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call for new steering committee members

 

Posted: September 12, 2022

Due: October 28, 2022


The International Visual Methods Conference (IVMC) is an interdisciplinary conference bringing visual scholars, creative practitioners and activists together. Held every two years, the IVMC seeks to foster greater dialogue in the area of visual methods, in both theoretical and practical aspects.


We are seeking at least three new members of the International Visual Methods Steering Committee to commit for a minimum of a five-year term. Practitioners, academics (including graduate students and early career researchers), and dual professionals are all encouraged to apply. We are especially interested in recruiting a diverse steering committee, and in candidates who can contribute a Global South perspective on the visual methods field.


Description of Role:


As an equal member of the International Visual Methods Steering Committee, you will participate in planning for future conferences. Meetings take place remotely, approximately quarterly, with extra meetings during conference years in support of the local organisers. This is an unpaid leadership position. As an advisory role, you will support conference programming and help shape the directions of future conferences. You will be expected to review a selection of paper submissions for the conference (2023, 2025, & 2027) as well as review proposals from prospective host institutions for the 2025 and 2027 conferences. You may also be expected to chair conference sessions and help plan additional conference events in line with your areas of interest (for example, an exhibition component, a workshop, or a small film festival). Attendance and participation at the conference is expected.


We are looking for candidates skilled in one or more of the following areas


● Event organisation/leadership
● Social media and communications
● Website design and maintenance
● Fundraising and non-profit financial management
● Building and maintaining accessible and inclusive spaces
● Academic, practitioner, and/or community network development
● Collaborations between academia, practice and community

 

We are currently planning the 8th iteration of IVMC, hosted by Sapienza University of Rome and MeltingPro in May, 2023. You will be expected to commit for at least three iterations of the conference, up until 2027.


The past locations of the conference were: Leeds, UK (2009); Milton Keynes, UK (2011); Wellington, New Zealand (2013); Brighton, UK (2015); Singapore (2017); Bucharest, Romania (2019); Cape Town, South Africa (2021). The most recent conference, in Cape Town, took the theme ‘Decolonising Design’ – a pressing concern for the creative arts in the Global South in general and for post-apartheid South Africa in particular.


How to apply:


If you are interested in becoming a member of the International Visual Methods Steering Committee committee please submit a one-page statement (cover letter) describing your interest in the position and your vision for how you would contribute to the IVMC, and a 2-5 page CV by October 28, 2022


Your one-page statement and 2-5 page CV can be emailed as a single .PDF to ivmc@visualmethods.info by October 28, 2022


We will inform all candidates in December 2022 with a first meeting of the new Committee to be held virtually in January 2023


If you have any questions, please contact Mark Dunford, Committee Chair, at m.dunford@westminster.ac.uk