Cultural Planning Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Description The Metropolitan Area Planning Council seeks an Arts and Culture Data and Planning Intern to contribute to a unique inventory of creative space developed for Boston, Cambridge and Somerville as part of the Making Space for Art Project, to support other projects to organize, compile, and simplify regional arts data, and to compile information about arts and culture planning and policy across the region to inform a regional arts assessment. The intern, working in the agency's Arts & Culture Department and in collaboration with staff in the agency's Data Services Department, will collect information about creative spaces in the region through research and outreach to municipal staff and developers, and will record that information via the Making Space for Art Airtable base. The intern will also compile, organize and inventory existing tabular and spatial data generated through Arts & Culture planning work, research arts and culture planning and policy conditions across the region and other tasks related to arts planning as assigned and based on active project portfolio.

About MAPC: MAPC is the Regional Planning Agency (RPA) serving the people who live and work in metropolitan Boston. Our strategic priorities are sustainable development, regional collaboration, and fostering an equitable and resilient region. We are guided by our regional plan, MetroCommon2050: Shaping the Region Together.

MAPC's staff includes approximately 110 full-time employees located in downtown Boston in a transit-accessible and bike-friendly office. Interns will be working remotely and are not expected to come into the office regularly. Candidates must reside in Massachusetts while they are working remotely.

MAPC strongly supports the professional development of each staff person, believing their growth to be consistent with the best interests of MAPC and the region. We encourage all our staff to develop new ideas to make MAPC's planning and policy work more relevant and impactful, and to adapt to changing times. This is an opportunity to work in a dynamic, interdisciplinary, and innovative environment with professionals who are committed to building a more sustainable and equitable future for everyone who lives and works in Greater Boston.

For more information about MAPC or MetroCommon2050, please visit www.mapc.org About the Arts & Culture Department MAPC's Arts & Culture Department is one of the first efforts nationwide to advance arts, culture and heritage to build a more sustainable and equitable future through regional planning. The department is a team of planners, topical specialists and artists dedicated to engaging arts and culture to promote healthy, equitable, and resilient communities. We provide cultural planning services and policy recommendations to ensure that arts and culture can thrive across the region

Through our Arts Forward Metro Boston Initiative we are introducing data tools alongside policy and planning approaches to address key challenges facing the arts and culture sector. In addition, we are promoting a culture of resilience across the region by integrating artists, creative engagement, and humanities practices into planning work to increase the meaning, cultural resonance, and impact of our work to the communities we serve. To learn more about our work, visit https://www.mapc.org/our-work/expertise/arts-and-culture Responsibilities (including but not limited to) Research significant creative spacesto ensure comprehensive information

Coordinate with municipal staff to collect missing data or clarify content. In coordination with Data Services staff, transform arts space data from disparate sources to fit the Making Space for Art data schema and integrate data collected through Arts & Culture Department projects into database. Report bugs to Digital Services staff and questions about data classification to Arts & Culture staff.

Review and compile range of existing data generated through arts and culture projects, including but not limited to: Revive Arts Indicators Creative Economy analysis Regional Immigrant Entrepreneur project Regional Trails project maps Municipal policy research Create inventory of broader Arts and Culture data resources and datasets for review with Data Services. Where easily completed, acquire updated data sets. Support ongoing arts and culture planning and artist-engaged projects managed and staffed by the Arts & Culture Department as needed.

Qualifications Applicants for this position must be currently enrolled as a student. Successful candidates for this position will demonstrate all or most of the following: Strong understanding of MetroBoston geography and development, cultural space, and zoning contexts. The ability to interpret and make judgements about ambiguous space characteristics.

Strong data management and organizational skills, with a personal commitment to the quality of the products' content.(Excel skills are transferable, experience with the Airtable platform is not expected). Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in written form, with external partners including municipal staff, real estate developers, and the general public. Self-motivation and ability to work independently

Preferred: Demonstrated experience with ESRI software, including ArcGIS and ArcCatalog. Direct experience with real estate development, planning, or policy in Metro Boston. Familiarity with topics and principles related to arts and culture, regional planning, sustainable development, and social equity.

Experience working with data sets from federal, state, and local agencies. Only candidates currently enrolled in an academic program will be considered for this position. Compensation and Benefits: This is a paid internship with an hourly rate of $18.00-$23.00, depending on qualifications

We are seeking 20-25 hours per week, with flexibility. To qualify as an intern, individuals must be enrolled in an academic program, provide written verification of their status, and agree to a scheduled end date upon hire. Work will be conducted remotely.

To qualify as an intern, individuals must be enrolled in an academic program, provide written verification of their status, and agree to a scheduled end date upon hire. How to Apply: Apply online at www.mapc.org/jobs. The position is open until filled, and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume. Candidates selected to interview will be asked to submit three (3) references plus a sample of relevant writing or work product. Candidates must have legal authorization to work in the USA.

MAPC participates in E-Verify, which is a federal program that helps us to determine work eligibility in the United States. MAPC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe that a staff with a range of perspectives, experiences, and skillsets strengthens our work.

We are committed to building a more equitable workplace that allows staff with diverse backgrounds and identities to thrive, grow, and lead. For more information on MAPC's culture of equity, see our Equity at MAPC page.