Head of Public Events & Programming: Manchester Int. Festival

MIF invites great artists from across the globe to create extraordinary new work for the Festival, which is staged every two years at venues and found spaces across Manchester. Their future home is The Factory, a world-class cultural space being built in the heart of the city, where they’ll present a year-round programme and artists will be able to develop work of huge ambition and scale that they might not be able to anywhere else.

When The Factory opens in 2023 they will produce and present a year-round programme of new work commissions, invited productions, live music, creative engagement and skills and training. Into this mix they're adding in an important new area of activity – Public Events – created for The Factory’s public and digital spaces. Reaching 150,000 people annually and taking place throughout the year in the foyers, public squares and online they will include talks, classes and workshops, tours, screenings, Factory Lates, open-days, pop-up exhibitions and music programmes, fairs and markets.

Their Public Events must excite and engage people well beyond established arts audiences, reaching a new, more diverse public that reflects the diversity of Manchester. The Head of Public Events and Programming will take a lead on a programme that should speak to the ideas of today, be relevant to diverse communities and engage the public in new and inventive ways.

Responsibilities

Policy

Contribute as a key member of the Curatorial Team to The Factory’s ambitions, in particular by developing a focused and structured programme of physical and digital events and activities across The Factory’s public and on-line spaces
Contribute to the development of The Factory’s policies, strategies, business and operational plans

Programming

Working with curatorial colleagues and organisations in Manchester and beyond you will devise an inventive and audience-focused public programme that:
excites and engages diverse audiences and communities
amplifies The Factory’s artistic programme
provides a platform for artists
provide opportunities for public agency and creation
foregrounds important new thinking and tendencies
Negotiating partnerships and contractual conditions including fees and costs
Working with the Producing Team who will deliver Public Events at The Factory you will help ensure they are on time, on budget, meet the highest standards of access, inclusion and sustainability

Audiences

Working closely with both the Audience and Creative Engagement teams to develop events that support The Factory’s audience development ambitions and community engagement strategies
Overseeing audience insight and data across public programmes and drawing on this insight to inform programming ideas
Working with our Access and Sustainability teams to ensure that the programme promotes the highest standards of access, inclusion and sustainability

Operational

Management of public events and programming budget and resources, identifying scope and opportunities for additional fundraising
Achieve financial/income targets for the Public Events and programming, ensuring its ongoing sustainability
Working with the Development team to cultivate and develop relationships with existing and potential funders (local authorities, statutory bodies, trusts and foundations, individuals and corporations) with the aim of retaining and finding new funding and programme partnerships
In partnership with the Commercial Team developing a strategy to support us to maximise revenue opportunities
Ensure the continuing monitoring and evaluation of Public Events
Understand the importance of Equality & Diversity in the delivery of the programme and within the organisation
Promote the highest level of customer service at all times

Essential skills

Knowledge of enthusiasm for the ideas and trends that shape society and culture
A confident collaborator with a track record and passion for engaging and exciting the public and open, playful and pioneering when developing ideas
Excellent communication skills - the ability to talk persuasively and a talent for writing, naming and describing projects and initiatives
Excellent management skills, both people and project management, and a track record of leading programmes and/or events with imagination and flair
Experience of planning, budget management and achieving financial targets
Commitment to championing representation and inclusion at every level of the organisation with a proven ability to work with people from a wide range of backgrounds

For full details and to make an application visit the website below.

For more information visit https://recruitment.mif.co.uk/recruitment/head-of-public-events-and-programming/