Design Assistant Summer Music Camps

Design Assistant – Summer Music Camps

The Canadian Opera Company (COC) is looking for an energetic and responsible Design Assistant to provide administrative and artistic support for the COC’s Summer Music Camps.

The COC’s Summer Music Camps offer children and youth entering grades 1 to 9 the opportunity to create their own opera over the course of one of four fun-filled weeks in July. Participants explore every element of an operatic production, including singing, composing, story creation, drama, movement and stage design. At the end of the week, participants present a special rehearsal of their opera to family and friends.

The Design Assistant position represents an opportunity for a post-secondary student interested in pursuing stage design and arts education, or community arts. Under the mentorship of a design specialist, the design assistant will gain experience in preparing and facilitating visual arts and stage design activities, working directly with children and youth, and collaborating with a team of professional artists.

The Assistant will work as part of the Community Partnerships & Programs Department, which consists of three full-time employees, and will report to the Senior Manager, Community Partnerships & Programs, and the Design Specialist. The camps design assistant position is a six-week contract position that will run from June 24 – August 7, 2026, according to the following schedule.

Actual hourly rate of pay for this position is $19.00 per hour

June 24 to July 3 The Assistant will work approximately 30 hours per week, Monday to Friday at the COC’s administrative offices at 227 Front St. E.

July 7 to July 31 The Assistant will work Monday to Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays at the Four Seasons Centre for Performing Arts at 145 Queen St. W.

August 4 to 7 The Assistant will work approximately 30 hours for the week, Monday to Friday, at the COC’s administrative offices at 227 Front St. E.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

· Providing artistic (stage design) and educational support, including but not limited to: purchasing, preparing and maintaining materials for stage design sessions, and assisting the design specialist in creating and presenting concepts and lessons;

· Supervising children during lunch hours;

· Collaborating with artists on programming;

· Helping to set up and clean up materials;

· Helping to curate a display of participants’ work on the final day each week of camp

· Organizing and maintaining design supplies;

· Attending meetings;

· Following the completion of camps, contribute to the writing of a program report that catalogues information about the COC’s Summer Music Camps;

· Provide artistic support for the COC’s Summer Music Camps, including but not limited to: helping to establish a safe and welcoming environment for children and youth, leading activities and games, assisting with set up and clean up, actively engaging in all programming (drama, movement, stage design, singing, libretto-writing, and

composing) and encouraging participants to stay on task, supervising children during lunch and extended care, and contributing to leading rehearsals and activities when called upon.

YOUR BACKGROUND

· Post-Secondary student studying visual art, stage design, and/or arts-education

· Experience working in an educational capacity with small and large groups of children and teenagers

· Proven ability to work independently as well as in collaboration with others

· First Aid and CPR certificate an asset

· Holds, or agrees to acquire, a valid Vulnerable Sector Verification through the Police Reference Check Program

KEY REQUIREMENTS

· Emotional intelligence – ability to harness interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically and apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to tasks

· Demonstrate commitment to championing under-represented voices, and engage with diverse and BIPOC communities through culturally responsive programming

Due to grant requirements, candidates for the Camps Assistant position must:

· be between 15 and 30 years of age (inclusive) at the start of the employment period;

· be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act for the duration of the employment;

· Have a valid Social Insurance Number at the start of employment and be legally entitled to work in Canada in accordance with relevant provincial or territorial legislation and regulations.

*International students are not eligible.

ABOUT THE CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY

Based in Toronto, the Canadian Opera Company is the largest producer of opera in Canada and one of the largest in North America. General Director David C. Ferguson joined the company in 2024, forming a leadership team alongside Artistic Director Roberto Mauro and Music Director Johannes Debus. Recently, Ian Derrer was appointed the next General Director of the company, slated to begin his term in July 2026. The COC enjoys a loyal audience, including a dedicated base of subscribers, and has an international reputation for artistic excellence and creative innovation. Its diverse repertoire includes new commissions and productions, local and international collaborations with leading opera companies and festivals, and attracts the world’s foremost Canadian and international artists. The company is an incubator for the future of the art form, nurturing Canada’s new wave of opera performers and creators with customized training and support. The COC’s purpose-built opera house, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, is hailed internationally as one of the finest in the world.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Interested persons are invited to submit their resume and cover letter, no later than May 14th, 2026.

The Canadian Opera Company thanks, in advance, all applicants, however, only those considered for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls or agencies please.

The COC is committed to providing accommodations for people with disabilities in all parts of the hiring process. If you require an accommodation, please let us know and we will work with you to meet your needs.

The COC regards equity and diversity as an integral part of artistic excellence and is committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible environment. We are dedicated to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of the community in which we live and serve. The COC seeks applicants who embrace values of equity, anti-racism and inclusion. Applicants who identify as First Nations, Métis and/or Inuit/Inuk, other members of racialized and visible minorities, people with disabilities and/or 2SLGBTQ+ are encouraged to apply.