Events Artist Relations Specialist

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

Applicants must complete the Wilkes Community College online application process which includes a cover letter, a resume, four professional references, and unofficial college transcripts (if hired, official college transcripts will be required). Applicant must be able to successfully pass a background check.

Note: It is important that you check the email that you listed on your applications. Updates for this position will be sent through email.

Job Title:

Events Artist Relations Specialist

This is a full-time, 12-month position reporting directly to the Festival Director. The Events Artist Relations Specialist is responsible for coordinating and managing the artist-focused logistics and operational support for Merle Fest and Walker Events. This position ensures the successful planning and execution of artist contracts, schedules, travel, lodging, transportation, credentialing, publicity coordination, and festival database management. Working closely with the Artist Relations Manager and Festival Director, the role supports seamless communication, accurate data management, and adherence to established timelines, while fostering positive relationships with artists, vendors, hotels, transportation providers, and internal departments to deliver a high-quality festival experience.

• Serve as lead team member responsible for festival database system implementation and annual updates in association with Artist Relations and all other modules for Merle Fest.
• Responsible for working with Merle Fest Artist Relations Manager to build contracts and maintain all performance schedules as per Merle Fest timeline, and to work with the Marketing Department in getting these schedules posted on the website as per the timeline.
• Responsible for gathering all artists’ bios and photos required for Merle Fest as per the timeline. Getting this information to the Marketing Department for program production.
• Responsible for working with the Merle Fest Artist Relations Manager on all artist credentials. This includes gathering the credential requests from the artists, inputting them into the festival database, proofing the master list to ensure everything is correct, and working with artist credential packets. During the festival, work in support of the Artist Relations Manager in handling credential or logistics issues associated with artists and their guests.
• Lead efforts to create and maintain relationships with all hotels in Wilkes and the surrounding areas. Responsible for negotiating and contracting pricing for Merle Fest and Walker Events. Responsible for booking all reservations, ensuring all artists and guests we book are handled per their contracts, handling any issues with the hotels, and reconciling all hotel bills to ensure all payables are correct.
  
  Responsible for working with the Artist Relations Manager and Festival Director in determining which Merle Fest artist/guest is placed in what hotel.
• Assist the Artist Relations Manager in artist merchandise and mall sales.
• Serve as Lead of Merle Fest Publicity Team. Funnel all press release drafts to Merle Fest publicist. Manage the proofing process and ensure we send the approved releases back to the publicist as per the publicity timeline.
• Create and maintain relationships with all rental van/car businesses in Wilkes and the surrounding areas that we may use for Merle Fest and Walker Events. Responsible for contracting all services to meet artist contract requirements. Responsible for finding drivers for each vehicle rented and ensuring each driver receives clear directions and times to pick up artists. This is for both Merle Fest and Walker Events.
• Responsible for all logistics connected with travel for Merle Fest. This includes airline tickets, rental cars, hotels, rental vans, drivers, travel authorizations, and related expense reports, etc.
• Responsible for the following items. Direct and utilize the Events Operations Coordinator (part-time employee) to ensure these responsibilities are accomplished as per the timeline.
• Coordination of all input of…