Marketing Director

Bramble Theatre Company, an ensemble theatre based in Andersonville’s Bramble Arts Loft, is seeking a driven and creative individual to serve as a Marketing Director.

Bramble’s mission is to create powerful new theatre that both nourishes and challenges our community to explore the question of what it is to be Human. By fostering an Artist-first culture that inspires hope and innovation, we strive to be a leading voice in this emerging era of American Theatre.

Bramble produces a season of three theatrical events: a smaller scale production in late winter/early spring, our summer Festival of Unfinished Work that presents 6 staged scenes from plays-in-progress, and a full-scale show in the fall. Additionally, we produce staged readings throughout the year, primarily through our Parlor Reading Series, and host various fundraising and community-building events in between our major productions.

The Marketing Director will be responsible for creating and maintaining the company’s overall marketing and communications strategy, and will collaborate with the staff as a whole, especially the Social Media Manager and Director of Development. This role reports directly to the Managing Director.

Bramble Theatre Company is committed to ongoing anti-racist workshops and training for our staff and ensemble members. The Marketing Director will be included in this work with the rest of our company members.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Overall Objectives

– Create and maintain a strategic marketing/content plan and calendar, incorporating input from the Artistic and Managing Directors, and ensure the consistency of Bramble’s aesthetic and tonal brand.
– Collaborate with the Social Media Manager to create a strategic plan for individual productions and the company as a whole. Support the Social Media Manager’s work in creating and publishing content as needed.
– Serve as point person for the creation, format, and distribution of all internal and external event/production assets and designs, consulting with fellow staff members for feedback and guidance throughout each process.
– Attend monthly staff meetings and quarterly company meetings, and be responsive to Slack messages within 24 hours. (Optional but encouraged: Attend weekly staff huddles and organize regular strategy meetings with colleagues.)
– Establish relationships with other theatre companies and seek out opportunities for cross-promotion or marketing exchanges.
– Support other staff members with copy and design creation as availability allows.

Specific Deliverables

– Compose and send at least 2 email newsletters every month, increasing in frequency as major productions and events approach (approx 30-32 p/year).
– Create (directly or in collaboration with an external designer) unique marketing materials for all three annual productions, beginning with key art that is later used for posters, social media, and website design.
– Refresh and update existing design templates for staged readings, Education classes, and fundraising events throughout the year.
– Create and execute a press strategy for all three annual productions, which may include composing and disseminating press releases, flier distribution in the Andersonville neighborhood, inviting reviewers and press, and coordinating comp ticket needs (in collaboration with the Artistic Director).
– Serve as point of contact for vendors, designers, and other independent contractors working on marketing and design projects. (Examples include printers, poster designers, photographers, videographers, etc.)
– Commission and lead 1-2 promotional photo shoots for each of the spring and fall productions, as well as a single photo shoot for the Festival (or an equivalent audiovisual promotional strategy)
– Manage and update the company website, hosted on SquareSpace. This includes creating event listings, tracking ticket sales and discount code usage, and refreshing static pages.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

– Marketing and/or administrative experience is preferred but not required. We are open to providing mentorship for someone to grow into this position if they have the right passion and work ethic but no prior experience.

– Strong attention to detail, organizational skills, self-sufficiency, and creativity

– Proficiency with software such as Squarespace, Mailchimp, Google Suite, Google Analytics, Instagram, Facebook, and Canva

– Interest in and knowledge of theatre and the Chicago theatre community

Artists are encouraged to apply!

COMPENSATION

This is a contractor position with a monthly stipend of $450, for approximately 20-25 hours/month on average, or 4-5 hours per week (more during our two annual productions, less in the slow season). Bramble is committed to increasing staff stipends over time as our budget grows.