FLEET General Manager

Organization:

Other Sights for Artists' Projects

Deadline:

May. 28, 2025

Organization Description:

Other Sights, incorporated as a non-profit society in 2005, is a collective of artists with expertise in curation, project management, presentation, delivery and promotion of temporary public art projects. We collaborate and share resources with organizations and individuals in order to present projects, artworks, publications and events that consider the aesthetic, economic and regulatory conditions of public places and public life. Other Sights creates a presence for art in spaces and sites that are accessible to a broad public: the built environment, parks, waterways, communications technologies, the media, and the street. As visitors on unceded territory we prioritize creating opportunities for xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) and urban Indigenous artists.

Other Sights’ artistic and curatorial leadership is provided by the Producer Team: Lorna Brown, Barbara Cole, Colin Griffiths, Jay Pahre, and Marko Simcic, each highly experienced artists and professionals in their respective fields of curation, writing, public art consulting, large-scale multimedia projects, architecture and project management. We currently have two full-time staff: General Manager Sunshine Frere (maternity-leave replacement April Thompson 2024-25), and FLEET General Manager Jay Pahre. Other Sights’ FLEET Mobile Artist Studios project is a creative response to the ongoing loss of artist space in metro Vancouver. As the Eastside Arts Society documented in its 2019 report “A City Without Art?” more than 400,000 ft² of artist studios was lost to redevelopment over the course of 10 years in Vancouver alone and these production, creation, and collaboration spaces continue to disappear at alarming rates.

FLEET’s studios on wheels are flexible, nimble spaces located in under-used public zones (parks, parking lots) for use by artists and cultural workers. Their construction was informed by a collaborative feasibility study, surveys, and consultations within Vancouver arts and cultural communities including ongoing conversations with xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, səlilwətaɬ, and Urban Indigenous artists, curators, and designers. FLEET supports artists through residencies and public programming across diverse urban sites. There are currently two FLEET mobile artist studios in operation:

FLEET: Edmonds and FLEET: Granville Island), with additional studio builds in development. FLEET: Edmonds, in partnership with the City of Burnaby Public Art Program, is located in Edmonds Park—one of Canada’s most linguistically diverse neighbourhoods. In its first year, it supported over a dozen artists, prioritizing local and community-connected practices. FLEET: Granville Island, established with CMHC-Granville Island, launched with the Emerging Indigenous Artists Residency for xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, səlilwətaɬ, and Urban Indigenous artists. FLEET: Sen̓áḵw (formerly FLEET: Granville Island) will open in Vanier Park on lands formerly expropriated from the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Nation, now under the stewardship of Nch’ḵay̓ Development Corporation. Partnering with the Museum of Vancouver (MOV), this site will host annual programming developed by the FLEET GM in collaboration with MOV staff.

Supported by the City of Vancouver, FLEET will expand to two more studios, with consultations involving MST artists and planners. Outreach is also underway with nearby municipalities facing cultural infrastructure gaps.

FLEET’s success will be measured by how it upholds, supports, and sustains meaningful relationships and responds to the needs of the communities it touches.

The FLEET Working Group is a sub-committee of Other Sights. They helped guide the design and construction phase of the FLEET studios and continues to offer advisement about future builds. The Working Group is currently composed of seven individuals: two Other Sights Producers, Other Sights’ General Manager, as well as artists, architects, and a planner. The group also works with a 4-person Indigenous Advisory Group, and with additional support and advisory from Other Sights’ Board and Producer Team.

Website:

http://othersights.ca/

Job Description:

Location: Throughout the Lower Mainland
Reporting to: Other Sights Producer Team
Hours: Full-time, salaried, monthly rate based on $31 per hour, average of 35hrs per week. Flexible schedule. Some evening and weekend work; available on-call for dealing with emergency situations
Contract: Yearly (potential to renew, contingent on funding)
Deadline for applications: May 28, Wednesday, 2025, 5:00pm
Start date: July 3, 2025

Role of the FLEET General Manager

The FLEET General Manager is a creative planner, implementer, and relationship builder who is responsible for developing this new initiative in conjunction with multiple and diverse communities across the Lower Mainland. This is a hands-on project that involves coordinating with the Other Sights’ Producer Team, the FLEET Working Group, Indigenous Advisory Group, and potential site and programming partners (municipalities, non-profits, Host Nations, community organizations, and private developers) in order to develop, oversee, and implement the visioning, management, programming, and promotion of the two existing studios and the construction of up to two more.

Responsibilities:

The FLEET General Manager will:
- work closely and collaboratively with Other Sights’ General Manager and the Other Sights’ Producer Team
- work independently and take initiative about programming and operations, reserving decision-making relating to the organization’s mandate and future sustainability through discussions with the Producer Team;
- report at weekly Producer Team meetings on finances, facilities, and programming; identify upcoming needs, deadlines, obligations, and delegate/review tasks accordingly;
- ensure responsible oversight of all aspects of FLEET’s financial management, including leading fundraising, grant writing, reporting, and maintaining working budgets;
- oversee FLEET staff and contractors, and support student assistant(s) and event volunteers;
- consult with the FLEET Working Group and Indigenous Advisory Group, and work collaboratively with project partners;
- lead artist selection processes;
- develop programming for FLEET studios in the form of artist residencies, artist talks, panels, open houses, exhibits and discussions in line with the project’s goals to provide accessible studio space;
- interface with artists in residence, build supportive relationships, and ensure they feel welcomed and supported.
- oversee the maintenance of and improvements to studios 1 and 2, and respond to incidental/emergency issues;
- lead site planning, permissions, transportation, and adaptation of studios during relocation;
- oversee consultation and design processes to guide the construction of studios 3 and 4;
- continue to develop relationships with Indigenous partners and communities;
- build connections with diverse stakeholders across Vancouver and the Lower Mainland—including community groups, non-profits, municipalities, schools, museums, and artist-run centres—while actively engaging with the communities surrounding each studio;
- prepare communications, social media announcements, and update FLEET website content;
- contribute to and maintain FLEET documentation archives including construction, siting, artists in residence, and public events.

Qualifications:

Required Competencies
- Collaborative, Reliable, Community Minded, Flexible, Creative
- Committed, Independent, Tolerant, Social

Required Skills and Education
- Post-secondary education in an arts related program, educational program is an asset.
- Previous experience working with arts organizations, community centres, or activist organizing is an asset.
- Ability to perform well in a team environment and collaborate with others across sectors.
- Experience with fundraising and grant writing.
- Demonstrated supervisory and interpersonal skills.
- Previous experience in developing and maintaining strong internal and external relationships.
- Experience working with artists.
- Demonstrated success with strategy development, implementation and evaluation.
- Proven ability to act in an assertive but professional manner.
- Strong written & oral communication skills; ability to target outreach materials to varying audiences.
- Strong organizational skills, able to identify and prioritize tasks, work independently, and take initiative.
- Superior networking skills for arts and cultural-based environments.
- Good understanding of artist-run culture.
- Experience with youth/adult education programming an asset.
- Working knowledge of Social Media, e.g. Instagram, Facebook and mass email systems, and communication practices;
- Familiarity with website management an asset.
- Familiarity with InDesign, Illustrator, or Photoshop an asset.
- Resourceful, hands-on and pro-active.
- Ability to work flexible hours and to travel throughout the Lower Mainland.

Workplace Ethics and Care
- Must promote and set the example for ensuring a friendly, courteous, respectful and professional work environment.
- Must maintain confidentiality of all personal, private, and professional information obtained within the course of employment.
- Must not accept any gifts, loans or anything of value from any individuals with whom contact is had during the course of employment.
- Please also see Other Sights’ Accountability & Care document, as well as Other Sights’ Statement of Care.

How to Apply:

Email CV and cover letter in one PDF outlining your qualifications and why you would like to work with Other Sights to April Thompson at april@othersights.ca Please include in the Subject Line: FLEET GM.

Other Sights strives for inclusion for all communities and for our team to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. Indigenous, people of colour, and people across the spectrums of gender, sexuality, age and abilities are encouraged to apply.

Deadline for applications is May 28, 2025, Wednesday at 5:00pm. Review of applications will begin shortly after and will continue until the position is filled.

Remuneration:

Full-time, salaried, monthly rate based on $31 per hour, average of 35hrs per week.

Contact Name: April Thompson
Contact Email: april@othersights.ca