Request for Proposal - Visual Artist / Instructor

Background
Flemingdon Health Centre is a community health centre dedicated to supporting and improving the health status and quality of life of people in the surrounding neighborhoods. It utilizes the diverse knowledge and skills of various professionals to provide accessible primary health care, promote individual health and wellness, initiate social action and stimulate community development. The centre believes that effective primary health care addresses the social determinants of health, including social inclusion, access to shelter, education, recreation, income and employment security, and food security.

Project Description
Flemingdon Health Centre has received an Ontario Arts Council grant where youth and parents / caregivers will be introduced to visual art, with the purpose of building inter-generational understanding and enhancing connection between the community and the health centre. We are seeking the services of a professional artist who can introduce community members to visual art form/s such as batik, print-making, lino-block print, screen printing etc.

We have partnered with a middle school and local shopping centre to engage youth and their parents / care-givers in the creation, display, and appreciation of visual art in the local community. The project will involve engaging youth in the creation of art through an after-school program and liaising with care-givers to find a suitable time to deliver art instruction.

The art instructor will conduct approximately five program cycles. Each cycle will be comprised of approximately five consecutive two hour workshops. In total 60 participants will be reached over the five cycles of the program.

Job Responsibilities

* Instruct youth and care-givers from the community in an after school arts program.
* Plan and coordinate all aspects of multi-workshop sessions.
* Develop program structure that is suitable to art medium and participants.
* Communicate and coordinate with staff from partner organizations as well as youth and care-givers.
* Assist in the co-ordination of an art exhibit of the produced art work for the local community.
* Purchase all art supplies for the workshops.

Skills and Qualifications

* Experience working creatively with youth and / or care-givers from diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds.
* Strong artistic skills and experience, including experience in visual art and community arts.
* Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
* Ability to clearly articulate teaching philosophy and approach.
* Ability to inspire and motivate youth and their families.
* Ability to collaborate to develop innovative themes that will offer inspiration.
* Able to design and implement workshop within a budget

Timelines and Budget
The individual selected will be required to start in September 2010 and should be able to deliver art workshops during flexible hours including late afternoons / early evenings and weekends from September 2010 to December 2010 / January 2011.

The maximum budget for this contract is $7,500 (including professional fee, material costs and HST, if relevant).

Application
Interested artists are invited to submit an application with the following:

* Letter of intent detailing medium/s, time-lines, workshops, framing or alternate display ideas, hours, fee
* Resume
* Sample lesson plan (max 1 page)
* Slides on CD of artist work: 5 pieces of work including date, title and medium for each.
* Slides on CD of learner work (taught by artist): 5 pieces of work including date, title and medium for each.

Please send hard copy of application by 5:00pm on Monday, 13 September 2010, to:

Artist Hiring Committee. Attention: Darryl Gershater,
Flemingdon Health Centre
10 Gateway Blvd, Toronto, Ontario, M3C 3A1

We thank all in advance for your interest. Only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted. Final approval of the artist will be made by the Ontario Arts Council.

We encourage applications from individuals who reflect the broad diversity of communities we work with, including those from racialized and LGBTQ communities.