Job Description

DEPARTMENT: Community Services
STATUS: Regular Full Time
NO. OF POSITIONS: One
UNION: CUPE, Local 387
HOURS OF WORK: 35 hours/week
SALARY: $39.14 to $46.07 per hour (2024 rates) + comprehensive benefits package
As a central hub in the Metro Vancouver area, the City of New Westminster delivers a broad spectrum of urban services to over 85,000 residents. New Westminster is rich in history with a viable and thriving economy and has a population representative of the diversity of the region. The City is staffed by talented and dedicated employees who work together to achieve its strategic vision. We have earned a proud reputation for civic leadership, service delivery, and outstanding employee relations.

New Westminster is home to a passionate and engaged arts community, and the City is seeking a dynamic individual to support the interests of this community by joining our team as the Public Art Program Lead. Reporting to the Manager of Community Arts & Theatre, you will plan, develop and implement permanent and temporary public art projects in accordance with New Westminster’s Public Art Policy and Public Art Plan (to be finalized in 2025). You will oversee the City’s public art acquisitions, de-accessions, preservation, conservation and installation. As well, you will be responsible for planning and maintaining capital budgets related to this work.

Duties include (but not limited to):
• Plans, oversees and leads the development and implementation of the public art program, public art projects and related programs and services.
• Provides oversight, planning and direction for the implementation of the Public Art Policy in alignment with the Arts Strategy.
• Develops calls for artists’ proposals; hires and oversees the work of artists, contractors and specialized service providers.
• Prepares and facilitates artist contracts, and coordinates procurement, payment of artists, materials, and project elements.
• Convenes review panels to adjudicate public art proposals, develops scoring matrices, and works with specialized advisory group members including Indigenous Elders, educators, community members and art experts.
• Builds strong relationships and partnerships with a wide variety of internal and external interest holders (community groups, organizations, members of the public, businesses, etc.).
• Oversees public art programs and projects to ensure they run smoothly and meet technical and logistical requirements, including timelines and budgets, permits and permissions, site requirements, and fabrication and installation processes.
• Develops public art strategies, renderings, site maps, and plans. Liaises with City staff from multiple departments to include public art in community facilities, parks, roads, and other City-owned infrastructure where applicable.
• Integrates City values of diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism into the public art program by developing strategies to ensure that the City’s public art collection and initiatives reflect the diversity of New Westminster and support an inclusive and welcoming community.
• Ensures accurate documentation and management of the City’s public art collection, including its upkeep through active preservation, conservation and restoration methods that use industry best practices.
• Coordinates and facilitates unveiling event(s) related to public art projects.
• Prepares policies, guidelines, project plans, reports and presentations related to the City’s public art program and provides research, statistical and content analysis related to public art as needed.
• Provides administration and oversight of the City’s public art reserve fund and prepares associated operating and capital budgets.
Requirements include:
• University degree in fine arts, cultural planning or related discipline, plus sound related experience, preferably in a municipal setting; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
• Considerable knowledge of the principles and practices of community art and public art.
• Considerable knowledge of the rules, regulations, policies and procedures governing the work performed.
• Considerable knowledge of the needs and interests of the community and of sectorial best practices related to municipal public art planning.
• Demonstrated experience in program implementation and project management related to a public art, including coordinating artist calls and selection processes, contract development, project oversight and delivery, as well as documenting, registering and maintaining a public art collection.
• Sound experience in facilitating and supporting community committees and committees of Council.
• Sound experience in developing, maintaining, and reporting on operating budgets.
• Knowledge of a wide variety of artistic media.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of internal and external interest holders.
• Superior writing and communications skills.
• Proficient in the use of common office equipment and software including Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator).
• Ability to work a non-standard work week as operationally required.
• Ability to pass and maintain a satisfactory police information check.

Apply online with your resume and cover letter in one document at www.newwestcity.ca/employment by August 29, 2025.
Join a team of enthusiastic and innovative employees, and help us build a vibrant, compassionate, resilient city where everyone can thrive.

We offer our employees great work-life balance, competitive salaries, comprehensive health, benefit and retirement plans (a percentage in lieu of benefits for auxiliary positions), education and training opportunities and challenging and rewarding work.

To support a workforce that reflects the diversity of our community; women, Indigenous Peoples, racialized individuals, persons of diverse sexual orientation, gender identity or expression (LGBTQ2S+), persons with disabilities, and others who may contribute to diversity of our workforce, are encouraged to express their interest.
New Westminster is on the unceded and unsurrendered land of the Halq’eméylem-speaking peoples.
`It is acknowledged by the City that colonialism has made invisible their histories and connections to the land.
We are learning and building relationships with the people whose lands we are on.
We thank all applicants for their interest and advise that only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
This position is only open to those legally entitled to work in Canada.

Required languages: english

Education level: • University degree in fine arts, cultural planning or related discipline, plus sound related experience, preferably in a municipal setting; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

Required skills: • Considerable knowledge of the principles and practices of community art and public art. • Considerable knowledge of the rules, regulations, policies and procedures governing the work performed. • Considerable knowledge of the needs and interests of the community and of sectorial best practices related to municipal public art planning. • Demonstrated experience in program implementation and project management related to a public art, including coordinating artist calls and selection processes, contract development, project oversight and delivery, as well as documenting, registering and maintaining a public art collection.

Additional skills / Assets: • Sound experience in facilitating and supporting community committees and committees of Council. • Sound experience in developing, maintaining, and reporting on operating budgets. • Knowledge of a wide variety of artistic media. • Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of internal and external interest holders. • Superior writing and communications skills. • Proficient in the use of common office equipment and software including Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator). • Ability to work a non-standard work week as operationally required. • Ability to pass and maintain a satisfactory police information check.

Closest intersection: Royal Ave and 6th Street