Artistic Director (DTES Heart of the City Festival)

Job Title:

Artistic Director (DTES Heart of the City Festival)

Organization:

Vancouver Moving Theatre Society

Deadline:

May. 18, 2026

Organization Description:

Vancouver Moving Theatre (VMT) celebrates the power of the human spirit, generates shared experiences that bridge cultural traditions, social groups and artistic disciplines, and gives voice to residents of the Downtown Eastside. VMT produces and presents dance, music, theatre and interdisciplinary arts events; promotes collaboration between artists and stimulates new art via exchange of ideas in workshops, performances, symposiums and festivals.

Since 2004, VMT has produced the annual Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival in partnership with Carnegie Community Centre, Association of United Ukrainian Canadians, and over 40 community partners. This flagship cultural event takes place each year over 9 days in late October and early November. The Festival features over 100 events across 40 venues, and involves hundreds of local artists.

The Festival’s mission is to serve as a bridge-building force that gives voice to the Downtown Eastside and its residents, cultural communities and neighbourhoods. The mandate of the Festival is to promote, present, and facilitate the development of artists, art forms, cultural traditions, heritage, activism, people and great stories of the Downtown Eastside.

Community Context
Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside district is situated on the homeland of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh; home to one of the largest Indigenous urban communities in Canada; and home to a series of immigrant residential communities, including Canadians of African, Asian, Central and South American, European, South Asian, and Middle Eastern descent. The Downtown Eastside district is made up of several neighbourhoods, including Main and Hastings, Chinatown, Strathcona and Powell Street/Oppenheimer.

Website:

http://www.heartofthecityfestival.com

Job Description:

The Artistic Director is a key member of the Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival executive team and works collaboratively with the executive director, co-producers, festival artists, publicist, graphic designer, production and operations teams, and the community. This position is an integral part of Vancouver Moving Theatre’s leadership team and includes mentorship.

This is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact and be part of an organization dedicated to amplifying marginalized voices and promoting inclusivity. If you are committed to social justice, possess strong interpersonal skills, and are excited about community-engaged art and culture in the DTES neighbourhood, we invite you to apply.

Responsibilities:

This position is both visionary and practical and involves the artistic development, implementation, and smooth running of the Festival. The Artistic Director, working closely with the Executive Director, is primarily responsible for: the realization of artistic projects (DTES Heart of the City Festival); overseeing the curation and production of Festival programming; providing organizational stewardship concerning the development and assessment of artistic and community engagement practice; and acting as a co-spokesperson for the organization.

The Artistic Director works collaboratively to

• Set and implement strategic organizational goals;

• Develop planning strategies;

• Complete fundraising submissions and reports;

• Contract staff, venues, partners, and artists;

• Report to Society Board of Directors;

• Up hold of the vision, mission, mandate, values, and programming practice;

• Manage archival and digital documentation;

• Oversee the witnessing and evaluation of Festival events, for quality, community response, suggestions, and concerns;

• Oversee staff and interns;

• Oversee publicity marketing campaign;

• Listen to the community and research context, local history, and community issues;

• Develop partnerships, collaborations, and agreements;

• Network with DTES-involved artists, organizations, and venue partners;

• Develop program guide content;

• Continue an organizational review of VMT’s history, internal decision-making practices, and the integration of equity, inclusion, reconciliation, and racial justice into the organization.

Qualifications:

We are seeking a creative Artistic Director who is passionate about community-engaged art practice; well-versed in a variety of artistic disciplines; experienced in presenting live and online events; committed to the Festival’s mission and mandate; and dedicated to supporting and learning from the diverse cultures and artistic practices of Vancouver’s culturally rich Downtown Eastside. Experience in the performing arts and in the non-profit sector are assets.

VMT encourages applications from members of communities that are marginalized or experience structural discrimination to apply. We believe that a staff that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve strengthens our ability to achieve our mission.

We recognize the value of paid and unpaid work experience and encourage applications from candidates who meet some or all of the following qualifications:

• Agile leader and learner with strong motivation, organized, and focused, with an ability to set and meet deadlines.

• Detail-oriented, with the ability to manage, prioritize and disseminate large amounts of information;

• Excellent communication skills;

• Enjoys working with and learning from people of diverse social, economic and cultural backgrounds;

• Co-operative, friendly, calm, a sense of humour, personable, positive energy;

• Ability to coordinate and manage multiple events;

• Ability to both work on a team and independently;

• Experience with various computer software programs, including Microsoft Office Suite and Google Drive;

• Passion for the ongoing process of reconciliation, equity, diversity, inclusivity and accessibility.

How to Apply:

Please email your resume and cover letter with the subject line ‘Application for Artistic Director’ to lalia.hotcf@gmail.com

Remuneration:

$61,500 - Four weeks vacation, along with 2 weeks winter holiday Flexible work schedule, Flexible work location