San Francisco International Arts Festival
Graphic Designer Job Description
Context
San Francisco International Arts Festival (SFIAF) is an independent non-profit arts organization that produces four different performing programs each year plus occasional one-off projects.
The Festival
The organization’s largest program is the annual Festival event that features multiple diverse artistic performances taking place over a condensed 14-day period at the beginning of May.
The next Festival will take place from April 30 – May 11, 2025 will feature approximately 50 artistic ensembles and companies and take place in about a dozen different venues in San Francisco’s Mission district.
Graphic design tasks for the Festival cover five main areas:
· Festival brochure (see example at THIS LINK)
This is the most detailed oriented task that the designer must undertake. The brochure is a physical mail and distribution piece that must encapsulate the entire Festival program in a single document.
· Other print media
A Festival advance flyer*, poster and postcards for individual artists.
· Website & Email Blasts
The Festival component of the website is mostly generated automatically through information uploaded by participating artists. The graphic designer’s job is largely limited to creating branded home and menu page designs (perhaps composites) that encapsulate the program.
Editing images for SFIAF monthly newsletter and other mass email communications.
· Social Media
The graphic designer works with SFIAF’s marketing director to create branded templates across platforms (specifically: Facebook, Instagram and X/Twitter). The marketing director oversees campaigns for Festival wide and single campaigns implemented by interns and individual artists. The graphic designer will also edit images for individual Facebook event pages for each artist that are consistent with color palette and branding.
· Display Advertising
Creating digital adverts per publication specifications that retain Festival color and other branding elements.
Non-Festival Programs
For the other programs, the graphic designer role follows a similar, but simpler pattern. Website banners and page images, a mailing/physical distribution piece, social media design, some (but not much) digital advertising.
The other programs are:
· The Last Supper Party, a free monthly poetry and music series that takes place on the first Saturdays of the month from October – May.
· Lift Every Voice for Dr. King, a short series of free performances featuring community singers that takes place over the MLK Jr. Day weekend in January.
· Women in Jazz & World Music a free vocal training intensive for teens and young adults that takes place in April. The culminating concert is presented as part of the Festival in early May.
* The Festival advance flyer listed above also needs to include reference to the organization’s other programs.
Graphic Designer Position
· This is a graduate level, part-time, as-needed sub-contract position.
· The graphic designer will work from their own office and set their own hours.
· The schedule will fluctuate based on the above referenced program calendar.
· It is expected that the graphic designer will build their own portfolio of work and SFIAF will be one of a number of clients.
· SFIAF will introduce the graphic designer to Festival artists for the purposes of the graphic designer doing work for individual artists at appropriate times leading up to the Festival.
Role and Responsibilities are to:
§ Design promotional materials for all of the above programs that are consistent with SFIAF color palette and overall branding.
§ Incorporate consistent designs across print, digital and social media platforms
§ Update and maintain perennial SFIAF graphic assets such as sponsorship packets, website home page banners, etc.
Qualifications
The ideal candidate for this position will have a minimum of:
· Bachelor of Science in Visual Communication Design degree in or equivalent;
· A comprehensive understanding of and proficiency in CANVA, Adobe suites, HTML/CSSInVision, Figma, Protopie, CAD/3D and Rendering graphic design programs;
· A portfolio of past work that demonstrates an ability to create consistent and dynamic designs across platforms.
In addition, the successful candidate will:
· Have the ability to work from a home or other independent office set-up;
· Be disciplined and detail oriented;
· Have a strong interest in contributing directly to the success and support of a diverse and dynamic Bay Area arts community.
Proficiency in language(s) is not necessary, but considered favorably.
Works with: SFIAF marketing director, SFIAF executive director and individual project directors and artists
Reports to: SFIAF marketing director, SFIAF executive director
Term: September 2024 – ongoing.
Compensation: $25 per hour
Payment Schedule: Monthly by invoice
SFIAF is committed to creating a culturally diverse workplace and is an equal opportunity employer.
