CALLOUT FOR NEW caretakerS
We are seeking a new team of caretakers to run the Waiting Room Project for the next 12 months on a voluntary capacity. In the first 3 months, you will join the existing team to build new skills across curating, marketing, public programming, event delivery and administration. After that, the new team will be independent in sustaining the Waiting Room Project.
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deadline
19 DECEMBER 11:59PM
About the space
The Waiting Room Project is an artist-run space at the Sydney Sexual Health Centre, Sydney Hospital. The primary purpose of the project is to alleviate the anxieties of a clinical waiting room and support marginalised emerging artists to show at a non-white cube space. The primary visitors of the space are LGBTQIA+ folks, sex workers, members of the Chinese and Thai speaking community and First Nations people. As such, we prioritise giving voice to these artists through exhibitions and public programming events. We are the only art space with new and regular exhibitions existing within a sexual health centre in Australia.
The space was curated by Upasana Papadopoulos and Joel Humphries in 2018-20, and curated by Natalie Tso and Joey Sim from September 2020 till now.
About the role
Commitment:
Must be available on Wednesdays, for 3-12 hours a week depending on workload. Exhibition openings are first Fridays of the install week.
We recommend a minimum commitment of 12 months, but understand that at an unpaid capacity this is a lot. Please feel free to speak with us if you would like to engage with the project for a shorter term and we will aim to form a team that is sustainable and enriching for everyone involved.
The general timeline would be:
Jan - March 2022: Training with support from current team
April - Dec 2022: Running the 2022 program
Tasks to be shared across a team, based on interests and experiences:
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Curating:
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Individually and as a group, set a callout that prioritises disadvantaged emerging artists, assess applications together
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Curate individual artists with similar conceptual and material investigations into cohesive group shows that are suitable for the space
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Foster relationships between artists to nurture a process-driven exhibition experience
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Coordinate with Writing Room Coordinator to create creative written pieces
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Develop curatorial ideas, write exhibition texts and organise room sheets
Marketing & Media:
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Actively create media content for Instagram and facebook events including editing photos and videos with adobe suite software
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Test marketing campaigns that involve a wide range of angles and content including artist takeovers, artist interviews, text-based images, etc
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Document each show with high quality photographs and videos and archive on the website
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Regularly update website and monitor social media platforms
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Write and distribute monthly newsletters
Public Programming, Event delivery and administration:
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Discuss with artists to understand what they would like to experience, test or share and generate creative public programming events that engage with general audiences and SSHC staff
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Ensure the smooth running of events that include setting up and packing down venues at The Waiting Room space and at the Domain
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Welcoming patrons, facilitating drinks and food at opening nights
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Regularly respond to enquiries from interested artists and curators
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