Northern Lights.mn supports artists in the creation and presentation of art in the public sphere to imagine new interactions between audience, artwork and place and explore expanded possibilities for civic engagement.

Our largest program is Northern Spark, a free, annual, late-night, multidisciplinary arts festival that takes place in June and draws thousands of Minnesotans each year. In collaboration with arts organizations and community partners, we turn the city into a surprising arts experience.  

For more information about Northern Lights.mn, visit our website: http://northern.lights.mn/.  For more information about Northern Spark, visit http://northern.lights.mn/platform_group/northern-spark/

In 2022 Northern Spark will take place at Saint Paul neighborhood sites including Victoria Theatre Arts Center, Springboard for the Arts, Little Mekong Plaza and Raspberry Island. We seek applicants with knowledge of these neighborhoods whether through living, working, or socializing there.

Since 2011, Northern Spark has created a spirit of adventure and belonging, with the help of hundreds of artists and community partners. One of our goals is to build public artmaking and production skills within the community. Production staff members are part of a dynamic team that works together to produce this beloved event.

Job Description: Assistant Producer

The Assistant Producer works with the Festival Producer to support the production process of Northern Spark. This person will work on advance planning of the festival and will independently manage the event set-up, maintenance and strike at one of our festival sites, Springboard for the Arts.

Qualified applicants should have related experience, which may include: theatrical stage management or production management, project management, event coordination, etc. Technical experience or knowledge not required, but helpful. This is a great job for someone who has live event production experience who wants to take on more pre-production responsibility and/or seeks experience working within a public art or festival context.

Compensation: $5,000

Duration: February 1 through June 30, 2022 (there is possibility of this becoming an annual position)

Estimated hours: Approximately 200 hours. Schedule varies from week to week, estimated 5-10 hours per week with more hours required during site visit, testing and event weeks. Read below for more details.

Reports to: Festival Producer

Advance work may include:

• Attending all Northern Spark staff meetings and production meetings (bi-weekly, weekly closer to event date
• Managing spreadsheets to track equipment, materials, artist information, etc.
• Drafting schedules and coordinating with artists, venues and production team
• Updating contact sheets
• Sourcing/obtaining equipment and materials
• Coordinating plans for infrastructure, amenities, zero waste, etc.
• Drafting, sending and filing contracts for other production personnel
• Attending site visits and project testings with Producer
• Communicating with each artist/project; volunteer; and zero waste personnel to confirm final details before event date
• Communication and coordination with function crew, as necessary
• Additional tasks, tbd

Tasks during the festival include:

• Maintain communications with Festival Producer and Artists, as necessary
• Manage Volunteers and other Production personnel
• Act as public and artistic point-of-contact for event questions or issues
• Maintain production and logistical elements of the event including:
• Signage
• Restrooms
• Trash/Recycling/Organics
• Security personnel
• Audience flow and safety including COVID precautions
• Back of house space
• Retain festival and civil documentation including schedules and permits
• Protect festival integrity by encouraging adherence to event schedule
• Review integrity of projects and communicate status with Producer

Post-Festival tasks may include:

• Compiling information for production reports; finalizing spreadsheets
• Taking inventory of equipment (tents, projectors, etc), with Crew
• Managing returning of materials to vendors and/or storage facilities (i.e. walkie-talkies, signage, tents, etc.), with help from the Crew
• Additional tasks, tbd

Required skills: Must be detail-oriented, organized, and able to respond quickly and problem-solve on-site. Must be able to both work independently on projects and collaboratively with other staff members and artists. Great written and verbal communication skills, self-motivated and able to adapt to changing deadlines. Experience working with Google Suite necessary. Ability to make and read maps and ground plans. Ability to work with a broad range of people within and outside the organization including artists, vendors, city employees, venue contacts, etc. Ability to work with a fast-paced schedule with overlapping project timelines. Experience managing teams of people, whether volunteers, staff members, or a combination.

Desired skills: Basic proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite or similar program to make internal production maps; experience stage managing events; experience with volunteer recruitment and management.

Physical requirements: This job involves physically active work for sustained periods of time and staying up late and alert on the event date! Applicants must also be able to lift and move objects of up to 30 lbs.

Schedule: Weekday schedule to be determined with supervisor. Some evening and weekend availability is necessary. The following dates are required:

• Production and Staff Meetings (mostly virtual): Mondays from 1-3pm (subject to change)
• Artist Cohort Meetings (virtual): February 9; March 9, April 13, May 11 (evenings, approximately 6-8pm)
• Project site visits (in person): TBD evenings, February 21 – 24
• Project test dates (in person): TBD evenings the week of May 23 – 26
• Telethon Fundraiser (in person): April 20 (all day rehearsal + evening live event)
• Production week (virtual and in person): Must be available full time June 6-10
• Festival weekend (in person): TBD hours / all day June 11 until approximately 4am on June 12

Required equipment: Computer with reliable internet access for virtual meetings and independent work. Must have reliable transportation for travel between festival sites across Saint Paul and to run errands.

COVID requirements: with abundant caution and care for our community, all festival staff must show proof of vaccination (including boosters, as applicable) and be prepared to wear a mask when the team collectively determines it’s necessary during the shifting state of the pandemic. Please consider this prior to applying. 

To apply: submit cover letter, resume or CV, and 3 references by December 21 to erin@northern.lights.mn

Deadline for this application has closed

Download Job Description PDF here.