Living Traditions Festival Artist Relations Lead

Living Traditions Festival Artist Relations Lead SUPERVISOR: Performing Arts Program Manager

EMPLOYMENT LENGTH:

February 9 - June 12, 2026

PART TIME/FULL TIME:

Part-time Temporary

COMPENSATION:

$23.00 per hour

NOTE: Projected hours for the duration of employment are approximately 400 hours, with an anticipated weekly average of 20 hours, and increasing hours around the festival time. The 2026 Living Traditions Festival dates are: May 15 - 17, 2026.

DESCRIPTION:

This job is a lead position assisting in the planning and production of the Living Traditions Festival, a free and public festival which has served upwards of 30,000 members of the public each year for 39 years. This position is responsible for the development and execution of all activities related to individual artists and artists groups who perform in our annual, Living Traditions Festival and Mondays in the Park Concert Series. The Artist Relations Lead directly supports the Performing Arts Program Manager, operating as a key team leader and festival planner, among other duties as assigned.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Event Planning & Development

Meet with Performing Arts Program Manager and other key festival staff to carefully develop and discuss festival timelines, budgets, and artist needs;

Manage artist application, scheduling, contracting, communication, and payment processes for the Living Traditions Festival and Mondays in the Park Concert Series;

Recruit and schedule emcees;

Oversee Stage Managers in hiring, training and onsite processes;

Assist Production Lead in securing an A/V vendor for the festival and communicating all A/V needs;

Assist Education Lead with securing and scheduling performing artists for School Day;

Working in collaboration with Marketing Lead to ensure proper marketing for performing artists;

Working in collaboration with Volunteer Lead to create any necessary volunteer shifts for the festival;

Demonstrate a high level of attention to detail and professionalism in assisting with financial, invoicing, and contractual obligations.

Event Execution

Work with Production Lead to oversee proper stage and AV setup by vendors;

Introduce artists and Stage Managers to AV crew once onsite;

Generally make sure artists and artists groups have everything they need;

Ensure all performances are on time;

Assist Stage Managers, A/V vendor, and other related production contractors with stage changeover between artist performances, and other circumstances as needed;

Monitor radio transmissions, respond to calls and troubleshoot issues as they arise;

Working with Performing Arts Program Manager and Production Lead in the event of inclement weather to facilitate safe backup plan;

Assist in any group projects as needed;

Strike and restoration of festival grounds in cooperation with production staff and other festival vendors, ensuring quality and precision while remaining safe and efficient.

Post-Festival Evaluation & Documentation

In partnership with Performing Arts Program Manager and other key staff, ensure proper documentation of all efforts are carefully reviewed and properly archived;

Ensure that all performing artist contracts have been completed and payments made;

Send out a post-event evaluation survey and thank you to all performing artists;

Ensure that all stage production-related equipment has been recovered, inventoried, and assessed for damages, seeking replacements or repairs where needed.

REQUIRED QUALIFICIATIONS:

Education & Experience

Previous experience in working for large scale festivals or events is required;

Previous experience in guest services is preferred;

Previous experience coordinating with A/V companies preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

Knowledge of the local arts community is a plus;

Basic understanding of live performance A/V needs for performing artist groups;

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills (written & verbal) required;

Professional & positive attitude (tact, sensitivity, positivity, and diplomacy);

Proficient in all Microsoft products (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint);

Familiarity with DocuSign and Submittable preferred;

Detail oriented, able to audit work to avoid mistakes, and perform tasks accurately;

Ability to think and act quickly under pressure;

Able to lift upwards of 25 pounds and stand for prolonged periods of time;

To apply, please email a resume, in PDF format only, to Dawn Borchardt (she/her) before Wednesday, January 14th. If you are interested in multiple positions for the Living Traditions Festival, please specify in your email submission.

The mission of the Salt Lake City Arts Council is to promote, present, and support artists and arts organizations in order to facilitate the development of the arts and expand awareness, access, and engagement.

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