Artist Service Assistant

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Job Description

Artist Service Assistant
Stanford Lively Arts
Stanford University
Part Time Seasonal, Hourly

Stanford Lively Arts curates experiences that engage artists’ and audiences’ imagination, creativity, and sense of adventure. Working in that spirit, the Artist Services Assistant develops and executes the infrastructure for hospitality for artists and artists’ management who are in residency at Stanford Lively Arts. The Artist Services Assistant builds relationships with vendors and community contacts, establishes a consistent level of excellence for catering, local transportation, and event management, and develops schedules to integrate events and artist hospitality into the performance season. The Assistant reports to the Special Projects & Planning Manager, with dotted line reporting to the Director of Technical Services & Production at performances, and the Campus Programs Manager and Community Engagement Manager at events at dorms, schools, and nearby arts venues.

Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
• Prior to the Lively Arts’ season, the Artist Services Assistant will develop, under the guidance of the Special Projects & Planning Manager, a master schedule for managing artist hospitality when artists are in residence, including catering and travel and hotel, and staffing at performances, Informances and campus events. That schedule will be refined and continually revised prior to each performance. The Assistant will also work with the Special Projects Manager to compile all material for artists’ residency at Stanford and input into the Lively Arts database local travel arrangements, hotel accommodations, catering and miscellaneous requests information or provide that data to the Programming team for input as requested. The Assistant will help develop a consistent plan and level of ambiance so that artist hospitality

• The Artist Services Assistant will implement details of the itinerary as created by the Special Projects & Planning Manager. For each residency and performance at Lively Arts, the Assistant will distribute schedules for artists’ residencies, including arranging delivery of artists’ packets to hotels prior to each stay; ensure that artists are met by the Artist Services Assistant or appropriate staff person when artists and crew first arrive for rehearsals on campus; answer questions and serve as resource for artists and artists’ management, and serve as contact for artists’ managers during the work day and during evenings or weekends, or arrange for other staff coverage. This role requires the Assistant to be on call beginning when the artists initiate their travel plans though their stay at Stanford University. The Assistant will work in cooperation with the Special Projects & Planning Manager to ensure a smooth handoff from pre-visit discussions to residency at Stanford.

• Establish relationships with shuttles and drivers and negotiate terms. Follow through and track hotel and ground transportation needs for artists based on negotiated terms in contracts. Assistant may frequently drive artists in rented or University vehicle.

• Establish relationships with caterers and food & beverage vendors and negotiate terms. Follow through and track catering. Pick up and deliver catering when appropriate or when catering delivery is not available or financially prudent. Provide clean up of hospitality not covered by vendors or maintenance.

• Assist artists with local campus issues such as parking passes, directions and local recommendations.

• Develop budget for hospitality, track finances, and work with staff to contain costs.

Qualifications:
The successful individual will possess a minimum of three years experience in artist management, event production, or stage management. Strong events planning, project management, administrative and organizational abilities, including experience in databases and computer skills including Word and Excel required. Excellent verbal skills necessary, as well as ability to coordinate multifaceted projects with extreme diplomacy, professionalism, and graciousness. Knowledge of and interest in the arts is preferred.

Position Details:
This position requires extreme flexibility in working hours and ability to be on call. Individual must commit to a schedule at the beginning of the season that will include working at most, if not all, of approximately 40 Lively Arts main stage performances and many additional events scheduled for students and the community for the 20009–10 season, scheduled October through April. (Schedule is available at www.livelyarts.stanford.edu). Hours are expected to be approximately a total of 10–20 hours per performance depending on complexity of engagement, and will include a few hours working in the office to plan and coordinate, as well as time communicating on the telephone and via email with artists, and on site hours less time for breaks. Hours will include weekends and late nights since this role requires staying at venues until artists depart and catering is cleaned. It is not unusual for performance day hours to begin at 8:00 AM and end after midnight, though the responsibilities for this role will most likely require that this position clock in and out as needed. There may be some weeks with multiple performances requiring numerous hours, and weeks during the season when the performance schedule is dark and this position will not be scheduled to work. During the season, the Assistant should expect to be on call when artists are traveling or in residency so that artists and or vendors may reach him/her with questions about travel and/or hospitality. The blocks of time when the position needs to be on call will be arranged as early as possible in the season to assist in planning his/her schedule. Position also requires ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds and to maintain a valid California State Driver’s license and a good driving record. Willingness to drive artists when car service is not available or financially viable is also required. This is a part-time, seasonal, hourly position that is not benefits eligible. Position is eligible for overtime.

Please send a letter of interest and resume to Kathleen Stueck, Director of Operations & Finance at Stanford Lively Arts. Please put “Artist Services Assistant” in the subject line. No phone calls please.