Project Coordinator

with the Foundation for Contemporary Art

The Foundation for Contemporary Art (FCA) was founded by Professor Joe Nkrumah and Virginia Ryan to create an active network and provide a critical forum for contemporary art in Ghana.

The FCA's objectives:

• Establish a public database of artists, arts organisations, art businesses, galleries, patrons and others interested in the comtemporary arts in Ghana. There are numerous individuals and groups working in this field in Ghana, but there is little awareness of each other or cooperation between them. By establishing a public database, it will be possible to provide a comprehensive picture of the contemporary art world in Ghana. It can be used as an information and networking resource for artists and organisations, as well as a promotional tool for marketing and tourism. The database will be presented as a web-site as well as an annual catalogue.
• Create a website to promote the contemporary arts in Ghana. The FCA Ghana website will serve to present Ghanaian contemporary arts to the rest of the world. Artists and partners will have the opportunity to represent themselves on the website, and it will also function as an archive of contemporary art in Ghana. It will contain exhibitions past and present, reviews, essays, lectures, lists of artists and links to other websites of African contemporary arts.
• Organise exhibitions, seminars, workshops and publications to raise awareness of, and develop critical thinking within the contemporary arts in Ghana as there is a need to increase the awareness and exposure of this area. FCA Ghana will organise and curate annual exhibitions and will work with its members to organise individual exhibitions, by facilitating exhibition rooms and promotional activties, We will also work with our partners in the setting-up and promotion of exhibitions and programmes.
• The documentation of art events is not widely practised and there is no publication that represents the contemporary arts in Ghana. FCA Ghana will initiate an annual publication on the state of the contemporary arts in Ghana, that will cover artists, organisations, galleries, and businesses involved in the contemporary arts.
• As the world of contemporary art in Ghana grows, more is written about its history and current status. These essays, books and articles are scattered and virtually unknown to those interested in the arts. FCA Ghana will gather and catalogue these valuable texts and will establish a library which will be available to the public. The FCA Ghana library will become an important resource for members and other individuals interested in the contemporary arts.

The FCA currently only has two paid members of staff; the remaining personnel are all pratising artists or people involved in the arts who volunteer their time to the organisation. As a result, they need a volunteer coordinate on-going projects.

The volunteer will be expected to help with some or all of the following:

• Meeting organisations to plan events and research and develop new projects
• When not involved in the coordination of projects, the volunteer will be required to help establish the arts library, liaise with the web-designer and artists, assist with the organisation and setting-up of FCA exhibitions, plan and deliver school information sessions on contemporary art.
• The volunteer should have a keen interest in contemporary art and should aim to create a more dynamic environment in the office.
• Setting up new projects, such as HIV-awareness and environmental arts projects.
• Keeping a record of his/her volunteer placement to be published on the FCA web-site.
  

Requirements:

• You must be at least 18 years of age upon application.
• You must have a backgroud of relevance to the individual position and have a strong interest in the contemporary arts
• In order to maintain the sustainability and high performance of this project all interns are required to complete a detailed hand-over document for successive interns .
• You will have to be able to cope with simple working conditions and be able to work with little resources.
• All roles require a minimum of 5 hours a day (suggested working hours: 10am-3pm), 5 days a week. You will work alongside the current part-time secretary and other artists and volunteers, of which there will typically be about 3 or 4 at any given time. You will be required to attend one weekly general meeting, which will usually be on Wednesday afternoons from 4-6 pm.
• You will be required to visit galleries and cultural organisations in Accra, attend occasional events in the evenings, and represent FCA with other volunteers of the foundation.

The Application Process

Step 1: The Application Form - To apply for one of our positions please complete our online application form. To save us and more importantly our already overstretched partner organisations time, please only complete this form if you are serious about applying.

Step 2: The Additional Info Form - As soon as we receive approval for your placement from the partner organisation we will send you an additional form to complete. This form requests information on your emergency contact details, your health background and other important information. Please email this form back to us as soon as possible.

Step3: Secure your Placement - Once we receive your additional information form back we will invoice you for your placement. Your deposit will be due within a week of the date of the invoice. If you are applying less than 60 days before the start of your placement, you will be invoiced for the whole amount. Please be aware that your placement is not secured until you have received confirmation from us of receipt of either the deposit or full payment. Once you have secured your placement you can start booking flights. We recommend you purchase insurance as soon as you secure your placement.

Step 4: Speak to your In-Country Coordinator - We will email you a week before your remainder is due. As soon as we receive your remainder we will introduce you to your In-Country Coordinator who will help you prepare for your trip and will ensure that an Ikando member of staff is at the airport to meet you.

Documentation Requirements:

• A completed application form - required for application.
• A personal or professional reference given by an employer, teacher, lawyer or doctor. This reference must include detail of the context in which the referee knows you and stating that he/she knows of no reason why you should not volunteer. The referee should also provide their contact details in order that Ikando can contact them prior to your departure to confirm the reference given. This reference should be emailed by the referee to info [at] ikando.org. References cannot be family memebers
• A copy by email to info [at] ikando.org of your travel (including medical) insurance certificates.
• Information on your travel arrangements (flight number, airline, arrival and departure time and dates). We always recommend volunteers who book online to email us their booking.
• A copy of the photo page of your passport to be emailed to info [at] ikando.org.

All Documentation must be sent to us at least two weeks before arrival.

The Orientation

We will provide you with a stress-free and in-depth introduction to Ghana by picking you up from the airport and giving you an orientation that helps to settle you into the country as quickly as possible. The Orientation will include showing you the places of interest in Accra, getting your money changed, informing you where you can do your shopping, and much, much more.

We have staff on-call 24/7, so if there is ever anything you need we are there and happy to be of assistance.

Important Details

Project Duration	Minimum Duration 4 weeks - (can be extended in-country)
Dates	You can volunteer at any time throughout the year.
Pricing	£ 715 for 4 weeks, £92 per week thereafter. For prices in your local currency click here.
Deposit	£ 150 (included in total price)
Location	Accra
Airport to fly into	Accra Airport (ACC) - (also known as Kotoka International Airport)
In-country Budget	From $50 on a tight budget to $150 p/week if you wish to explore Ghana. Read more...

Click here for more information on our pricing.

What’s included in the project fees?
• Accommodation and a fully furnished kitchen
• Welcome pack
• In-country introduction to life in Ghana.
• Airport pick-up & drop-off
• Live-in Ikando staff support
• 24/7 Emergency support.

What’s not included?
• Flights & Visa
• Vaccinations (please speak to your local doctor)
• Insurance, both Medical and Travel (required)