Director, Visual Arts

Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity aims to inspire everyone who attends our campus – artists, leaders, and thinkers – to unleash their creative potential.

We acknowledge, with deep respect and gratitude, our home on the side of Sacred Buffalo Guardian Mountain. In the spirit of respect and truth, we honour and acknowledge the Banff area, known as “Minhrpa” (translated in Stoney Nakoda as “the waterfalls”) and the Treaty 7 territory and oral practices of the Îyârhe Nakoda (Stoney Nakoda) – comprised of the Bearspaw, Chiniki, and Goodstoney Nations – as well as the Tsuut’ina First Nation and the Blackfoot Confederacy comprised of the Siksika, Piikani, Kainai. We acknowledge that this territory is home to the Shuswap Nations, Ktunaxa Nations, and Metis Nation of Alberta, Rockyview District 4. We acknowledge all Nations who live, work, and play, help us steward this land, and honour and celebrate this place.

The Opportunity

Banff Centre is seeking a visionary leader for the role of Director, Visual Arts, responsible for developing and executing innovative residency programming that aligns with the Centre’s strategic objectives. The ideal candidate will create compelling visual arts programs that cater to the evolving needs of Canadian and international artists while enhancing the profile of our renowned initiatives. This position requires collaboration with directors across various disciplines and the Executive Director of Arts to design both specific and interdisciplinary programs that foster artistic exploration and development. While there are no direct reports, the Director will work closely with the Production Manager, Artist Support team, Program Manager for Visual Arts, and Program Delivery Specialists to ensure the highest quality in delivering impactful programs.

Candidates should possess extensive knowledge of contemporary art practices, including ceramics, painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, and digital arts, along with a robust professional network within the visual arts community in Canada and internationally. A deep understanding of professional development in post-secondary contexts is essential for attracting exceptional faculty and high-quality applicants. The Director will collaborate with the Walter Phillips Gallery Curator to ensure cohesive programming and resource sharing while balancing artistic ambition with institutional efficiency. All arts initiatives must align with Banff Centre’s values, emphasizing transformative learning experiences that leverage diverse disciplines, Indigenous content, and residency-based training. We seek a leader who can foster community, provide networking opportunities, and implement continuous evaluation to enhance the residency experience for all participants.

Roles and Responsibilities

Reporting to the Executive Director, Arts, below are some of the key accountabilities:

Strategic Planning

• Works with the Executive Director, Arts to understand and implement the strategic goals and business objectives of Banff Centre as they relate to visual arts and arts programming overall.
• Working with other Banff Centre Arts Directors, and the Managing Director, Program Operations, Arts, creates a comprehensive Visual Arts program plan and budget, annually and over a 3-year planning horizon, which includes program evaluation metrics.

Programming

• Creates an annual comprehensive and integrated program plan for the department area, working with the Production Manager, Artist Support, the Program Manager and other members of the team, as well as subject experts. This includes designing residency programs and planning for their implementation and evaluation.
• Meets mission aligned enrollment targets (FLEs) in the arts program plan as set out by the Executive Director, Arts.
• Collaborates with the Executive Director Leadership to create new, joint programming opportunities and to explore other synergies through planning, program design and delivery of arts and leadership programming.
• Develops an active program of dissemination of the results of studio activities and exhibitions developed at the Centre through open-studio events, print and digital means.
• Collaborates with colleagues in the other programming divisions of the Centre to develop and deliver innovative cross-disciplinary and/or cross-sectoral programming and research.
• Lead diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion efforts to ensure programs are representative and inclusive in order to reflect the changing cultural, economic, and political developments that affect artist and audience needs across the Canadian and Bow Valley landscape.
• Works closely with the Director, Program Administration and Participant Services and team incorporating the Admissions Office and Participant Resources to ensure program materials are clear, comprehensive, and accessible to potential applicants.

Operational Management

• Works with the Executive Director, Arts, to understand the program goals and business objectives Banff Centre as they relate to Visual Arts.
• Leads a highly motivated, well-functioning, knowledgeable and accountable team from across the relevant departments responsible for delivering the visual arts programs.
• Assists the Development Department in the development of donor, government and other grant proposals.
• Contributes to identifying funding opportunities arising from the visual arts programs, and new potential donors, sponsors and partners.
• Works with the Executive Director, Arts, the Managing Director, Program Operations – Arts and Program Manager, to build and manage the program budgets.
• Responsible for an active program of dissemination of the results of Visual Arts residency activity developed at the Centre, in print and digitally.
• Manages the administration budget for the Visual Arts department.

Relationship Building

• Utilizes effective contacts within the art, education and funding communities nationally and internationally to ensure the on-going relevance of Visual Arts programs to artists and curators, while enhancing the value of these programming areas.
• Expands and deepens the network of contacts across Canada and internationally to ensure the identification of outstanding facilitators and guests and to ensure the widest pool from which to attract program participants.
• Fosters relationships with donors to ensure good stewardship of past gifts and working with Development to secure new funding and ensure that stewardship reporting is completed in a timely fashion.
• Contribute to the enhancement and safeguarding of the reputation and image of the Banff Centre with the community and the general public.

Human Resource Management, Team Building and Interdivisional Cooperation

• Promotes a collaborative team environment for staff working on Visual Arts programs by fostering open communication, setting clear objectives, and nurturing a culture of positive intent that aligns with Banff Centre’s values, ensuring an inclusive and diverse workplace.
• Fosters an internal culture that maintains the highest standards for participant service, excellence of staff, participant and guest experience, and fiscal, operational, and organizational integrity.
• Ensures a positive and safe work environment for all Banff employees, aligned with Banff Centre’s policies including but not limited to code of ethics, anti-harassment policies, contractual obligations, and strategic directions.

Leadership and Influence

• Provides creative and strategic leadership, vision and program direction and design to Visual Arts residencies, through experience and knowledge of the contemporary visual arts culture and community.
• Leads a team in a unionized environment that achieves its financial and non-financial objectives within an environment of collaboration, communication, and innovation.
• Sound knowledge of the collective agreement and ensure compliance.
• Promotes the continuing development of an organizational climate which encourages creativity, innovation and risk taking, which rewards individuals for productivity and quality improvement.
• Provides leadership through upholding Banff Centre’s safe work practices, anti-harassment policy, participant code of conduct, alcohol and drug policy, and other Banff Centre policies.
• Addresses issues and concerns impacting residency program participants, faculty, and staff while working with Participant Resources and Security Services.

Stakeholder Relationships

• Contributes to the overall success of the Banff Centre by participating in internal committees as required.
• Interprets the impact of decisions and policies on the Centre’s ability to promote and profile Banff Centre.
• Represents Banff Centre externally and convey the case for the Centre at multiple and varied public events.