Craft Council of British Columbia

Craft Council of British Columbia is a charitable arts service organization which supports all stages of artistic practice in the craft sector; creates opportunities for artists to exhibit, sell and produce art; provides a voice for artists and craft organizations and aids in the development of active communities around craft.

We currently have an opening for an Indigenous Engagement Coordinator who is interested in supporting CCBC in securing a Craft City designation by the World Craft Council for Metro Vancouver. Through this project CCBC wants to build on our current relationships with Indigenous artists/organizations, academic & industry partners, and along with the settler craft sector we currently represent – we hope to develop a comprehensive proposal to present to the World Craft Council in 2023. 

Parallel to this project we will be continuing to work with CMHC to develop a policy for retailers on Granville Island to address cultural appropriation practices around indigenous design forms.

Key responsibilities:

To develop working relationships with First Nation communities in the lower mainland around their art/craft practice.

To produce a draft proposal for the World Craft Council based on input from both Indigenous and settler craft artists.

To continue to work with CMHC around the development and implementation of policy addressing cultural appropriation around Indigenous design forms. 

To open dialogue with key city business associations around adopting practices/policy that address the current cultural appropriation around Indigenous design forms in the retail sector.

• Firsthand knowledge of the protocols and procedures to develop relationships with Indigenous Elders, leaders and knowledge keepers
• some experience in building and maintaining relationships and partnerships with Indigenous artists, community groups, organizations and stakeholders
• Passion for art and culture
• Proactive and self-motivated
• Ability to facilitate matters of cultural protocol and cultural safety
• Can demonstrate a strong understanding of the local context
• Desire to contribute to and collaborate with a creative team
• Confident and clear communicator with strong written and oral communication skills
• Ability to think critically, employ sound judgment, evaluate situations and engage appropriate parties at varying levels to arrive at solutions.
• Ability to successfully organize, prioritize and complete multiple planned and unplanned projects
• Proficiency in common communication tools (MS Office, Google Suite, Zoom, etc)
• University degree in a related field or a combination of education and experience will be considered

To meet the YCW internship program requirements, this opportunity is open to post-graduate individuals 30 years of age and under.

While preference will be given to qualified First Nations persons with some knowledge of BC First Nations culture, as an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all qualified candidates and consideration of equity groups (women, visible minority) will be made.

Interviews will be conducted by our two full-time staff. Interns will be shortlisted based on their area of study, work experience, reasons for applying for the job, how they present themselves.

All interested candidates should email a cover letter clearly demonstrating their qualifications and enthusiasm for the position along with a resume by September 27th, 2021 to Raine Mckay rainejmckay(at)craftcouncilbc.ca