PUBLICS is recruiting a new coordinator for our educational program. The coordinator will curate and manage PUBLICS Youth Advisory Board. This is a part-time and fixed-term position between February 2025 and February 2026. 

PUBLICS Youth Advisory Board 

PUBLICS Youth is a year-long paid position for ten young adults who work with our organization to learn cultural production and contemporary art, and to implement their perspectives into PUBLICS’ program. PUBLICS Youth Advisory Board works in collaboration with the Teen Advisory Boards of Index Foundation (Stockholm) and PRAKSIS (Oslo), as part of the network Future Futures. Between 2023-2025 the network develops the project ‘Reaching Out’, funded by Erasmus + Ungdom. 

Responsibilities 

The coordinator is the first person of contact for the Board. They will be responsible for managing all activities for the Board; producing their program and events; leading and hosting workshops; bridging between the Board and PUBLICS’ team and program; coordinating with our Nordic partners and their Teen Advisory Boards; publishing the open call for PUBLICS Youth 2025 and handling their recruitment; working with public outreach and continuing connections with schools, educators, artists and organisations; reporting, budgeting and fundraising for the project.

In 2025, the coordinator and the Boards will lead on the publishing of a book edited by the Boards, and will host the Future Futures network meeting in Helsinki, managing their collaborative activities and public events. This event will be embedded within an international symposium planned in Helsinki by PUBLICS’ Centre for Curatorial Thinking, an intergenerational platform in the Nordic and Baltic region focusing on the significance of past and present thinking, knowledge, and critique within practices of the curatorial. 

PUBLICS nurtures a dedicated mixed public for our program (ethnicity, gender, sexuality, education, class etc.); we hope that as the project coordinator you share the interest on how to make the arts and culture more accessible and to involve future generations. Previous experience in working with young people from diverse backgrounds is valued. Understanding of contemporary art, its ecosystem and different publics is desired. Experience in education and local schooling systems, an existing pedagogy network within the Helsinki area are considered advantageous.

PUBLICS

PUBLICS is a small and flexible organization with two full-time employees, artistic director and program manager, and one part-time assistant; this means you will be working in a small team. Understanding of collaborative working methods, flexibility, and communication, organizational and administrative skills are needed. English is essential, as it is our working language. Other languages are beneficial.

PUBLICS is a curatorial agency with a dedicated library, event space and reading room in Vallila, Helsinki. PUBLICS developed out of Checkpoint Helsinki established in 2013. In its spirit, PUBLICS continues the organization’s commitment to critical social thinking, contemporary art and publicness. Our main goals are to promote and support new collaborative models and positions within the art world, to bring together diverse publics and communities to increase intersectional participation, and to advance local and international networks to diversify local cultural fields. PUBLICS is currently funded by the City of Helsinki, Saastamoinen Foundation, Arts Promotion Centre Finland, Erasmus+ Ungdom.

To apply send your one-page application in English explaining how your experience would contribute to our learning program, along with your CV to: micol@publics.fi

Applications must be received by 12 January 2025.

~ Work begins in February 2025 until February 2026. Minimum requirement 2 days per week.

~ This is a part-time and fixed-term position, but we are open to discussing the scope of the contract.

~ PUBLICS follows TAKU wage guidelines according to experience and percentage of salary.

~ PUBLICS is an organisation committed to equity, inclusivity, and diversity in its staff, its board and its public programming.

~ Applications from candidates from diverse backgrounds and with abilities to work with people from a diversity of backgrounds are encouraged and given priority.

For further questions, please contact:

Paul O’Neill, Artistic Director, paul.oneill@publics.fi
Annabelle Antas, Program Manager, annabelle.antas@publics.fi 
Micol Curatolo, current Project Coordinator PUBLICS Youth, micol@publics.fi