technical director for Ten, Tiny Talks
Ten, Tiny, Talks is now accepting applications for a Technical Director for our 2022 season!
About Ten, Tiny, Talks
Ten, Tiny, Talks is a groundbreaking multi-disciplinary artist residency program with a festival-bent based in Portland, Oregon, but with global reach. Every year, we select ten BIPOC LGBTQIA+ artists and/or projects to develop ten creative works; we pay our resident artists for their time, and we provide resources to help them succeed in creating their art on a larger scale or to a larger audience than they have before. Artists come from all walks of life and we encourage them to tap into their deepest wishes for creating. Our core belief in Ten, Tiny, Talks is to stand out of the way of artists of color, who know their visions best, and tell them “Yes, you can!” while closely guiding them through creative and professional processes.
PLEASE NOTE that January-April are planning months and that May-October is when the artists will be presenting their work. The total stipend below is the minimum you will receive for your work, even though, you may not be needed for every show as we don’t know what submissions will look like yet.
Ten, Tiny, Talks works with Black and Indigenous trans, Two Spirit, gender expansive and queer creatives from many different cultures and a complexity of various art genres. The season’s ten projects may involve live drag performance art, large scale paintings, plays, cirque-infused performance, or a completely different art form, so versatility is key! In addition to facilitating live events (when possible), we collaborate with film and technical directors to push recorded content to pay walls on Vimeo, YouTube and other practical visual networks. Our resident artists have presented works both digital and in person, with all creations being recorded and made available to the artists and their audiences if that is what the artists wish.
Ten Tiny Talks runs from January 1st 2022 when submissions open to October 31st 2022 when the season closes for Fall and Winter break.
Scope of Work
The Technical Director position is currently an independent contractor role and provides support for the Ten Tiny Talks program from January 1st (when artist submissions open) until early November (when the season closes for Fall and Winter break). The Technical Director is responsible for overseeing builds in the Ten, Tiny, Talks artist in residency program including procurement of materials based on a predetermined set budget, assistance in concept development, construction, load in, load outs and equitable dispersal of materials in collaboration with the executive team of Crave Theatre Company, one of our program’s primary supporters.
Not all of the ten projects will require extensive building, but the Technical Director will be responsible for collaborating with the Project Manager and Stage Manager, as well as the Executive team to determine when venue setup and strike will be required. Event dates are TBD, as these are reliant upon the resident artists who still need to be selected. In addition to general availability between January 1, 2022 and October 31, 2022 some availability may be needed the first week of November 2022 in order to complete the strike for the final show of the 2022 season.
Those who are familiar with working in a diverse, intersectional, fast paced environment will be a good fit for this position as Ten, Tiny, Talks works with Black and Indigenous trans, Two Spirit, gender expansive and queer creatives from many different cultures and a complexity of various art genres. The person in this position must be adept at working with contrasting personality types, nuances in different global communities, languages, communication styles, political backgrounds and creative expressions. They must also be adept and comfortable with centering Black and Indigenous people in mainstream art conversations. Providing an environment of tangible advocacy and empowerment is one of the most important aspects to this job.
Desired Skills
- Strong construction/building skills
- Observance of all OSHA policies
- Forward thinking, with the ability to anticipate or react to conflicts in overlapping plans
- Strong self-management and time-management skills
- Problem-solving expert
- Drive to see projects through to completion
- Clear, direct communication abilities
- People person! This role requires some social versatility in order to assist a variety of personalities and artistic disciplines
- Willingness to collaborate
- Familiarity with hanging artwork and/or circus rigging is a plus
Communication
Ten, Tiny, Talks uses the Google Suite and Trello for most of its project management and communication platforms. Text, phone calls and Zoom have been the primary way leadership teams have communicated with each other; however, we honor and respect each individual’s personal time and recognize “off hours” when a staff person does not or cannot respond to messages.
Pay
The total stipend for this position is $3000. A payment of $1500 will be made upon signing and a payment of $1500 will be paid upon closing on October 31st, 2022. Any requested advance in payment will need to be made in writing to management.
How to Apply
To apply, please email tentinytalks@gmail.com. We ask that you provide a cover letter explaining why you are interested in this position, along with a portfolio, a copy of your resume, and two references. When emailing, please state “Application for Technical Director” in the subject line.
Currently, this position is open; we will accept and review applications until the position is filled.
Nondiscrimination Policy
Ten Tiny Talks follows equal opportunity hiring practices. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, citizenship status or any other classification protected by Federal, State, or Local law. We strive to collaborate with a range of individuals who are representative of the community we serve and we are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. BIPOC, LGBTQ2IA+, and disabled persons are encouraged to apply.