Supported by the Indigenous Professional Association of Canada (IPAC), this opportunity is a targeted capacity building opportunity for Indigenous candidates.

• Fellowship Dates: January 8 – March 29, 2024
• 12 Week Virtual Position, Flexible Schedule
• Compensation: $22/hour
• Application Deadline: Wednesday, December 20, 2023 at 12 PM EST

Who is STEPS Public Art?

STEPS Public Art is a Canadian charity and social enterprise. We offer services in public art management, hoarding exhibits, cultural planning, and artist capacity building. We run charitable programs that support artists and foster vibrant and inclusive communities. Our main office is based in the Ancestral Wendat territory and the shared territory of the Anishinaabeg and the Haudenosaunee, covered by The Dish With One Spoon treaty, and later, Treaty 13 signed with the Mississaugas of the Credit, and the Williams Treaties signed with multiple Mississaugas and Chippewa bands. STEPS is committed to cultivating safe space for Indigenous voices to be heard.

This is a short-term virtual position, with the option of a hybrid working arrangement should the successful candidate live in close proximity to the STEPS office. We will be accepting applications from across what we currently call Canada. Our staff is presently working virtually from across three provinces. 

This role is funded by IPAC Pathways to Success, a program aimed at creating meaningful employment opportunities for Indigenous young people. Preference will be given to First Nations (status and non-status), Métis and/or Inuit candidates who meet the eligibility criteria outlined below.

The Role

STEPS is seeking a creative, energetic and organized team player with a passion for creative independent research, forging new partnerships and creatively exploring new ways of working in the field of public art. The Public Art Fellow will support STEPS’ artist capacity building activities, as well as be supported by STEPS to facilitate self directed research, engagement or other activities that generate new knowledge or resources aimed to advance the field of public art.

We are committed to creating new platforms for public art research, continued learning, knowledge sharing, and network building—all which are critical in fostering a more innovative, equitable, and collaborative public art sector. STEPS is especially interested in supporting research that relates to challenges and gaps related to accessibility, equity, diversity, social justice, and decolonization within the public art sector, but we look forward to learning about other possible topics proposed by candidates.

The Fellow will be supported by STEPS and be expected to present the outcomes of their self-directed work via a written summative report and presentation for STEPS staff and/or Indigenous advisory. STEPS will provide input to the Fellow’s proposed research design, and along with our intersectional national collaborator and advisory networks will support topic refinement and resource sharing through coaching provided over the contract period. STEPS will also provide a budget of up to $2000 for expenses related to successfully carrying out the work.

Responsibilities will include:

• Developing and presenting a work plan for feedback from STEPS and/or advisors for how proposed topic will be researched and outcomes shared during contract period, including but not limited to: research questions, why the research is important for public art, research approach to answer questions, who would be engaged in the work, any ethical or safety considerations related to the research, how the research outcomes will be shared, and anticipated expenses associated with successfully carrying out the proposed work.
• Implementing the approved research work plan over the contract period and preparing a summative report of the outcomes of the research.
• Supporting artist capacity building programming, such as:
  • Contributing to the organization’s efforts to strengthen relationships with artists and cultural organizations across Canada, such as building awareness of programming to diverse artistic communities and geographies.
  • Collecting testimonials, impact metrics and lessons learned to enhance programming.

STEPS’ Responsibilities to You

We actively commit to providing a safe and respectful space to all staff, volunteers and collaborators. STEPS is responsible for:

• Responding to all inquiries and concerns related to the application process and an update to applicants once the position has been filled
• Communicating in a clear and timely fashion
• Taking all necessary steps to ensure employee safety
• Identifying and embedding development opportunities within your role to further your growth
• Being open and actively listening to feedback and recommendations
• Working directly with team members to ensure accessibility needs are met
• Offering a hybrid work structure that includes work from office and home options
• Providing a safe, accountable, and respectful work space
• Coaching to strengthen proposed research questions, approach and workplan
• Considering requests for research related expenses up to a total of $2000

This is a short-term position. Schedule and working hours are flexible provided that project deadlines are met, but the successful candidate must be able to work an agreed regular number of hours per week (a minimum of 15 hours and a maximum of 37.5 hours), for a maximum of 450 total hours over the contract period. The wage for this position is $22/hour.

Who You Are

STEPS encourages applications from all qualified candidates who identify as First Nations (status and non-status), Métis and Inuit. This role is open to artists, arts workers, students, recent graduates and community researchers with prior experience working with artwork in the public realm. Preference will be given to candidates who meet the following criteria established by the funder:

• Are under the age of 29 during contract period
• Are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
• Have a valid Social Insurance Number at the start of employment and be legally entitled to work in Canada in accordance with relevant provincial or territorial legislation and regulations

Our ideal candidate will be passionate about the role of the arts and artists in building vibrant and inclusive communities. You thrive on working independently and enjoy creative research. We think it’s important you have:

• Familiarity with community arts, public art, street art and/or cultural planning approaches
• Education (including formal, informal and self-directed learning) or equivalent experience in visual arts, fine arts, arts management, curation, community planning, or related fields
• Excitement for bringing personal creativity and experimentation to developing resources for the arts sector
• Good judgment and discretion in relation to community and stakeholder relations
• Ability to work effectively independently and within a team setting 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Exceptional problem solving and creative research skills
• High attention to detail 
• Proficiency in MS Office, Google Drive and video conferencing
• Bilingualism (English and French) and/or fluency in an Indigenous language is an asset

Application Process

Applications are closed. Thank you for your interest in this opportunity.

Artist Credit: Lindsey Lickers (Mushkiiki Nibi Kwe)
Photo Credit: Anushay Sheikh