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ALBERTA’S TOP EMPLOYERS 2020
Arts Commons invites staff to spread their wings 62 32 61% 83%
STAFF AT ARTS COMMONS HOSTING THEIR ANNUAL STAMPEDE BREAKFAST (PHOTO: B. FAPOJUWO)
F
or Celina Vides, there’s no business like show business. The Savadorean-born staffer, who studied both software engineering and the arts in university, is able to draw upon her two passions as the management information systems specialist at Arts Commons. The Calgary arts centre is home to five theatres and a concert hall. Each year, Arts Commons hosts some 1,800 performances and events, including live theatre, concerts, dance programs, graduations, and visual and media art exhibits. Turnover is low among full-time salaried staff, and mainly comprises those in their
mid-20s to early-30s seeking to advance their careers. “We hire a lot of amazing young people who are here to get experience,” says Colleen Dickson, interim coCEO. “We give them room to spread their wings and grow in their careers, and then they can spin that off into something bigger here at Arts Commons or somewhere else.” Vides, who moved to Canada in 2007, began working at the centre in 2015 as volunteer coordinator, then added customer service to her role before taking on her current job in mid-2019. Arts Commons needed someone to manage its software systems. “We’re moving to a document management system that
is cloud-based,” says Vides. “I’m focused on the user transition so that no one feels at a loss in using the new technology. I’m involved with the people side of IT rather than just the technical aspects.”
“When people in the wider world ask them where they work, we want our staff to feel pride and understand everything that happens in this building.” __ Colleen Dickson Interim Co-CEO
FULL-TIME STAFF IN CANADA YEARS, LONGESTSERVING EMPLOYEES OF MANAGERS ARE WOMEN OF EXECUTIVE TEAM ARE WOMEN
Vides is excited about the further skills development opportunity that her employer is providing. The centre is funding her enrolment – and that of two other staffers – in a six-month arts management program for future arts administrators. The project-based course is offered jointly by the Rozsa Foundation and Haskayne Business School at the University of Calgary. “It’s like a mini-degree in business but focused on the arts,” says Vides. “It will give me the skills in finance and marketing to progress to the next level.” Like other Arts Commons employees, she also participates in the monthly in-house draw for free tickets to Arts Commons cultural events. In 2019, Vides attended some 20 events, gratis. “It’s definitely a huge perk, and I take full advantage of it,” she says. “We ask each event organizer to make at least 10 tickets available for our staff, because we want them to be our ambassadors,” says Dickson. “When people ask them where they work, we want our staff to feel pride and understand everything that happens in this building.” This story produced by Mediacorp in partnership with Postmedia, on behalf of Arts Commons