Digital Producer for Tracks Dance Company

Tracks Dance Company has an exciting position for an experienced digital producer to scope and deliver an upgrade of our current IT systems, and develop a digital arts platform and strategy. The digital producer's primary responsibility will be to consolidate and coordinate the management of the existing administrative systems and work with the artistic team in order to build a digital platform that will meet the overall requirements of the company and expand its reach to new audiences.

Company Overview:
Tracks (a not for profit organisation) is located in Darwin, Northern Territory. Our isolation and distance from larger population centres has been turned into one of our greatest assets. Our performances are designed to transform audiences’ sense of place and to bring to life local content and experience. We create large-scale works that are site specific, and have sizable cast numbers, (usually around 30 but sometimes up to and over 200). The downside of this is that we do not have touring capabilities and our work remains largely unseen by others unless they travel to Darwin, or into the remote Indigenous community we work in – Lajamanu, (1,000 kilometres from Darwin in the Tanami Desert).

Over the past quarter century Tracks has refined a process for working within community over long time periods which has been our point of difference to other dance companies. We now recognize that there are new avenues to extend this collaborative approach through existing and developing technologies. The company is also very aware that there is a need to reach audiences who are not able to attend our live performances as well as engage existing audiences in more strategic ways. The digital world offers opportunities to transform and enhance the work of the company to make it more far reaching, interactive and accessible.

For the past 12 months Tracks has been researching and strategically planning a significant extension of our digital systems and presence. We have identified the following key areas for expansion; developing technologies to create new work, digitizing existing material to make it ready for use, increasing audience reach and improving operational systems and communication tools. We see the digital program as highly relevant to our core activities.

The company has 25 years of archival material to build on and is excited about its future. The ideal candidate or company will be able to demonstrate a high level of expertise in both the technological and creative aspects of this project. The project will be on a part-time basis for a period of 18 months and has been funded through the Australia Council’s Geek in Residence initiative.

Responsibilities:
Working within a small office team that includes three full-time and three
part-time staff as well as a more extensive network of creative partners, the role includes:
• Managing and developing Track’s digital technologies, including collaborating with our existing website technician.
• Scoping and delivering a Digital Arts Platform program for 2014-15, including exploring innovative ways of using technology when creating new works.
• Exploring the best modes of engagement for Tracks staff and participants to facilitate live streaming, downloadable resources, and the documentation and creation of new work.
• Managing and developing the use of our online presence to profile Tracks Dance artists and their working processes with the company.
• Developing and implementing a digital marketing campaign to use innovative ways to deliver to a wider audience.
• Providing support, training and resources for Tracks staff.

Selection Criteria:
• Formal qualifications related to the development and management of digital projects.
• Demonstrated understanding of web-enabled interaction and collaboration, including online multimedia arts projects and social media’s potential to expand the company’s reach.
• Proven IT experience, including databases (Filemaker Pro), MS Office and web development.
• Excellent communication skills including written and interpersonal, with a demonstrated understanding of writing for web environments.
• Strong project management skills including program initiation and development skills and the ability to provide detailed analysis of the program effectiveness.
• Ability to operate as a member of a small team and independently.
• Sound understanding of the challenges of working outside a major capital city and with remote communities.
• Demonstrated understanding of Tracks, its values and activities.

Tracks is willing to consider applications or expressions of interest from companies only if they can provide adequate project management oversight.

Please send your Expression of Interest (including information about related experience), with referee contacts and a response to the selection criteria addressed to:
Susan Congreve General Manager
GPO Box 823 Darwin 0800
or
Email your application to susan@tracksdance.com.au
Closing date: Wednesday 9th April, 2014

Tracks Dance Company is assisted by the Commonwealth Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body, and the Northern Territory Government. (2014).