Public Art, Marketing, Communications & Social Enterprise Placements

  • Canada
  • Permanent
  • Part-time
  • 1 month ago
STEPS Public Art offers several types of placements, each outlined below:
  • Public Art Placements
  • Marketing & Communications Placements
  • Social Enterprise Placements
  • Research Project Placements (see our website)
  • Special Projects (see our website)
****STEPS offers Public Art placements. These placements are ideal for students interested in hands-on experience in public art production, curatorial practice, artist and community engagement, and program coordination, with a focus on equity-informed and community-responsive approaches to creative placemaking.We typically host up to four (4) placements per academic term, tailored to the student’s interests, skills, and learning goals. Depending on your focus area, you may have the opportunity to gain experience in the following:
  • Creative Project Development: Support the development of public art and cultural programming concepts in response to requests from municipalities, BIAs, community agencies, corporate clients, and cultural organizations across Canada.
  • Project Coordination & Logistics: Assist with the planning and delivery of public art initiatives, including researching and coordinating with artists, fabricators, and suppliers; sourcing materials and equipment; and providing on-site or virtual logistical support.
  • Risk Awareness & Health and Safety: Learn to conduct basic risk assessments related to project planning, including community engagement, site logistics, and health and safety protocols.
  • Community-Engaged Programming: Contribute to the planning and facilitation of public-facing events such as artist talks, workshops, unveiling ceremonies, social media takeovers, and community consultations.
  • Capacity Building & Outreach: Help deliver programming that supports artist and community development, while building outreach strategies to ensure participation from diverse and equity-deserving groups.
  • Stakeholder Communication: Communicate effectively with artists, collaborators, and community members to ensure project goals are clearly conveyed and programming is accessible and well-promoted.
  • Creative Storytelling & Documentation: Capture and compile quotes, images, video, and stories from public art projects to support communications, evaluation, and storytelling across digital and print platforms.
  • Evaluation & Reporting: Support impact measurement through qualitative and quantitative data collection, and contribute to the creation of internal and external project reports for clients, funders, and community partners.
***STEPS hosts Marketing & Communications placements. These placements are ideal for students seeking hands-on experience in communications, digital marketing, public relations, content creation, and community storytelling, particularly within the nonprofit arts and culture sector. We typically host up to two (2) placements per academic term. These roles are flexible and adapted to students’ interests, learning goals, and existing skill sets. Students are supported by staff through onboarding, mentorship, and access to tools and training.Depending on your focus area, you may have the opportunity to gain experience in the following:
  • Content Creation & Visual Storytelling: Capture and edit visuals (photos, video, testimonials) and contribute to social media graphics, campaign assets, and print materials using tools such as Canva or Adobe Creative Cloud.
  • Digital Marketing & Social Media: Assist in writing and scheduling engaging content for STEPS’ social platforms, newsletters, and website, with a focus on increasing audience engagement and reach.
  • Audience Research & Segmentation: Conduct research to support targeted outreach efforts, identifying prospective audiences for STEPS programs, public art services, or events.
  • Analytics & Performance Tracking: Use tools like Google Analytics, Mailchimp, and Meta Business Suite to monitor performance and inform campaign refinements and quarterly communications reports.
  • Communications Strategy Support: Contribute to the planning and execution of marketing campaigns for STEPS programs and services, including copywriting, content calendar updates, and campaign brainstorming.
  • Equity-Centred Communications: Apply best practices in accessibility, inclusive language, and community representation across digital and print materials.
  • Stakeholder Engagement & Relationship-Building: Assist in maintaining positive relationships with STEPS’ partners, artists, and clients through digital engagement, content collaborations, or cross-promotional support.
  • Evaluation & Storytelling for Impact: Collect testimonials, quotes, impact metrics, and evaluation feedback to support case studies, reports, and other impact-focused communications tools.
****STEPS offers Social Enterprise placements embedded within our Operations Team. These placements are ideal for students interested in the intersection of business, arts, and community impact (particularly those looking to gain practical experience in areas such as business operations, customer experience, systems optimization, and marketing strategy within a nonprofit social enterprise). We typically host up to two (2) placements per academic term, tailored to the student’s skills, interests, and learning goals. Students are supported through onboarding, mentorship, and access to platforms and tools used by our team.
  • Articulating Public Art Value Propositions: Support the development of content and communications that convey the value of public art, cultural planning, and creative placemaking services to diverse audiences — from municipalities to developers and nonprofit partners.
  • Customer Journey Mapping & Experience Design: Participate in mapping the client and supplier experience journey to identify touchpoints for improvement, retention, and increased satisfaction across multiple service lines.
  • CRM Systems & Relationship Stewardship: Learn how to use Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems (such as Salesforce) to organize, track, and enhance relationships with clients, artists, and suppliers.
  • Lead Generation & Outreach Strategy: Research and contribute to lead generation activities that support STEPS’ business development goals, identifying potential partners and collaborators across Canada.
  • Market Research & Data Analysis: Conduct primary and secondary research using digital and CRM platforms to gather data that informs marketing and outreach strategies, supports decision-making, and improves client experiences.
  • Operational Efficiency & Systems Thinking: Identify opportunities to streamline and enhance operational workflows related to client communications, supplier onboarding, or service delivery, with a focus on effectiveness and scalability.
Benefits of this placement include:
  • Mentorship from public art professionals
  • Skill development in project planning, site logistics, accessibility, and community engagement
  • Training in equity practices, risk assessment, and site safety
  • Opportunities to contribute to meaningful projects that centre equity-deserving communities
Placements are hybrid or virtual depending on the participant’s location and project needs. While unpaid, STEPS may reimburse specific project-related expenses (e.g., travel or training).Placement FormatSTEPS is mostly a virtual team. We have an office in downtown Toronto, and given the place-based nature of our work, we’re frequently at project sites in the community. Individuals enrolled in placements who reside in southern Ontario may have the option for hybrid placements that combine virtual and in-person experiences. For those located outside of southern Ontario, most placements will be virtual, though there may be some hybrid opportunities available for those residing in communities where we currently have projects. We ask those submitting an expression of interest to communicate their placement preferences and ability to travel to sites.STEPS can accommodate a range of placement formats and scheduling options. The total number of placement hours and the number of placement hours per week will vary from placement to placement, but the format must be identified before the start date, so that our team can thoroughly assess whether we have the capacity to appropriately support the requested schedule.Typically, we do not host placements for less than the equivalent of 1 day (8 hours) per week, which we find is the minimum amount of time it takes to provide a meaningful placement experience over a term. We ask those submitting expressions of interest to provide as much information as possible regarding their availability and the specifications of any academic requirements they seek to fulfill in their submission.We only host placements when we are confident we have the capacity to appropriately onboard, train and support individuals to succeed in those placements. This ensures maximum benefit for those enrolled in placements or partnering on a project with us. While we state an approximate number of placements available each term, these are estimated maximums, subject to change, and STEPS is under no obligation to host a certain number of placements in any given term.

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