Chilliwack — The Board of Directors for the Chilliwack Arts & Cultural Centre Society is actively seeking applications for the role of Executive Director of the Chilliwack Cultural Centre. The Centre has been under interim leadership since late June.
That’s when the original ED Michael Cade parted ways after being with the centre since the 2010 opening.
The role description, which has been posted to The Centre web site, describes the ideal candidate as a collaborative, dynamic and inspirational leader who can build on previous successes and shape The Centre’s future at the heart of a thriving, increasingly diverse, regional landscape of arts and culture.
The position of Executive Director reports to the Board of Directors and has responsibility for all Centre operations. “This is an exciting time for the Chilliwack Cultural Centre as we embark on a search for new leadership,” says Board President Kim Harder. “We are filling a critical role that will steward the evolution of The Centre as it continues to meet the diverse cultural interests of our community. To take that bold step forward, The Centre deserves the benefit of a thorough, nation-wide search using the broadest possible network.”
To inform the search strategy and process, the Board engaged the support of independent consultant Mary Blais – a Canadian arts and culture specialist with a deep personal understanding of what the role requires. Mary has served on a number of boards, among them B.C.’s ArtStarts in Schools where she chaired the Outreach Committee, the Board of the B.C. Alliance for Arts + Culture, and Banff Heritage Tourism. She has held the role of Executive Director at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity and recently served as an advisor on the Leadership Emergency Arts Network, helping Canadian arts organizations deal with the implications of the pandemic. Mary is also a volunteer mentor to arts organizations across Canada through the Business for the Arts artsVest program.
The Board is prioritizing an inclusive hiring process that involves gathering community input to inform the search. “As we move forward, The Centre will continue to be a gathering place for creative expression, discovery, imagination, and inspiration on behalf of the City of Chilliwack,” notes Harder. “We are very fortunate to have such an asset in our community.”
Applications for the Executive Director position will be accepted until October 25, 2021. In the meantime, the Board and Centre staff are working closely together to maintain continuity of Centre operations.
