Translating cultural programming to inform future planning & design - ON-1067

Project type: Research
Desired discipline(s): Design, Social Sciences & Humanities, Journalism / Media studies and communication, Literature
Company: The Bentway Conservancy
Project Length: 6 months to 1 year
Preferred start date: 05/01/2025
Language requirement: English
Location(s): Toronto, ON, Canada
No. of positions: 2
Desired education level: PhDPostdoctoral fellowRecent graduate
Open to applicants registered at an institution outside of Canada: No

About the company: 

The Bentway works to ignite the urban imagination, using the city as site, subject, and canvas. Anchored under Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway and guiding its complex future, The Bentway is a not-for- profit powered by vital partnerships with the City of Toronto, artists, neighbours, supporters, and other city-builders who believe in the possibilities of public space.

Since The Bentway opened in 2018, it has proven to be a vital backyard park, a cultural platform for artist experimentation, and a growing creative movement. In partnership with the City of Toronto, The Bentway is creating a network of public spaces, developing a cohesive vision for wayfinding, and reconnecting the waterfront to the downtown core.

Each summer, The Benway puts on a season of public art and events at their spaces in downtown Toronto.

Describe the project.: 

The Bentway Conservancy is seeking a Journalism, Editing, and Communications expert to help document and translate key insights from its seasonal programming into a structured publication framework that informs future planning and design efforts. This initiative will play a crucial role in capturing tangible learnings that shape the ongoing development of The Bentway project. Working with other Bentway team members and external support as needed, the outcomes of this work will be a public-facing document, a series of web-based & archival resources, as well as a documented workflow that ensures this process may be repeated by the Bentway Conservancy and partners for future seasonal programs.

Working closely with the Planning & Design, Programming, and Communications teams, the selected candidate will synthesize reflections from The Bentway’s annual summer programming—where artists, designers, technologists, and community organizers explore urban issues and their impact on public space. The candidate will develop a structured process for gathering and presenting these insights, including copywriting, copy-editing, and coordinating graphic design to create accessible and impactful documentation.

A key outcome will be the production of an annual report that distills findings from seasonal programming, incorporating desktop research, on-site data collection, and expert interviews with seasonal advisors, artists, and the public. Additionally, the candidate will support the consolidation of The Bentway’s archival content, migrating past events and activities from older microsites and offline records into a cohesive digital platform on WordPress.

By developing workflows, tools, and publication formats that allow for ongoing knowledge-sharing, this work will ensure that The Bentway’s evolving urban interventions are guided by past learnings. The ideal candidate will have a background in communications, journalism, or English literature, with a strong interest in architecture, urban design, and public space development. Experience with publication workflows, digital archiving, and design documentation tools will be an asset.

Required expertise/skills: 

The ideal candidate will have a background in communications, journalism, or English literature, with a strong interest in urban design, architecture, and public space development. They should be skilled in synthesizing complex ideas into clear, engaging content and have experience with publication development, including copywriting, copy-editing, and coordinating graphic design. Key skills include:

• Strong research and analytical abilities, including desktop research, data collection, and expert interviews
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate insights into compelling narratives
• Experience with publication workflows and editorial processes
• Familiarity with digital content management, including WordPress for web content development
• Organizational and project management skills to coordinate contributions from multiple stakeholders
• Proficiency in relevant software and tools for writing, editing, and design documentation including Adobe Suite, Microsoft Office

An understanding of urban planning, architecture, or cultural programming is a strong asset, as is experience working with artists, designers, and community organizations. The candidate should be proactive, detail-oriented, and capable of working collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team to develop frameworks for documenting and applying key learnings in future design and planning efforts.