Job opportunity: Coordinator Nature Research

3 days a week
Deadline to apply: February 12, 2021
Starting date: preferably April 2021

The Jan van Eyck Academie is looking for a coordinator of the Nature Research department to join the team. Together with the director and curator, the appointed person will advise on and co-develop innovative programming and an institutional strategy on Art and Climate Crisis in which theory and practice are of equal importance. Related to this, the Nature Research department will provide guidance and develop tools and insights benefitting the institute, its organisation and participants, as well as the creative practices of others working in the arts.

About
As a post-academic, multidisciplinary institute, the Jan van Eyck Academie provides its participants with the time, space and expertise needed to develop their artistic practice in depth. Visual artists and designers of all disciplines—graphic/fashion/food/architecture—curators, writers and researchers from all over the world, can stay at the academy for one year and make use of all its facilities. Each individual participant has their own studio, can sign up for weekly visits by various (guest) advisers and have access to well-equipped Labs (Printing & Publishing, Material Matters, Photography and Audiovisual, Future Materials, and a Food Lab). The Nature Research, Art & Society and Research & Education departments further artistic and academic research, and help the participants in realising their projects in collaboration with external parties. Next to the public programme, participants have the opportunity to collaborate and organize their own series of events, talks, workshops, conferences and presentations.

The Jan van Eyck Academie is committed to exploring the agency, roles, and civic significance of art, design and other creative practices in relation to the climate crisis and its manifold effects. This institutional focus aims at creating a common-ground that embraces a diversity of practices and allows for a multitude of voices.

Responsibilities
–The coordinator will explore the agency and roles of art in an age of climate breakdown and will advise the director and curator on policy and strategy.
–The coordinator will develop tools for knowledge sharing with participants, the public, partners and other stakeholders.
–The coordinator will advise on and co-develop innovative programming for participants and public alike (ranging from workshops, lecture series to field trips).
–The coordinator will facilitate and support artists that are keen to re-think and re-build our relationship to the natural world.
–The coordinator will work closely with the Lab coordinators to support and advise participants in pursuing a sustainable artistic practice, the recently launched Future Materials Bank is one of the main tools to explore the possibilities.
–The coordinator will develop and execute an ambitious sustainability policy for the academy in close collaboration with the director and other staff members and will act as an adviser to colleagues with questions concerning sustainability.
–The coordinator will write funding applications to support the proposed programme and policy.
–The coordinator will work together with partner(institutions) on local, national, and international level, and will actively seek new partnerships in and outside of the arts, such as (regenerative) agriculture, food, (renewable) energy industries as well as with educational and science institutes.
–The previous Nature Research coordinator will be spearheading the Green Art Lab Alliance (GALA) from 2021 onwards. As one of the partners in GALA, the Jan van Eyck Academie is actively involved – its first major contribution being the Future Materials Bank. The new coordinator will be the academy’s representative in GALA and will coordinate in collaboration with the Alliance the Future Materials Bank. 

Requirements
–A degree and/or experience in art(history), design, architecture, cultural or curatorial studies, science (ecology, biology), or another relevant field.
–3 or more years of experience.
–Have a good understanding of the climate discourse, its ethics and principles, and the manifold effects of the climate crisis.
–Have knowledge of the contemporary discourse on art in relation to climate crisis and have innovative ideas and proposals for policy and programming.
–Have affinity and experience in working with a multitude of artistic and preferably environmental disciplines.
–Experience in developing and producing art projects.
–Has knowledge of (sustainable) materials.
–Will be required to settle in Maastricht or vicinity.

Key Personal Attributes & Skills Required
–Have an excellent understanding of community.
–Excellent communication, writing and organizational skills.
–An effective team worker who shows initiative.
–Good command in spoken and written English.
–A love for nature.

Offer
24 hours per week
Salary scale 10 of BBRA, sector Rijk (NL)
Starting date: April 2021

Application process
Interested candidates are invited to apply online. Please find all information here.