The Contemporary Music Centre / Sounding the Feminists are seeking a Research Associate for a project which aims to investigate the gender balance of publicly funded composer opportunities on the island of Ireland from 2004-2019.

Sounding the Feminists (STF) is an Irish-based, voluntary-led collective of composers, sound artists, performers, musicologists, critics, promoters, industry professionals, organisations, and individuals, committed to promoting and publicising the creative work of female musicians.

The Contemporary Music Centre (CMC) is Ireland’s archive and resource centre for new music, supporting the work of composers throughout the island of Ireland. As the archive for composers’ works and related materials from the island of Ireland, CMC’s strategic goal is to ensure that the contemporary music landscape in Ireland is documented and preserved for future generations and that access to our dynamic library of contemporary works is provided.

Project Description
In 2019 CMC and STF began a two-phase research project which aims to investigate the gender balance of publicly funded composer opportunities on the island of Ireland from [2004-2019].

Phase 1(2019/2020) determined the availability, condition, and accessibility of data on composers and public funding from the island’s top commissioning and funding bodies.

Sounding the Feminists and the Contemporary Music Centre, Ireland are now continuing to Phase 2 of this research and are offering a Contract for Services to a suitable Research Associate. In this project the Research Associate will develop a methodology, carry out data collection and processing, prepare data for publication and regularly report to and be advised by an STF/CMC Advisory Panel.

* This project will create living research that will inform, progress, and augment composition opportunities on the island of Ireland in line with the Arts Council Ireland’s policy on Equality, Human Rights and Diversity.

*The STF/CMC advisory panel will offer expertise in the areas of commissioning and performance history, statistical analysis, and Contemporary Music from Ireland. CMC as project lead will provide administrative support along with sharing their library and archival expertise. In addition, the Research Associate will be based at the offices of the CMC, in central Dublin and will have access to archival material, desk space, and CMC staff support. CMC/STF is also open to discussing a hybrid working arrangement for this research project.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities
• to develop a methodology that addresses the project description
• the collection of relevant quantitative and qualitative data
• processing of data for analysis
• the creation of suitable data visualisations
• to take direction from the Advisory Board and to report directly to this board • to deliver the findings of the research in a report for publication and dissemination

The required methodology involves sampling composer opportunities concerning the following activities within the publicly funded music sectors across the island of Ireland:
• Performing Groups
• Festivals
• Opera
• Recordings
• Publicly-funded awards such as Music Bursaries, Music Projects, Music Commissions

Having undertaken a gender review of the above, the objective is to analyse further these activities in terms of the following factors: the status of the musical work with regard to, e.g., duration, scale, platform (main concert or fringe event), repeated performances/touring, commission fees; the status of the musicians, taking into account attributes such as age, qualifications, experience, geographical locations, disability, family and caring responsibilities.

Required Skills and Experience
• Experience in Arts/Humanities/Social Sciences research (ideally demonstrated with MA / Ph.D. qualification)
• Knowledge of Contemporary Music from Ireland
• Ability to interpret basic statistics
• Familiarity with data collection tools, e.g. standardised instruments, surveys, information obtained from databases, etc.
• Ability to create databases in Excel, SPSS, etc.
• Familiarity and facility with basic graphic programs such as PowerPoint, Print Shop, etc. • Demonstrate a high level of communication skills
• Ability to self-motivate and to foster sustainable relationships with key project partners Application Details

Salary: €18,000
Contract Duration: Contract for Services to commence November 2021. Project completion is aimed for Spring/Summer 2022.

Informal Enquiries: for further information and enquiries, please contact Dr. Ann Cleare, Projects Officer of Sounding the Feminists, at info [at] soundingthefeminists.com with the subject heading ‘Research Associate Enquiry’

Applications will close at 5pm on Friday 5th November 2021