Batley Festival is a small festival with big artistic ambitions. The Festival has just celebrated its 5^th Birthday; taking place annually in early September, Batley Festival is volunteer run and receives funding from Kirklees Council and Creative Scene (the Creative People & Places for North Kirklees).

The programme is a mix of professional and community product, is free to attend and has a focus on participation. More recently, the festival has commissioned artists such as Walk the Plank (2015-Spellbound) and Periplum (2016-The Batley Picture Show) to collaborate with the community to create a mid-scale closing show for the festival.

The aim of the festival is to prove that small festivals can have a big impact by working with the diverse communities in the locality to create original and rooted artistic work.

The Festival has secured from Creative Scene a new Festival Commission budget of £15,000, and an arts  programming budget of £5,000+ for 2017 and aims to lever additional funds against these.

Batley Festival would now like to recruit a festival development worker to work with them on the next stage of their journey.

We’re looking for a creative, energetic arts professional with strong experience of festival and event development and management, programming and collaborating with community groups to work with the Festival Group on its development.

The role calls for strong programming and project management experience, a good understanding of audience development, and ability to work closely with a voluntary committee and volunteers.

The role will be to work with the Festival Group to identify opportunities for the festival’s development, prepare funding bids and to support the planning of the 2017 festival.

You will have strong programming and project management experience, a history of successful fundraising and working with community groups and on community development projects. You’ll also be able to work on your own initiative as well as with volunteers.

Purpose of the Festival

• To create an outstanding, participative, annual cultural event in Batley
• To continue to develop the festival’s commitment to commissioning new work which is rooted in the locality
• To ensure the festival is embedded in and reflects the diversity of Batley
• To encourage more people to participate in and enjoy the arts and provide access to high quality arts activity for the whole community
• To celebrate Batley, its stories and its communities through a programme which is rooted and ambitious 

Key Tasks of the Festival Development Worker in 2016 – 2017

• To collaborate with the Festival volunteer team to identify opportunities for developing and further establishing the festival (this will include marketing, volunteer development, audience development and skills development).
• To work with the Festival volunteer team to support the programming of Batley Festival 2017.
• To work with the Festival volunteer team to identify opportunities for fundraising (including Grants for the Arts, Big Lottery, Trusts.)
• To prepare and submit funding bids
• To work with the Festival volunteer team to support the effective delivery of the Festival
• To attend festival team meetings as required
• To work directly and effectively with the Festival, its partners and any staff as required

This role will require the post holder to be fully self supporting administratively. A hot desk can be made available in the Creative Scene project offices in Dewsbury.

Accountable to:

The Batley Festival Group and the Chair of the Festival

Responsible for: Contracted Artists, companies and freelance producers/support staff.

Start Date: January 2017

End Date: 31 October 2017 (possibility of extension subject to funding)

Fee: The fee is £5,000 and it is expected that you will contribute a minimum of 30 days to the role.

A detailed action plan with tasks and timeline will be worked up with the successful applicant; January- March 2017 will include work on capacity building and making funding bids; April - May commissioning and programming; July - August supporting delivery of engagement activities; September (9^th) delivery of the Festival and October, completion of reports and evaluation.

We will consider supporting travel costs for a suitable applicant if they travel from outside the West Yorkshire region.

Subject to successful funding the contract will be extended for 2017-18, with an annual fee in the region of £10,000.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: 10am Monday 28 November 2016

INTERVIEWS: Thursday 8 December 2016

	Essential	Desirable
Qualifications		Degree level education in a relevant subject
Knowledge & Skills	Working effectively with communities Understanding & knowledge of development of arts programmes and projects Strong network of contacts in the arts Marketing and audience development Understanding of festivals Capacity & Skills development Excellent organisational and time management skills Excellent writing ability Strong negotiating skills Confident communication skills
Experience	Programming Commissioning & producing new work with communities Project management Developing and writing funding applications, especially to Arts Council England & Lottery funds. Working in a community development context Working effectively with volunteers Working on your own initiative and as part of a team Proven track record of fundraising Solid financial management skills Ability to think strategically, understanding the need for a festival to develop and grow, whilst still providing high quality output.	Developing community led festivals Successful bid >£15,000 to ACE/Lottery distributors
Personal Attributes	Creative and energetic Positive and empathetic Tactful and diplomatic Punctual and reliable Able to work well under pressure Able to be flexible and work evenings and weekends where required Committed to equality, diversity and anti-discriminatory practice

Any queries should be directed by email to nancy@creativescene.org.uk

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: 10am Monday 28 November 2016