Repeated call for program management of the City of Women festival and association
OPEN CALL:
City of Women – Association for the Promotion of Women in Culture
Metelkova ulica 6, 1000 Ljubljana
announces a
Public Call for the Programme Leadership of the City of Women Festival and Association
City of Women (CoW) is a pioneering organization focused on gender equality in arts and culture and an important hub for reflection on feminist, artistic, curatorial, and critical practices at the international level. At the same time, it is a key player in the vibrant artistic and feminist scenes in Ljubljana and Slovenia. The festival and association - the latter established in 1996, a year after the first festival – have over the years presented countless prominent and emerging artists and excellent interdisciplinary artistic and discursive programs. By offering numerous, sometimes opposing perspectives on feminist art and thought, CoW has initiated significant conversations that have shaped both the organization and the artistic and feminist community in Ljubljana and beyond. The emergence of divergent viewpoints on the issues raised by City of Women has, over time, led to the formation of many sister organizations and initiatives, creating a lively environment where discussion and exchange of values are the norm. This rich environment today serves as an inspiration for City of Women's ongoing learning and development. In today’s political climate, where countries are shifting their focus from cultural and social policies to armament, a feminist approach to art and society is more vital than ever for seeking and promoting alternatives to the new normal.
We are actively looking for an artistic director to shape the City of Women’s programme for the next five years, with a possibility of extension. Applications by a team are also welcome. If you have a curatorial vision on how to build alternatives in the current adverse social climate through connecting transdisciplinary artistic production, social theory, activism, and beyond – this call is for you.
The position will be focused on:
- Shaping a clear artistic vision for CoW;
- Conceiving, developing, overseeing a multi-year transdisciplinary programme for City of Women, covering the festival, the yearly programme, and the wider programme activities (such as ongoing artistic productions, international cooperation projects, residency and community projects);
- Further developing partnerships and collaborations including constructive collaboration with the association’s board and membership;
- Together with the team contributing to the further development of the CoW library and archive, and cultural and artistic education activities;
-Together with the team preparing application documentation (Ministry of Culture, City of Ljubljana, Ministry of Public Administration, Erasmus+, Creative Europe, etc.);
- Together with the team overseeing production and budgets
-Representing CoW in the arts and culture sector
We expect candidates to have the following qualifications:
· several years of curatorial leadership experience in the field of contemporary arts (transdisciplinary profile desirable);
· knowledge of the field both in Slovenia and internationally, and the ability to build international connections;
· fluency in Slovenian and English;
· an innovative artistic vision and passion for working with artistic communities;
· strategic thinking and experience in partnership development and fundraising;
· willingness to manage ongoing projects;
· strong writing and public speaking skills with the ability to articulate CoW’s vision, represent the organization publicly and engage partners and audiences;
· strong interpersonal communication skills;
· the ability to connect creative, production, and administrative teams.
Don’t worry if you don’t fully meet all the listed criteria at this moment. At City of Women, you’ll have the opportunity to expand your existing knowledge by working closely with a core team with years of experience in project management, artistic production, administration, and promotion. Our extended team also brings additional expertise in art education and editorial work. In order to conceptualize specific parts of the programme that exceed your knowledge of the specific art fields, you’ll be able to work with external curators. In addition, you’ll be supported by a network of curators who have collaborated with City of Women for years, and by members of the association. The expanded festival team, including project-based and volunteer work, ensures the realization of the festival itself. The Artistic Director is entrusted to engage new collaborators to the team, if the realization of their artistic vision requires the involvement of individuals with different or complementary profiles.
Your project-based collaboration in preparing the 2026 programme is expected to take place in July and August 2025 and will be remunerated. Paid onboarding will take place from November 1 to December 31, 2025. The official takeover of the artistic leadership role at City of Women will begin on January 1, 2026.
Work will be carried out at City of Women’s offices, with occasional remote work possible. The selected candidate will be offered a paid contractual position, starting at a base monthly net fee of €1,300, which can increase in case of new project fundings.
The application must include:
(1) a CV demonstrating your relevant experience,
(2) a motivation letter, and
(3) an outline of your artistic vision of the CoW programme as well as some conceptual guidelines (up to 12,000 characters).
We do not expect a fully developed programme, but rather a vision: In which direction should CoW develop in the next five years, what are crucial topics, formats and working methods? How should we position ourselves in relation to social reality? What connections should be built? What activities should be further developed, changed or what is currently missing?
Applications will be evaluated by a committee composed of the City of Women Association’s Board and members. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview.
Applications should be sent to info@cityofwomen.org. You will receive confirmation of receipt within two days to the email address from which the application was sent.
Application deadline: 16 June 2025
More about the City of Women can be found on our website. For further information, feel free to contact us at info@cityofwomen.org.
