Join the Team

Thank you for your interest!
We are currently seeking a Research Project Assistant.

Thinking Rock Community Arts (TRCA) is a non profit community arts organization based in Thessalon, Ontario that creates art with and for the people living along the North Shore of Lake Huron, from Spanish to Sault Ste. Marie and all points in between. We invite people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to join us in playing, making and dreaming about this special place we call home – as it was, as it is, and as it might be. Our artistic team represents professional established and emerging rural artists of First Nations, Métis and Settler descent who share a burning desire to explore how we can together begin to create spaces for dialogue and mutual understanding through multidisciplinary, multi-generational, cross-cultural community-engaged art projects. We also offer training and consulting services in: the principles and practices of community-engaged art-making; cross-cultural collaboration; community engagement; youth engagement; participatory action research; and democratic facilitation. Learn more about our work at www.thinkingrock.ca.

We are currently seeking a Research Project Assistant to provide support to The Story of our Stories (SOOS): A Regional Community-Engaged Arts-Based Research Project. This position will contribute to the achievement of the Project Research Goals, bringing together a number of research partners, as well as community-engaged artists and arts organizations working in the rural and First Nation contexts of Northern Ontario, to:

● Explore the impacts and learnings of community-engaged arts projects throughout Northern Ontario;
● Uncover and explore the common barriers and challenges facing community-engaged artists and arts organizations working in this context;
● Investigate current supports (including the funding landscape) for this work in the North, in comparison to urban centres;
● Create opportunities for community-engaged artists and arts organizations working in this context to connect, convene, learn from one another via the network of practitioners that forms around this research; and
● Work with this network to build the case for community-engaged practice as a worthwhile and effective tool in the rural, remote and First Nation context, including how this work contributes to healing, community resilience, economic prosperity, shared identity, tourism, reconciliation efforts, etc.

Location:
This position will be based in the Central Algoma District, reporting to personnel at TRCA’s head office (199 Main Street, Thessalon), with some remote work.

Responsibilities and Duties:
● Support the achievement of key project outcomes and deliverables, including:
– the development of a peer support network/collective of Northern Ontario community-engaged artists and organizations working in remote, rural and First Nation contexts;
– the collection and interpretation of quantitative data through surveys about the economic impact of community-based artistic work;
– the collection and interpretation of qualitative data through interviews and focus groups about the social impact of community-based artistic work;
– the development and dissemination of a Learning Report outlining findings and recommendations to share with partners, funders and stakeholders; and
– the design, delivery and documentation of a convening in the North with artists, community leaders, decision makers and funders to share findings of the report;
● Support all aspects of research through various types of outreach activities, literature reviews, data collection, stakeholder identification, dissemination of surveys, coordination of interviews and focus groups, documentation, analysis and report writing, and other related tasks;
● Organize, schedule and deliver project programming across Northern Ontario;
● Assist with the coordination of meetings: scheduling, preparing meeting packages, sending out notices and taking minutes;
● Attend research meetings and training workshops as required and requested;
● Develop/support new and existing project and community partnerships;
● Assist with coordinating communication between Thinking Rock and community organizations and artists regarding meetings, consultations, training, and/or events; and
● Promote the Story of our Stories Research Project to a variety of internal and external stakeholders and the public, across multiple platforms (email, social media, etc.).

Qualifications and Requirements:
The candidate should possess a degree in Arts Management, Studio or Performing Arts, Art History, Community Economic and Social Development, or a degree in another Social Science discipline. Candidates with demonstrated equivalent employment and practical experience will be considered.

The candidate should possess the following skills:

● A working understanding of the non-profit arts sector, in general, and community-engaged artistic practice in particular;
● Strong oral/written communication and organizational skills;
● Proven experience in report writing;
● Strong administrative skills including continual priority setting to meet emerging and evolving needs and ideas, while meeting project objectives;
● Strong interpersonal and networking skills;
● Demonstrated ability to work respectfully, inclusively and collaboratively with diverse cultural, geographic and intergenerational partners;
● Strong knowledge of a diversity of local and regional Indigenous cultures;
● Ability to work in a team and independently, and comfortable working in a flexible, collaborative environment;
● Experience in meeting and event organization and management;
● Ability to utilize technology (e.g. webinars, e-meetings, etc.) in meeting project goals;
● Valid G Drivers License, with access to vehicle;
● Ability to travel frequently within Northeastern and Northwestern Ontario;
● Multilingualism, including knowledge of Indigenous languages, is an asset;
● Lived experience in Northern (Northwestern or Northeastern) Ontario is an asset;
● Experience in preparing funding applications is an asset;
● Experience in community-engaged arts or related artistic discipline is an asset;
● Current background in research (academic and/or community-based) is an asset.

Candidate Eligibility:
● Candidates must be legally entitled to work in Canada;
● Selected candidate must obtain a vulnerable sector check prior to offer of and appointment to this position;
● Thinking Rock promotes employment equity, and invites applications from people who reflect the diverse communities we serve, including Indigenous peoples (First Nation, Métis and Inuit), women, visible minorities and persons with disabilities.
● Thinking Rock is committed to accommodating applicants with disabilities throughout the hiring process, in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Should you require accommodation, please contact us;
● While we thank all applicants for their interest, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Application Instructions:
Applications must be received via e-mail by 11:59 PM on Sunday, October 13th, 2019 to be considered eligible.

Duration:
This is a 6-month (26 weeks, 32 hours per week) contract
Wage: $30 per hour

Only candidates considered to be qualified for the position will be contacted for an interview.

Applications (covering letter with resumé) must be e-mailed
with RESEARCH PROJECT ASSISTANT in the subject line to:

Miranda Bouchard, Acting Artistic Director
E-mail: miranda@thinkingrock.ca

Thinking Rock gratefully acknowledges project financial support from the Ontario Trillium Foundation and the Canada Council for the Arts.