Jump Start Performing Arts - Project Manager - closing date 12th May

Jump Start Performing Arts – Project Manager

 

Following a successful bid to the Arts Council, the Worcestershire Arts Partnership (WAP) are seeking to appoint a Project Manager to run a two year programme of performances and workshop events.

 

What is Jump Start Performing Arts?

 

Jump Start Performing Arts is a two year programme of performing showcase events to be held at venues across Worcestershire. The work to be performed will be new work by both established and emerging performing arts companies.  It will allow companies and writers to show new work both 'In Progress' and to audiences who are sympathetic to seeing more experimental and developmental pieces.

 

Jump Start Performing Arts has been operating in Worcestershire for the past 18 months with five events having taken place across the county, featuring monologues, performance art as well as more conventional drama. The work has been performed by actors and performers known to writers but to also known to the Worcestershire Arts Partnership. There are on average 5 performances at each event and there is also a question and answer session at each event for writers and audience.

 

This new funding grant from ACE allows WAP to take Jump Start to the next level – still organising and holding a series of performances, but seeking out and encouraging more artists to engage, growing audiences with increased marketing and more developmental support for the artists involved.

 

 

What is the Link between Jump Start and WAP?

 

Jump Start forms part of the artist resilience priority of 1000 Days, which is the County Arts Strategy.  Jump Start, and developing artists who take part is within the 1000 Days Action Plan..  

 

What are the Outputs Expected?

 

 

·         Six performance events across venues across the county which will showcase a minimum of four new performances at each event. The venues have been agreed in principle and will need confirming.

·         Four workshop activities across the county for at least twenty local practitioners working with a variety of professional theatre practitioners to develop the following skills: developing a text; devising; directing; marketing; specific performance skills e.g mask, puppetry. There will also be links to the work of WAP and opportunities for greater collaboration between artists.. The workshop leaders have been agreed in principle and need confirming.

·         To work with Fuelled by Theatre and the venues and WAP to market these events including writing copy and working with the County Council Design and Print Team

·         Development of at least one performance, by working with the company and the County Arts Officer, to be a full length piece of work (1000 Days output)

 

What are the outcomes expected?

 

·         Artists and arts organisations are able to hone and develop their work with peer support and challenge, before taking it wider (eg: on tour etc). (1000 Days outcome)

·         Artists and arts organisations improve their artistic and business/operational skills (1000 Days outcome)

·         Increased artist presence, strong support for emerging artists, vibrant arts scene (1000 Days outcome)

·         Increased media coverage in relation to the arts (1000 Days outcome)

·         Local audiences have the opportunity to see new work in development and offer feedback for writers, directors & performers (ACE outcome)

·         Long-term development of new theatre companies who are creating and performing work here in Worcestershire at local venues and potentially touring across the UK & beyond (ACE outcome)

·         Members of the local community who are not arts professionals have the opportunity to submit texts or ideas and benefit from arts professionals advice, support and feedback (ACE outcome)

 

 

 

Your roles and responsibilities

 

·         To manage each event and workshop including the booking of venues, promotion of events, finding and selection of performances

 

·         Being the host of each event and workshop including ensuring each activity is run safely and that the material of each showcase is age appropriate

 

·         To work with venues and Fuelled by Theatre to market each event to ensure we have audiences for each show

 

·         To manage the budget for the project and to write an interim and final report to the Arts Council

 

·         To ensure that the project deliverables are met including accessing  numbers of artists and audiences

 

·         To liaise and meet with Steve Wilson, County Arts Officer on an on-going basis

 

·         To showcase the work on Social Media including the taking of photographs and film for each event

 

 

 

Skills Needed

 

We are looking for someone who has:

 

·         Experience of working with writers, performers, directors and venues

 

·         Has an interest and experience of New Writing and Performances

 

·         Has an understanding of the challenges of promoting new writing

 

·         Is organised and works to deadlines with project management experience

 

·         Has an understanding of the theatre scene in Worcestershire

 

·         Can manage budgets

 

·         Is available over the two year period

 

Management

 

You will report to Steve Wilson, County Arts Officer for the duration of the project.

 

To apply:

 

Please send in a letter of no more than two sides of A4 outlining experience, skills and why you would like this job by Friday 12^th  May  at 5pm to Steve Wilson, County Arts Officer swilson@worcestershire.gov.uk

 

We aim to select by paper application but we may decide to interview if there is significant interest.

 

Timescale

The project is due to start in June 2017 and finish in March 2019  

 

Fee

 

The fee for the work is: £6,000 over two years including all expenses. We would envisage this to be approximately 30- 40 days over the two year period.