Now Seeking Applications Through Monday, October 29, 2007 for Executive Director of the 2008 Ithaca Festival!

We are looking for someone who can make magic! Requires enthusiasm, resourcefulness, multiple community connections and willingness to make more, merchandising savvy, experience with fund development and volunteer management, parade know-how, computer skills. By October 29, 2007, please send resume and letter of interest (in pdf format) via e-mail only to info@ithacafestival.org. If you are unable to create pdf versions of your cover letter and resume, please cut and paste same via e-mail to info@ithacafestival.org. For complete job description visit the Festival web site at http://www.ithacafestival.org or the Festival blog site at http://ithacafestival.wordpress.com/.

Executive Director - Ithaca Festival

The Executive Director is responsible for directing the Ithaca Festival, an annual music and arts festival that celebrates community and the artist in everyone. The Ithaca Festival features the performances of over 1000 musicians, dancers, actors, storytellers, community groups and ensembles in 4 days of programming on the first weekend in June. It is one of the most unique festivals in the country, attracting an audience of over 45,000.

This year, the Festival runs from May 29th through June 1st. Components of Festival weekend include the Thursday night parade, the 2-day celebration of music on the Commons, and Sunday at Stewart Park. The 2008 Executive Director will also coordinate the Ithaca Festival Paint Off during early Winter 2008.

The Ithaca Festival Board of Directors is seeking an individual who can:

CREATE MAGIC – responsible for applying artistic and creative direction to the 4 days of festival programming

RAISE FUNDS – responsible for meeting – or exceeding – the funding requirements of the festival

MARKET PRODUCTS – responsible for merchandising festival product to meet funding requirements

COORDINATE VOLUNTEERS – responsible for recruiting, inspiring, training, and managing a large group of volunteers (and small group of staff)

MANAGE BUDGETS – responsible for preparing and staying within budget requirements

HANDLE LOGISTICS – responsible for all office activities, coordinating board and committee meetings, paying bills, meeting deadlines, plus making 4 days of programming happen!

WORK FLEXIBLY – responsible for near full-time commitment in spring, with more flexible part-time requirements remainder of year

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

1. Working closely with Board of Directors and Committees to:

– Set the vision and artistic direction of the festival by creating the festival theme concept and events to highlight theme – such as the Festival Artist, Festival Parade and Circus Eccentrithaca;

– Set – then meet or exceed – funding requirements through sponsorships, grants, and other fund-raising, such as the Festival Players Annual Fund, as well as product sales of Festival Gear, ad sales of the Festival Program, and other revenue generating activities;

– Set and manage budgets to maximize the organizations financial efficiencies with limited resources (current annual budget in approximately $120,000);

2. Being the public face of the Ithaca Festival by working closely with volunteers, community organizations, sponsors, the city and county, vendors, and the media;

3. Supervise volunteers, interns and festival staff

Desired Qualifications:

– Experience as administrator of non-profit festival or arts organization encompassing general office management, special events, marketing & public relations, grant writing, fund-raising, budget preparation, volunteer recruitment & management, database management, and web skills. Similar experience in other organizations considered

– Excellent written and oral communication, and creative problem solving skills

– Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and successfully meet deadlines

– Fluency with web site or blog site maintenance along with fluency in Mac-based applications, including Excel, Word, Filemaker Pro, and PageMaker. Graphic design experience helpful

– Flexibility to work a seasonally-variable part-time position – pretty much full-time in spring and various levels of part-time rest of the year

– Valid drivers license

– Oh, did we mention a great sense of humor and a thick skin?

To be considered for this position, send a letter and resume in pdf format by Oct. 29, 2007 to info@ithacafestival.org. If you are unable to create pdf versions of your cover letter and resume, please cut and paste same via e-mail to info@ithacafestival.org.

Full consideration will be given to applications received by October 29, 2007. Review of applications will begin the first week of November. Finalist interviews are expected in early November 2007 with the appointment of the 2008 Festival Director anticipated during the first week of December 2008.

Ithaca Times Names Ithaca Festival “Best Area Festival 2007″

Wow!

Happily we’re smart enough not to believe our own press.  What we do know is that if others say we are first, we are first among many equals.  Living among some of the best festivals in the nation — Grassroots Festival, Musefest, Brewfest, Light in Winter, Finger Lakes International Dragon Boat Festival, Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival and all the Ithaca Downtown Partnership festivals (Apple Harvest Festival, The Great Chili Cookoff, Holiday Parade of Ice) — we can only say “thanks.”

 Here’s what the Ithaca Times had to say:
“Not just downtown, but anywhere in the area! Take that, Grassroots! The music fest in T-burg may have been voted one of the ten best in the nation, but as far as Ithacans are concerned, our hometown festival celebrating local artists and musicians tops everything else. On the Commons, in Stewart Park, from the parade to the last band on the ballfield we know what it’s about.”