact Human Resources at 847-###-#### or 847-###-#### (TTY).economic impact of the nonprofit arts and culture the arts are an investment that delivers both community well-being and economic vitality nonprofit arts and culture industry, unlike most industries, leverages a significant amount of event-related spending by its audiences