Sound Summit is looking for a creative, energetic and highly organised individual to work with the current Festival Co-Directors, Kirsty Brown and Chris Hearn, alongside MusicNSW on the 2011 and 2012 festivals.
Sound Summit exists to provide musicians, producers, composers, promoters and fans the opportunity to interact, reflect and collaborate with each other, building communities around what they do and exploring the methodologies of why and how they do it. Through a program incorporating performances, presentations and panels, Sound Summit explores the depths and reach of independent, innovative and exploratory music in Australia.
Sound Summit is part of the This Is Not Art (TINA) festival that happens annually for five days over the October long weekend. It is held in Newcastle, NSW, along with Electrofringe, National Young Writers Festival, Critical Animals and Crack Theatre Festival.
Sound Summit Festival Co-Director’s Responsibilities
- Researching, curating and programming festival events (panels, workshops, performances and screenings) alongside Festival Co-Directors and This Is Not Art co-festivals.
- Managing event logistics
- Administration of the event and on-the-ground execution of the festival
- Update and balance the Sound Summit budget
- Liaising with artists, festival partners, TINA organisation, media, staff and volunteers
- Developing and maintaining creative and sponsorship partnerships with other national organisations
- Promoting Sound Summit, it’s artists and This Is Not Art through an array of media channels
- Writing and acquitting grant applications to secure and maintain funding
- Attending monthly meetings to plan and maintain necessary festival logistics, as well as be available for weekly phone meetings.
The Ideal Candidate Would Have
- Excellent written communication and interpersonal skills
- Ability to work both in teams and in a close creative partnership
- Excellent administration skills
- Ability to function under pressure
- Attended Sound Summit and have an understanding of the nature of Sound Summit and TINA
- Knowledge of independent music and the music industry in Australia and the broader international landscape
- Awareness of emerging practices and artists operating “beneath the radar”
- Previous experience with event organisation, irrespective of scale
- Passion and interest in furthering development of the Australian music community commitment to building communities and networks
The position requires regular trips to Newcastle and Sydney for TINA meetings, as well as ongoing liaison with curators, managers and technical staff and the Co-Director is expected to be present up to a week before the event in Newcastle and for a debrief post-festival.
Further Information About Sound Summit
Since 2000, Sound Summit has given electronic and hip hop musicians, producers, composers, labels, promoters, industry and fans a chance to perform, discuss, learn, teach, interact and argue in front of an audience of like minded peers in an environment that allows for the global exchange of ideas, techniques and trends.
In 2008 the festival dropped its genres and broadened it’s scope, inviting independent artists from around Australia and internationally to idea-share, skill-share and brain dump.
Sound Summit will continue the ethos of skill development, knowledge sharing as well as providing performance/networking opportunities for young artists and industry practitioners as it makes up an integral part of This Is Not Art which in 2011 will be held from September 29 – October 3, in Newcastle, NSW.
Sound Summit is part of This Is Not Art – Australia’s largest annual gathering of young media makers, musicians, artists, writers and commentators. This is Not Art is run by the Octapod Association and comprises a series of simultaneous festivals including Electrofringe, the National Young Writers Festival, Critical Animals and the Crack Theatre Festival.
This is Not Art occurs annually for 5 days over the October long-weekend in Newcastle, NSW. The position is not required to reside in Newcastle, however regular trips to Newcastle are required for TINA planning meetings. Sound Summit operates in a flexible and mobile manner, with Co-Directors communicating via electronic media (e-mail, telephone etc) in addition to regularly scheduled face-to face meetings.
Although Co-Directors earn a small stipend for their work, this is intended as an honorarium only and covers a small fraction of the time, energy and hard work required to make Sound Summit possible. The position is primarily focused on supporting Australia’s creative music community and enhancing personal creative development and curatorial skills rather than individual financial compensation.
Owing to logistical and budgetary considerations, in 2011 Sound Summit is seeking a New South Wales based candidate for this position, however prospective candidates for this role residing outside New South Wales are welcome to apply with equal consideration given to your application.
Please visit the websites for information and background on 2010’s programming:
www.soundsummit.com.au and www.thisisnotart.org.
Please Submit
- A short biography (max 2 paragraphs)
- A Curriculum Vitae (max 2 pages)
- A statement (max 3 pages) addressing the following
- Your experience/involvement with music in Australia
- Your knowledge of broader independent music activities internationally and locally
- Your experience/involvement with Sound Summit or TINA
- What themes/ practices / initiatives you would like to showcase as part of the
festival – (your vision for 2011-12) - Previous experience of organising and promoting events or artists’ initiatives.
Deadline: COB Monday 15th November 2010
Enquiries: Kirsty Brown | info@soundsummit.com.au | 0432 891 456
Submission Instructions
Please submit all applications as Word, RTF or PDF documents by email to info@soundsummit.com.au with SS2011 CO-DIRECTOR APPLICATION in the subject line.
Interviews to be conducted in December 2010. Decision announced directly, with the position commencing immediately.
