Year of Music 2023 – Freelance Artistic Programmer

Kirklees Council is looking for an experienced and imaginative freelance Artistic Programmer to help deliver the Year of Music 2023 in Kirklees, West Yorkshire. This is a three-year freelance contract to March 2024, starting as soon as possible and no later than June 2021.

The role of Artistic Programmer is to lead on the artistic programming for Year of Music 2023 and to provide a coherent narrative and story through the programme, and ensure it is embedded within all communities of Kirklees.

Kirklees Council has committed to deliver a Year of Music in 2023, which will be our support to the regional cultural programme led by Leeds 2023, and supported by other neighbouring Authorities and their cultural programmes

SUMMARY OF BRIEF
The Artistic Director will take the lead on pulling together all the strands of work for the Year of Music 2023 into one coherent narrative and will instigate key projects and commissions where appropriate in the programme to compliment and contribute. It is essential this is done through and with the music community of the district, with the ambition of enhancing and enabling the music ecology.

WHAT YOU WILL BRING:
It is essential that the Artistic Programmer is a collaborative enabler of the communities, partners, and stakeholders who want to participate within the Year of Music 2023.

The Artistic Programmer will need to have:

• A good working knowledge of Kirklees, it’s towns, villages, and communities.
• A demonstrable track record in genuine collaboration, that enables the ideas and creativity of communities, partners, and stakeholders.
• A proven history of working across a geographic area, to deliver/programme a cultural festival.
• A track record of working with a range of partners and stakeholders, including (but not limited to): Local Authority, education, health, commercial, and VCS organisations.
• An understanding of the working within the current climate and within all required guidelines and legislation.
• A proven track record of working in complex environments.
• Be solutions focussed with an ability to effectively and, with people, problem solve.
• An ability to horizon scan to foresee issues and potential of the initiative, projects, and relationships.
• A proven track record of commissioning projects based on a place-based needs assessment, supported by all the necessary project management skills.
• To have the imagination to instigate new projects and partnerships to maximise the potential of the skills and creativity of our communities, partners, and stakeholders.
• An understanding of the needs of marketing, evaluation and all reporting mechanisms as would be required for such a programme/initiative.
• To actively support fund raising approaches.

TIMECSALE
This is a three-year commission, to support the development of the programme. The funding for the position begins on the 1 April 2021 and ends on the 31 March 2024. We are looking for some to start as soon as possible and no later than June 2021.

PROJECT BUDGET AND PAYMENTS
The fee for this three-year position is: £71,895 - broken down to three yearly payments of £23,965 with instalments on receipt of invoices as agreed in the induction session and on agreement of a proposed working plan.

TO APPLY
Please read the full project brief at http://bit.ly/ArtisticProgrammerYearofMusic

You need to submit an expression of interest of no more than 2000 words, which clearly explains how you meet the expectations of the role, and how you will approach the initiative. In addition to this, please include your CV.

Interviews will include a presentation on what you will do in the first 100 days, and what impact you expect to have made within that time frame.

Please send you expression of interest and accompanying CV to Kath Wynne-Hague, Strategic Lead for Cultural Development, kath.wynne-hague@kirklees.gov.uk

Deadline for submissions: Friday 23 April, 9am.

For more information visit http://bit.ly/ArtisticProgrammerYearofMusic