Summer Student - Ottawa, Ontario

This competition is intended for candidates who belong to First Nations, Inuit or Métis communities in the lands now known as Canada. Candidates from these groups who wish to be considered must self-identify. This initiative is in support of the Council's goals towards reconcilia ...

Job description

This competition is intended for candidates who belong to First Nations, Inuit or Métis communities in the lands now known as Canada. Candidates from these groups who wish to be considered must self-identify. This initiative is in support of the Council's goals towards reconciliation, employment equity and diversity.
About The Role
The summer student will support research and analysis that strengthens the program's alignment with Indigenous worldviews, multiNation realities, and community driven approaches to arts and cultural expression. The work will contribute to program development, outreach planning, and improved tools for Indigenous applicants. The work will include the gathering of stories from First Nations, Inuit and Metis Artists and arts organizations which will contribute to program development, outreach planning, and improved tools for Indigenous applicants.

Under the supervision of the Program Manager for Creating, Knowing and Sharing: The Arts and Cultures of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples, the summer student will:

• Organize and analyze Creating, Knowing and Sharing (CKS) program data to identify:

• Types of artistic and cultural practices submitted by applicants

• Emerging patterns that can inform new terminology grounded in Indigenous worldviews and languages
• Opportunities to move away from generic "Indigenous arts" classifications toward more culturally respectful and self determined forms of expression.
• Collect stories of impact of Indigenous individuals, groups, collectives and organizations funded by the CKS program and partnerships
• Storytelling for demonstrating impact of the CKS program

• Review and analyze guidelines from other Indigenous focused funding programs (including those from the Indigenous Funders Partnership Table and the Canadian Public Arts Funders Network), with attention to:

• Inclusive language reflecting Indigenous Peoples and multiNation contexts

• Program objectives
• Eligibility criteria
• Potential areas of alignment or gaps that could inform updates to the Creating, Knowing and Sharing (CKS) program.

• Map Indigenous focused outreach activities previously undertaken by the Council, including:

• Geographic distribution (urban, rural, remote)

• Types of artistic and cultural practices represented
• Events attended, their scope, recurrence, and targeted Indigenous communities
• Council's role in past activities
• Identification of additional key Indigenous events, conferences, and gatherings across sectors (e.g., education, health, economic development, tourism) to support future relationship building strategies.

Benefits For The Summer Student

• Gain practical experience applying qualitative and quantitative research methods to real‑world reporting and analysis.
• Access a rich body of on‑the‑ground information about arts granting, the arts ecology, and the complex relationships between funders, arts organizations, and other sectors of civil society.
• Contribute to the Council's capacity to monitor and support cross‑sectoral partnerships between stakeholders and broader civil society.
• Build a deeper understanding of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis arts and cultural contexts, and gain firsthand experience working within the Indigenous team at the Canada Council for the Arts.

Requirements For The Position
Who is eligible to apply?
This program is intended for students. To be considered, you must:

• Currently be enrolled as a full-time student at a recognized post-secondary institution;
• Be enrolled as a part-time or full-time student in the next academic year (proof will be required)
• Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or a student with a valid study permit (for international students);
• Meet the basic requirements of the positions.

Duration
The duration of employment for the Summer Student Program is sixteen (16) weeks. Students will start work on May 11, 2026.

Education

• The student must be enrolled in post-secondary studies at a college or university.

Skills & Competencies
Technical Skills

• MS Word
• MS Excel
• MS PowerPoint
• MS Teams
• MS Outlook

Key Skills

• Interpersonal
• Initiative
• Data Analysis
• Organisation and Coordination
• Research

Bilingual Requirements

• The use of both official languages is not a requirement but would be an asset.
• Important: Please submit your resume and a cover letter clearly demonstrating how you meet the above qualifications for Education and Experience. Please note that selection for further consideration will be based solely on the information provided in your cover letter, resume and application.

We are committed to providing a workplace that is inclusive and accessible to all. Should you require accommodation during the recruitment and selection process, please contact the Council directly.

For people who are Deaf, hard of hearing, or TTY users, please use your preferred MRS (Message Relay Service) or IP service to contact us.

The Canada Council for the Arts is committed to building a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the individuals and communities we serve. We invite applications from individuals with any combination of backgrounds, origins, identities, and forms of self-expression. The Council is committed to enhancing the representation of the following groups within its workforce: Indigenous people, Black people, racialized people, Deaf people, people with disabilities, women, and members of 2SLGBTQI+ and gender-diverse communities.

We encourage you to include information on how you identify in the Voluntary Self-Identification section of the application form. This information is used during the recruitment process to enhance representation of historically underserved and marginalized communities, as per the Employment Equity Act and the Council's ongoing commitment to equity. This information is also used for reporting at an aggregate level.

Please note that all persons requiring accommodation and/or assistance in completing the Canada Council's Careers application process are welcome to contact
the Council
for support.