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Come work at Iltja Ntjarra Art Centre – Job opportunity

Partnerships and Arts Development Officer – Position Description 
The role of the Partnerships and Arts Development Officer is to recruit new artists for Iltja Ntjarra Art Centre. The Partnerships and Arts Development Officer will establish collaborations with town-based organisations interested in offering a creative activity to their Aboriginal clients. Once potential new artists have been engaged, the Partnerships and Arts Development Officer will plan and deliver an arts program to the newly recruited artists.

Duties for the role include relationship building with town-based organisations, project planning, arts development, arts and artist support and advice, support with cultural activities, servicing an Aboriginal governing body, and administration and grant management.

Location: Alice Springs

About Iltja Ntjarra (Many Hands) Art Centre
Iltja Ntjarra Art Centre is an Aboriginal owned and governed Art Centre based in Alice Springs, Northern Territory. It was established in 2004 and consists of a painting studio and gallery space.

A small group of vibrant Western Aranda men and women – emerging and established artists – come together to paint, sing and enjoy a creative time together. Members of the centre are passionate about the Hermannsburg School of Art and are determined to keep the Namatjira tradition strong and alive for future generations. The artists of Iltja Ntjarra paint landscapes of the West MacDonnell Ranges using diverse techniques and mediums. They are celebrated for their scenic watercolour paintings on paper as well as their innovative arts projects including the transposing of circular imagery onto 1950’s-style skirts, a permanent mural at the Alice Plaza shopping centre in Alice Springs, and a collaborative collage artwork, highly commended at the 2014 Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award.

About the Capacity Building Program
Iltja Ntjarra is seeking a highly motivated individual with excellent visual art mentoring skills, an innovative and creative vision and strong cross-cultural communication skills to engage new artists with a creative activity. The successful applicant will be establishing new relationships with town-based organisations, recruiting, and retaining new artists for Iltja Ntjarra Art Centre through the delivery of an arts program, together with established Iltja Ntjarra artists.

Working closely with the Board, members and staff, this is a part-time position (3 days a week) that requires the ability to work in a cross- cultural environment. Previous experience in a similar role will be highly regarded.

Duties and Responsibilities
Operational and Strategic duties

  • Activity work plan: develop a working plan in consultation with the governing committee, staff and artists, describing the creative activities that will be offered to the new members, including simple arts activities inspired by landscape painting.
  • Explore and establish partnerships with Alice Springs based organisations who activate young Aboriginal people and Aboriginal people with disability.
  • Engage existing artists at Iltja Ntjarra as mentors for the program.
  • Adhere to current projects and programs of the Art Centre as outlined in the organisation’s business and strategic plan and in accordance with applicable funding requirements and guidelines
  • Work cooperatively with and seek direction from the Iltja Ntjarra staff and Executive Committee
  • Report to the Manager and Executive Committee; ensure understanding of all policies, strategic planning, promotional and organisational issues
  • Recognize and respect existing traditional law and leadership frameworks as they impact on the governance of the Art Centre
  • Respect and encourage maintenance of indigenous language culture and tradition
  • Conduct himself/herself appropriately in respect of the protocol and culture of the Art Centre

Artistic and Professional Development Duties

  • Engage 6 to 10 young people and people with disability and deliver an arts program at Iltja Ntjarra Art Centre.
  • Develop good working relationships with new and existing artists
  • Recognize and nurture artistic talent and advise artists on their professional development
  • Coordinate the production of quality art
  • Provide critical feedback as required and seek opportunities for raising artists professional profile
  • Organise bush trips for the production of artworks in country as appropriate

Selection Criteria
Please respond in writing to each of the essential and desirable criteria listed below.

Essential

  1. Tertiary qualifications and work experience in the arts or related industry
  2. Demonstrated organisational and planning skills and the ability to coordinate an arts program
  3. Ability to critically assess art and recognise and nurture artistic talent
  4. Demonstrated ability in a leadership and mentorship role, with the ability to work independently as well as cooperatively in a team
  5. Highly organised with strong project management skills
  6. Proven written and oral communication skills and proficient IT skills
  7. Flexibility, ability to multitask and work in a high pressure environment
  8. Understanding of working with and reporting to Indigenous groups, individuals and communities
  9. Current police check / clearance
  10. An understanding of the importance of the maintenance of Indigenous languages and traditions
  11. A current driver’s license
  12. Experience in community development and or working in an inter-cultural context

Desirable

  1. An understanding of and experience in arts administration including arts funding, manage budgets, and fulfill acquittal obligations
  2. Knowledge of the disability sector and experience working with people with disability
  3. An understanding of the Australian and international art markets as they apply to the Aboriginal art industry as well as an understanding of contemporary arts practice and the broader visual arts industry

FURTHER INFORMATION

Applicants are requested to submit written applications addressing the selection criteria and marked ‘Private and confidential’ addressed to:

Business Manager Iltja Ntjarra Art Centre

Email to manager@manyhandsart.com.au

For more information regarding this position or the recruitment process please contact the Business Manager (Wednesday to Friday) on (08) 79793452

Iltja Ntjarra Art Centre at the South Australian Museum

This May Iltja Ntjarra artists will feature at the South Australian Museum in Adelaide!
Our exhibition opens on Thursday May 27th and will feature artists Mervyn Rubuntja, Hubert Pareroultja, Reinhold Inkamala, Benita Clements, Vanessa Inkamala, Kathy Inkamala, Betty Wheeler, Selma Coulthard and Clara Inkamala, alongside watercolours from the South Australian Museum’s collection.

If you are in Adelaide make sure to visit this special event!

Image above: Mervyn Rubuntja, The Ghan, Central Australia