Creative Producer (Maternity Leave Cover)

March 2018

Role: Creative Producer

Line Manager: Director

Location: Venture Arts, Hulme, Manchester

This post will involve travel to locations around Manchester and in some instances outside Manchester

Contract: Fixed-term maternity cover, (part time 30 hours). Salary 25- 27k per annum (pro rata)

Duration: 11 months (May 2018-March 2019)

The Post

This is an exciting time to join the organisation to help us to deliver an exciting and ambitious artistic programme over the next year as we enter into the Arts Council’s National Portfolio. Venture Arts is an organisation committed to enabling learning disabled artists to produce high quality, challenging work that is shown nationally and internationally. We are an advocate for diverse artists being recognised for their talent by enabling them to flourish within the arts.

The post holder will lead and develop an innovative and engaging programme of visual arts in Manchester and beyond, with a particular emphasis on show casing our work and building new audiences; developing new partnerships, exploring opportunities for learning disabled and non-learning disabled artists to work collaboratively, and delivering a high quality programme that ensures Venture Arts' artistic outcomes are achieved.

The post holder will understand Venture Arts' mission to be leaders in the visual arts, engaging and supporting people with learning disabilities to be recognised in art and culture and have high aspirations for developing talent and showcasing work on a variety of platforms.

The ideal candidate will have the experience and skills to develop new areas of artistic activity at Venture Arts and work in partnership with organisations, individuals and communities.

Tasks & Responsibilities

Successfully develop, manage and deliver a range of visual arts programmes in line with Venture Arts artistic development and ethos.

Programme Development / Delivery

  • To deliver a comprehensive programme of visual arts activity that runs in line with the Venture Arts artistic development strategy and Business Plan
  • Deliver ambitious work of national significance.
  • Manage and co-ordinate a full programme of shows for individual artists and collaborative programmes over 2018-19
  • Create new artistic dialogues between diverse artists
  • Assist in the development of a VA Collective of critical friends, stakeholders and partners; developing a residency programme and a series of artist talks.
  • Contribute to the delivery of Great Art for Everyone (Goal 1)through creative practice and to meet ACE NPO agreed delivery requirements and SMART objectives.
  • Work in collaboration with colleagues to ensure artistic programme and organisational objectives and strategies are delivered to a high standard.
  • Ensure that all the work adheres to Venture Arts' policy guidelines.
  • Support and assist at events hosted by Venture Arts and events that Venture Arts are asked to attend.

Artistic Development

  • Establish a cohort of artists that will engage with our artistic programmes.
  • Seek out and develop new talent.
  • Provide support for artists developing new work and establishing artistic careers.
  • Encourage creative risk-taking with new methods of artistic production.
  • Support artists to expand the parameters of visual arts practice beyond Manchester through collaborations and exchange.

Partnership Working

  • Develop and encourage partnerships and collaborative working across Greater Manchester and beyond.
  • Work with other UK leaders in the field to build an international platform for learning disabled visual artists.
  • Develop strong links with critically engaged arts media.
  • Nurture existing partnerships and develop new strategic partnerships with artists and arts organisations.
  • Work with a wider geographical network of partners and commissioners and support the development of a pop up studio in Manchester.

Operational Responsibilities

  • To provide reports for Venture Arts quarterly board meetings .
  • To attend Venture Arts planning meetings, monthly staff meetings and other meetings relevant to your work.

Person Specification

Essential Qualifications and Experience

  • A degree in a relevant subject to the role
  • Experience co-producing multiple and complex high quality arts programmes with diverse communities inc. budget management/reporting.
  • Proven ability to make informed artistic judgements and ensure high quality artistic outcomes.
  • Experience co-curating events and exhibitions, online and onsite.
  • Experience of organising and coordinating public facing events.
  • Experience of building strong and long-lasting partnerships in the arts.
  • An excellent understanding of the key issues relating to learning disabled artists and their access to the arts and cultural production.
  • Experience of building audiences onsite and online
  • Experience of co-evaluating arts programmes and exhibitions
  • Proven ability in preparing reports, plans and other documentation to a high standard.
  • Experience of overseeing accessible programme support materials

Job specific skills and experience

  • An excellent understanding of contemporary trends in visual arts in the UK and internationally
  • Knowledge of Manchester’s arts infrastructure.
  • Positive and effective communicator – both written and verbal.
  • Proven ability to prioritise own workload and work to deadlines.
  • Artistic vision and an imaginative and a flexible approach to work.
  • Strong organisational skills.
  • Team player and self-starter with ability to work under own initiative.
  • Ability to develop effective strategic and delivery partnerships with a range of organisations.
  • A strong, organised approach to meeting programme goals
  • Excellent IT skills.
  • Willingness to work some unsocial hours and weekends.
  • Commitment to Venture Arts’ artistic and social principles.
  • Understanding and commitment to equal opportunities and diversity in practice

Terms & Conditions

•Salary: £25,000-£27,000 according toexperience.

•Fixed term role from May 2018 to March 2019, subject to 3 month probationary period

•20 days leave plus BankHolidays plus two weeks leave coinciding with studio closure over Christmas.

•The position is based at Venture Arts Office and Studio in Hulme, Manchester

•Travel to projects and events will be required onoccasions.

•Office hours are 9.30am - 5.30pm, Monday to Friday with half an hour forlunch.

•Time Off In Lieu may be offered for the occasional weekend workrequired.

•All Venture Arts personnel and volunteers are required to have a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, which Venture Arts will carry out uponappointment.

If you would like to apply, we can only accept applications by application form which can be downloaded from our website: alternatively contact Alison on for queries or to be sent an application pack.

Closing date for applications: Wednesday 11th April at 5.00pm

Interviews to be held in the week beginning 16th April 2018

43 Old Birley Street, Hulme, Manchester M15 5RF T.0161 232 1223. E:.

Venture Arts is a Registered Charity, number 1176385and a Company Limited by Guarantee, number 10823617.