Join Our Team

The Basement whānau is excited to share that a senior role within our team has become available. We are currently seeking a candidate for a Programmes Navigator, a role primarily responsible for leading the year-round programming at Basement Theatre and acting as an advocate and champion for our artists. This role holds a pivotal position within our organisation, and we encourage both budding and experienced creative administrators to apply.

Basement Theatre is a live performance venue in the central business district of Tāmaki Makaurau, established in 2008, known for being an important gateway into the industry for artists, and arts administrators. We occupy the artistic underground and value the idea of pushing culture forward through brave, urgent and adventurous artistry. We are known for our commitment to platforming, developing and supporting emerging artists, and are a cornerstone organisation within the sector. We are a not-for-profit organisation, and receive funding from Creative New Zealand, Foundation North and Auckland Council. 

Hours: This is a permanent, full-time role set at 32 hours per week, (0.8 FTE) with set hours to be agreed.

Salary: $63,500 Per Annum

Location: Hybrid - Basement HQ (1/323 Queen St) and Basement Theatre in Tāmaki Makaurau, and some remote work.

The ideal start date is Monday 24th February, 2025, to ensure cross over the training time well ahead of programming our Winter/Matariki Season. However the start date may be flexible for the right candidate. Applications will close on 28 January.

If you are the successful candidate, Basement will actively work with you to meet your access requirements if you have them. If you have any concerns regarding access needs, either within the role or applying for the role, please get in touch.

As a candidate for this role you will be a proactive and experienced arts programmer with deep understanding of the Tāmaki Makaurau performing arts landscape. You will get the unique opportunity to guide, influence and whakamana some of our sector’s most progressive and adventurous emerging independent artists, while demonstrating a high level of artist care and manaakitanga. And of course, you will have a genuine passion for live performance, and audience experience, and will thrive on working with a small and highly collaborative team.

Successful applicants for this role will:

• Lead all Basement Theatre programming across all four standard seasons, from the submissions process right through to post-event debriefs. Including being responsible for leading the preparation of the draft programme for each season (Summer, Winter, Spring, Silly), which the Basement team will then collaboratively finalise through a decentralised programming approach.

• Ensure that, once programmed, each artist’s journey is a well-managed and rich experience, marked by a high level of artist care and manaakitanga. 

• Have strong and trusted connections with emerging Māori and Pasifika arts communities across multiple disciplines, as well as strong connections with Basement’s other ‘Vital Voice’ artist communities, which includes POC, immigrant communities, disabled communities and rainbow communities.

• Have clear and tangible methods and processes that manifest and centre artist manaaki and care.

• Have strong or promising producing skills in budgeting scheduling, calendar management, contracting, venue/production liaison and administration. 

• Support the delivery of Basements' one-off and Venue-Hire events, with the Programme Administrator, and General Manager

• Co-lead Basement’s artist development programmes, which currently includes the Producer Pals residency. 

• Be at the forefront of industry thought and bring pertinent industry ideas to programme strategy. As well as having an understanding of ‘intersectionality’ as both a theory and a practice, as it pertains to programming and artist development in Aotearoa.

• Have the ability to regularly and proactively seek and cultivate new relationships with artists and industry through culturally safe outreach practices. 

• Have experience in conducting evaluation processes and understand the importance of self-reflection, adaptation and growth in response to the ever-changing needs of communities and stakeholders. 

Basement Theatre holds a strong kaupapa rooted in cultural and community safety in the arts, as well as advocacy and equity for our artists. Candidates will align with our values, as well as our organisation’s desire to activate authentic cultural intersectionality across our diverse communities. They will hold community equity as a core driver in their work, and will confidently contribute to a work environment that aspires toward the bicultural partnership within Te Tiriti ō Waitangi. You can read more about us, and our kaupapa, here.

When seeking team members, Basement is interested in making the recruitment process equitable for Tangata Whenua as well as people belonging to our other ‘Vital Voice’ communities including POC, immigrant communities, MVPFAFF+, and LGBTQIA+ communities, and d/Deaf and disabled communities. If you need any additional support in applying for this role, please let us know.  

Read the full job description / download the PDF here -  If you require this in a different format, let us know. 

To apply, please email your CV along with a cover letter in any format that is accessible to you (i.e. written, video, or audio) to our General Manager, izzy@basementtheatre.co.nz by 5pm, Tuesday 28th January. We are also happy to respond to questions at this same address.

We are always looking for enthusiastic and friendly volunteers to usher shows all year round.

No experience is necessary, only a friendly attitude and a desire to see theatre and be involved at Basement Theatre. The pros of course are that you get to see shows for free! And get to experience the inner workings of Auckland’s most humming theatre. Our ushers also receive a free drink at the bar after they have completed their ushering shift.

Volunteers ushers simply sign up for shows that work around their schedule. 

If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer usher at Basement Theatre, please email info@basementtheatre.co.nz for further information and to be added to our volunteer usher database.