de Theaterschool Looking for Artistic Director of the Scenography Study Programme

De Theaterschool is a faculty of the Amsterdam University of the Arts (AHK) with 14 Bachelor’s and Master’s study programmes in the field of dance and theatre. De Theaterschool trains students to become scenographers, technical designers, production managers and creative producers, directors, actors, dancers, mime artists and theatre makers, as well as choreography, theatre and dance teachers. The pinnacle of professional practice, both nationally and internationally, is the norm at de Theaterschool. The value and influence of the arts in a changing society are the key elements in developing the curriculum.
 
The AHK is a university of applied sciences (hbo-instelling) for arts education. In addition to de Theaterschool, the University consists of the Academy of Fine Art in Education, the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, the Netherlands Film Academy, the Reinwardt Academy and the Academy of Architecture.
 
Scenography is a broad-based study programme. It trains interdisciplinary, independent-thinking designers, with a mind-set for co-creation, who work not only in theatre and dance, but who are also active in other domains where design is essential for the expressiveness and meaning of a space. Scenography forms part of the Creative Team study programme cluster, alongside the Theatre Directing, Production and Stage Management and Technical Theatre Arts study programmes. Since the establishment of the Scenography programme in 2008, this and other study programmes of de Theaterschool have cooperated closely and entered into a dialogue about the interaction between new generations of spectators and artists.
 
As from September, de Theaterschool is looking for an inspiring
 
Artistic Director of the Scenography study programme (0.6 FTE)
who will continue the course that has been implemented and will be responsible for an optimal learning environment, together with the teaching team. Our students develop into skilled scenographers with both vision and a distinctive artistic signature. The Artistic Director will enable the students to develop into versatile artists. An attention to autonomy, audacity, craftsmanship, and conceptual and innovative capacity is firmly anchored in the curriculum. As a result, students consciously learn to relate to current affairs, the hybrid professional practice and its future. The Artistic Director is able to position the Scenography study programme within a world in transition, and has the network and ambition to combine the best of both tradition and innovation. He or she has a thorough knowledge of a scenographer’s field of work; has a convincing and personal vision of design process and vocational arts education, and can translate this knowledge, in a cohesive manner, to teachers and students alike, as part of a coherent curriculum.
  
Job description
The Artistic Director:

• develops the artistic and educational policy and disseminates this;
• puts together an educationally-balanced curriculum and is responsible for student supervision and communicates about this;
• tailors the curriculum to internal policy, external developments and the requirements professional practice imposes on the field of study;
• maintains intensive contact between the study programmes and the national and international field of work;
• is responsible for presentations, collaboration projects and productions, and coordinates these with study programmes and the production company;
• is responsible for the selection and acceptance of students, periodic assessments, internship policy and graduation;
• oversees the study feasibility, the required results with regard to academic success rate and quality of education;
• is ultimately responsible for the composition and management of the teaching staff (including guest lecturers) and monitors the artistic/substantive qualities of the (guest) teaching staff;
• is in charge of the day-to-day running of the study programme, together with the Creative Team cluster coordinator;
• prepares the curriculum content and relates this - in conjunction with the coordinator - to the study programme budget, and monitors expenditure and revenue;
• reports to and is accountable to the management board of de Theaterschool.

 
Job requirements
The Artistic Director:

• has knowledge of the field of the scenographer and has a relevant vision of the development of the visual arts, in particular architecture and theatre;
• has a vision of the scenography profession and art in general;
• has a strong, relevant (international) network that can be utilised for the content and development of the study programme;
• has a vision of vocational arts education;
• has a keen eye for current digital developments and what these mean to the field of a future scenographer;
• has demonstrable insight into and experience in design processes and the non-material and material aspects of theatrical space - in both small and large halls, as well as on location;
• approaches the field with a knowledge of history, current developments and technological innovations, such as in the field of digital design;
• has a vision of the hybrid professional practice, entrepreneurship, and technical and creative producership;
• is bold and can relate well to all disciplines at de Theaterschool and the AHK, in terms of skills that can be offered, as well as on a personal level;
• takes initiative and is enterprising and can bring about collaborative links between the Creative Team cluster, de Theaterschool, the AHK and outside parties;
• is in charge of a high-quality team of passionate teachers;
• plays a meaningful role in the enrolment, coaching and supervision of students;
• sees de Theaterschool as an inspiring environment and contributes to that;
• is able to maintain his or her own professional practice alongside this position.

 
Terms of employment 
De Theaterschool offers a pleasant position in a modern building designed for theatre and dance education, centrally located in Amsterdam. Appointment and remuneration occur in accordance with the Collective Agreement for Universities of Applied Sciences (cao-hbo). The position is assigned to salary scale 13, maximum € 5,548 per month in the case of a full-time appointment. Remuneration is partly dependent on education, experience and last salary received. A thirteenth month forms part of the terms of employment package. This concerns, in the first instance, an appointment for a year with the possibility of extension.
 

Enquiries and applications 
Enquiries can be sent to Alma Netten, a.netten@kunstenmedia.nl. More information about the AHK and de Theaterschool can be found on www.ahk.nl.
 
You can send your application to de Theaterschool, attn director Jan Zoet. You can submit this up to and including 16 April via email, a.netten@kunstenmedia.nl, stating ‘Artistic Director Scenography’. 
 
The first and second round of job interviews will take place in April.
 
No agencies please reports to and is accountable to the management board of de Theaterschool. and is accountable to the management board of de Theaterschool.

Job description The Artistic Director:

• develops the artistic and educational policy and disseminates this;
• puts together an educationally-balanced curriculum and is responsible for student supervision and communicates about this;
• tailors the curriculum to internal policy, external developments and the requirements professional practice imposes on the field of study;
• maintains intensive contact between the study programmes and the national and international field of work;
• is responsible for presentations, collaboration projects and productions, and coordinates these with study programmes and the production company;
• is responsible for the selection and acceptance of students, periodic assessments, internship policy and graduation;
• oversees the study feasibility, the required results with regard to academic success rate and quality of education;
• is ultimately responsible for the composition and management of the teaching staff (including guest lecturers) and monitors the artistic/substantive qualities of the (guest) teaching staff;
• is in charge of the day-to-day running of the study programme, together with the Creative Team cluster coordinator;
• prepares the curriculum content and relates this - in conjunction with the coordinator - to the