Call for Young Ambassadors, PuSh 2013
September 18, 2012
“Being a Young ambassador opened my eyes to the creativity and immense coordination that makes the PuSh Festival so unique. I felt like I was part of a truly creative and dynamic team of people, working together to push the boundaries of our standards of performance. I am thankful for completing the Young Ambassadors program, as I now have a wider network of contacts and a deeper appreciation of the arts in Vancouver.”
– Christina Andreola, Young Ambassador for the PuSh Festival Assembly
The Young Ambassadors program is entering its fourth year at the PuSh Festival and is coordinated by the Festival’s associate curator Dani Fecko (see bio below). The program integrates the next generation of Vancouver’s young arts professionals into the Festival and introduces them to the artistic sensibility and world-view of visiting Canadian and international artists. PuSh wants to encourage the sharing of the rich and specialized knowledge that exists within our organization and strengthen opportunities for emerging practitioners to enter the cultural sector by providing behind the scenes knowledge and a dynamic work experience.
Goals of the Young Ambassadors Program:
• Provide local, emerging professionals with the opportunity to engage with acclaimed Canadian and international artists;
• Assist visiting artists with making meaningful connections to Vancouver’s arts and cultural scene;
• Be a knowledgeable, local resource for visiting artists;
• Foster friendly and helpful experiences for visiting artists’ stay in Vancouver.
Who the Ambassadors are:
• Post–secondary students in their senior year of a diploma, degree, or masters program; Participating students do not need to be a Theatre, Dance, Music or Visual Arts Major. Recent graduates will also be considered;
• Open minded, friendly individuals with an in depth knowledge of Vancouver and its various cultural attractions, from restaurants to museums, from movie theatres to music venues and galleries.
What the Ambassadors will be responsible for:
• 1-3 weeks and 4-6 hours a day of dedicated time;
• Researching the visiting artists and their work, prior to their arrival;
• Assisting with the back stage workings and running of the visiting artist’s performances during the Festival. This may not be required in all cases;
• Being a resource for visiting artists. This could include recommending restaurants, helping to organize excursions, finding physiotherapists and helping to plan local trips;
• Providing a comfortable, social atmosphere for the visiting artists.
Key Points:
• The artists are not mentors, and the Ambassadors are not “personal assistants.” They are peers and considered vital to the artist’s ability to engage with the local community;
• This is an unpaid, volunteer position, although participants will be provided with a stipend to fund any activities they may take part in with the artist;
• The artists may vary in their need to call upon the ambassador during their stay. An ambassador is expected to be flexible, ready to respond to the individual character and cultural background of the visiting artists.
“Meeting all the artists, making connections internationally, seeing all the shows for free, having a clear idea of how a touring shows work, what it takes to adapt your show to a space—the list of what you get out of being a Young Ambassador goes on and on and on.”
– Phoebe Vlasiss, Young Ambassador for Peter Reder’s Guided Tour
Dani Fecko began her career in Vancouver as a professional stage manager and has worked with the PuSh Festival since 2009. Her work as a Stage and Tour Manager has taken her to London, Berlin,Paris, Mexico City, Calgary, Victoria, Seattle and Toronto to name a few. She is a proud Legacy member of ISPA and attended her first congress in Seoul in June of 2012. She was the proud recipient of the Sam Payne Award for Most Promising New Comer at the Jessie Richardson Awards in 2009 and is a graduate of Studio 58.
To apply, please send a Cover Letter and C.V. to Dani Fecko: dani@pushfestival.ca
Application Deadline: October 19, 2012