What are the responsibilities and job description for the Arts and Culture Director position at City of Phoenix?
Over 1.7 million people call Phoenix home, where sunshine and opportunities are endless! Commonly known as the “Valley of the Sun”, Phoenix is the 5th largest city in the United States and provides a rich culture and an abundance of attractions for both residents and visitors from museums, nature parks, and restaurants to a vast network of arts, entertainment, sports, recreational and educational amenities.
With an award-winning public arts program, the city is looking for their next Director to oversee the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture, the City's designated local arts agency. The department offers various opportunities, including funding and professional development, as well as supporting the work of arts organizations, artists and educators who provide quality arts programming, activities, and experiences to the Phoenix community.
Under the general supervision of the Deputy City Manager, the Arts and Culture Director will oversee the annual grants provided to nonprofit arts organizations and artists to ensure cultural services and opportunities are accessible to Phoenix residents of all ages and be committed to working in partnership with the ancestral Indigenous communities to foster understanding, appreciation and respect for this heritage. This position will also be responsible for the physical plant and property for a number of City-owned cultural facilities that draw more than six million total attendances each year.
The ideal candidate will have a vision to reimagine the Phoenix of tomorrow and for what is possible in the arts space. This “big picture” thinker shall be focused on enriching the lives of the residents, businesses and visitors through the local arts, culture, and education in the Phoenix. Candidates must have proven experience and transferable skills to drive forward the cultural art bond projects, effectively navigate engagement with artists, philanthropists, patrons, public art contractors/vendors, community stakeholders, Commissioners, and elected officials, along with the ability to build consensus to solve public-facing issues.
Candidates shall have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in arts/arts education, business administration or a directly related field, and a minimum of five (5) years supervisory management experience with a local, state or national agency, non-profit or foundation in the arts field (such as music, theater, dance, visual/digital arts) or arts-related program in education. A master’s degree is preferred in a similar concentration.