Digitizing Dance Project – Photographer

Job Type: Contract
Job Start Date: 05/06/2023
Location: 475 Harwood Avenue North
City: Ajax
Hiring Organization Name: Dance Collection Danse
Hiring Organization Description:

Dance Collection Danse, founded in 1986 by Lawrence and Miriam Adams, is a national arts organization that safeguards Canada’s dance archives and artifacts and disseminates this history through its varied programs. A unique organization straddling the performing arts, museum, and archival communities, DCD offers the opportunity to understand, investigate, and experience the legacies of dance in Canada. In addition to managing Canada’s largest collection of dance materials, DCD shares dance heritage internationally through virtual and live exhibits, lectures, workshops, educational kits, publishing projects, and by supporting research. It has also developed the DCD Discover portal, which will ultimately lead to full online access to DCD’s collection as well as dance materials from individuals, and arts and heritage organizations. DCD celebrates Canada’s dance legacies annually through the Dance Collection Danse Hall of Fame, which includes a live event and online content.

Job Description:

The Digitizing Dance Project consists of the strategic digitization of documents, photographs, scrapbooks, costumes, visual art, posters, set pieces, and theatre backdrops at DCD over the course of a year in order to create publicly accessible records on the new DCD Discover online collections portal.

This project will take place at the Access Storage facility in Ajax (475 Harwood Ave N). Hours are 10-5, including a half hour paid meal break and appropriate coffee breaks. The duration is June 5-30 (4 weeks), Monday-Friday. The facility is indoors, air conditioned, and has bathroom access. Carpool from the Ajax GO station is available, and the storage facility has free parking.

The Project Photographer will be responsible for, with the DCD team’s guidance, generating photographs of DCD’s costume collection. Costumes will be dressed, by others, on mannequins and the photographer will direct the arrangement of the mannequins and lighting to achieve archival-quality images. Some items (including shoes, hats, and wearable props) will not be on mannequins. Costumes in the DCD collection vary wildly, and include tutus, contemporary ready-to-wear items, dancewear (leotards, tights), and unique, custom theatrical items.

Requirement:

– Education or professional experience in photography (please submit a brief portfolio)
– Own camera equipment
– Reliable ability to commute to Access Storage in Ajax or to the Ajax GO station

Qualification:

– Ability to work with the DCD team to determine best practices for photographing unique garments
– Experience with object photography an asset
– Experience with or knowledge of the theatre/dance industry an asset

Remuneration:

$5,000 for the contract

How to Apply:

Please email resumes and cover letters to beth@dcd.ca

Application Deadline: 12/05/2023

Application contact Information:

Beth Dobson, Archives and Programming Coordinator