VICFS Seeking New Board Members

The Vancouver International Children’s Festival Society (VICFS) is the first arts festival created specifically for children, families and educators outside of Australia located on the unceded, ancestral, and occupied, traditional lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations in Vancouver. The Festival began in 1978 as an international theatre festival for young audiences. Today the Festival is multi-disciplinary and over the years has been an inspiration to major cities throughout Canada and abroad, where annual children’s festivals now take place. 

Volunteer Opportunity Description:

The VICFS is in its 48th year and is looking for some new Board members to replace those whose 3 year terms are complete. There are currently a number of exciting opportunities and we are looking for folks with the following expertise: Special events, fundraising, and Non-profit arts. 

VICFS’s board is a Governance Board. Board members are elected to serve a three-year term that is renewable to a maximum of six years. The time commitment for a board member is approximately two to four hours a month with 8 board meetings and 1 AGM throughout the year. We do not have meetings in July and August. The position of board member is a volunteer position. 

The board has four standing committees: Fundraising,  Finance and Audit, Human Resources and Governance.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Ensure that VICFS meets its legal and financial responsibilities as a registered charity. 
• Work with the staff to create the strategic direction of the organization 
• Approve policy and procedures.
• Help attract funding, in-kind support, and sponsorship. 
• Participate in fundraising efforts and events
• Attend monthly board meetings 8 per year. 
• Join a committee and perform committee work. 
• Act as advocates for the VICFS

Qualifications:

• Recognition in one of the identified areas of expertise. 
• A commitment to ensuring equity, diversity, and inclusion throughout the organization. 
• A willingness to engage in fundraising.

HOW TO APPLY:

The VICFs actively supports equity, diversity and inclusion. We are committed to making the arts and cultural sector a more diverse and equitable place. We encourage Indigenous people, people from racialized communities, women, people with disabilities, people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, to apply. Our current board is made up of a number of diverse individuals. If you wish to self-identify, please do so in your cover letter.

Application Process: 
Please send a short cover letter explaining why you would like to join the VICFS board and your resume to info@childrensfestival.ca  with “Board Application” in the subject line. Alternatively, you can send this information to a board member you may be in conversation with. We will follow up with a short interview with a current board member to provide more information about the organization. 

The VICFS will support applicants who require accommodation to fully participate in the application process. The board of directors works in a hybrid format (online and in-person). The deadline for applications is Nov. 26th.