Festival Director for Fertile Ground Festival - Portland Area Theatre Alliance

The Portland Area Theatre Alliance (PATA) is seeking to hire a Festival Director for the 2024 Fertile Ground Festival of New Works. The ideal candidate will be familiar with the local arts scene, have experience in producing and organizing an arts festival and/or festival related

events, and possess strong organizational, leadership and communications skills. The director will work with the PATA Fertile Ground Committee to re-envision and bring to life the 2024 festival. The Festival Director will be responsible for organization, coordination, communication,

marketing management, fundraising/grant writing, and media relations related to the 2024 Festival. The Festival Director will report directly to the PATA board and work closely with the PATA administrator, the Fertile Ground Committee and additional staff. The Fertile Ground Festival of New Works is a multi-week interdisciplinary arts festival typically held in late January/early February, occurring throughout the Portland, Oregon metro region. This community-wide festival is focused on the creation of new works across a myriad of art forms, from fully staged world premieres, theatrical workshops and play readings, dance,

comedy, film events and works created across other artistic mediums. The festival offers dozens of Portland-generated “acts of creation” each year.The Fertile Ground Festival of New Works spans the spectrum of artistic endeavors and seeds the next generation of creation through collaboration, conversation, workshops, performance and more. Unlike most new works

festivals, Fertile Ground is exclusive to the LOCAL arts community, ensuring that the artistic and financial incentives of the festival benefit our local artistic community. Where other festivals are often curated by a single entity, the Fertile Ground Festival is shaped by community collaboration and consideration to uplift a variety of aesthetic voices.



The next Fertile Ground Festival of New Works is projected to commence by the end of January

2024.



The Fertile Ground Festival Director will be the overall festival director and producer. Job duties will be split among the director, PATA Members and volunteers and the Fertile Ground Committee. With the director’s leadership, the rest will work in concert to get our tasks done to reach goals outlined by the team.



Date of Hire: ASAP



Hours: This position is a Part-time contract hire starting at hire through the Festival conclusion in early 2024, Festival Director is responsible for self governing hours.



Pay: Starting at $6,000.00 (This position will be instrumental in leading the effort in fundraising for the Fertile Ground Festival. Fundraising projections budget an additional $10,000.00 for the director provided these projections are met.)



Job duties:

● Oversee and manage tasks pertaining to the Fertile Ground Festival, working in concert

with PATA members, volunteers and Fertile Ground Committee members.

● Work with, and report to, the PATA Board of Directors

● Work with, and attend, Fertile Ground Committee meetings

● Manage the budget set by the PATA Board of Directors

● Assist with fundraising along side Fertile Ground Committee, including writing grants with

input from PATA

● Festival producer registration oversight. (Will work with the Fertile Ground Committee

create a process and arrange management)

● Coordination of Communications (this includes internal such as PATA and external

SUCH AS producers, GROW Panel, public, etc.)

● Staff coordination - hiring, direction and supervision (PATA will assist with graphic design

for the website, social media, and email marketing).

● Content and brand management - strategy/design/copywriting (this includes the Fertile

Ground website and online calendar)

● Ad buying

● Media relations: press releases and coverage development

● Correspondence with major donors

● Frequent communication with show producers, answering questions/guiding process.

● Curation of GROW Panel and leading the process (see description of GROW Panel

below)

● Facilitate and lead Meet the Media event, Marketing Bootcamp, and other Fertile Ground related events.



Application Procedures: Please submit a cover letter and resume to: info@portlandtheatre.com



Candidates for the position will be contacted for an interview via zoom with the PATA Fertile Ground Committee.



The Portland Area Theatre Alliance (PATA) is committed to the practice of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. This is an equal employment opportunity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status or any other defined characteristic. We are committed to a multicultural environment and strongly encourage

applications from BIPOC, LGBTQIA, veterans and individuals with disabilities. The recently instituted GROW program focuses on providing support to projects by emerging artists from underrepresented communities. This GROW Panel is composed of individuals whose identities

encompass a spectrum of underrepresented voices,* along with Fertile Ground and PATA representatives
Salary: $6k-$10k