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Artistic Director

At a glance

Vital Xposure
Employer
£49,595-£54,678 pro-rata
Salary
17/02/2025
Closing date
Permanent
Contract
Part Time (0.6 F/T equiv)
Hours

ABOUT VITAL XPOSURE

Vital Xposure was founded in 2011 by disabled artist and activist, Julie McNamara. As a disabled-led theatre company, whose ethos is underpinned by the Social Model of Disability, we have an exciting track record of creating and touring work informed by stories from hidden voices. Based in London, we have national reach, engaging with audiences and participants often who have been ignored. We present inclusive theatre, new work, supporting artists’ creative development.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

  • Provide the artistic leadership to grow Vital Xposure’s artistic programme and develop and deliver Vital Xposure’s artistic vision, mission and aims. We are looking for individuals who are at the forefront of speaking up for disabled artists and Vital Xposure and are committed to making positive change.
  • To lead on shaping the artistic programme to inform the ACE NPO application 2027 2030 (www.artscouncil.org.uk/NPO2027). Deadline for submission: July 2025.
  • Develop and grow existing and national new partnerships, including co-productions to support the national touring of the company’s work.
  • Work with the VX team to plan and deliver the strategic artistic direction of the company, ensuring Vital Xposure is an organisation that is a leader, a listener, a partner, is creative, transformational and shares knowledge. We are looking for a collaborator. who is inquisitive, bold and ambitious.
  • Oversee all aspects of Vital Xposure’s artistic programming. We are looking for an organised and knowledgeable creative artist.
  • Promote Vital Xposure, its work and artists. We are looking for individuals who will confidently speak out and grow partnerships.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Artistic Development, Programming and Productions 

  • Develop, implement and articulate VX’s artistic policy through a clear vision and aims.
  • Lead and guide the artistic direction that will underpin the success of the company. 
  • Oversee the artistic and creative development of the VX Labs programme, working with the VX Labs Project Manager to ensure their successful delivery. Develop ways the evaluation and key outcomes are shared with the wider theatre sector. Make recommendations to the Board on the future life of the LAB Programme.
  • Lead on exploring and developing innovative new artistic projects and touring productions supported by co-production, partnerships and other cultural allies.
  • In consultation with VX Team and artists, shape, develop & manage an artistic programme that will excite, innovate, engage, expand audiences and grow VX’s national profile. 
  • Seek out and nurture new, diverse talent. Lead on and oversee VX’s artists’ development, with programmes that create opportunities for their artistic practice, with pathways to employment, engaging partners where appropriate.
  • Explore and include innovative creative access across the artistic programme, enabling artists, audiences & participants to engage in all strands of VX’s work.
  • Establish and grow artistic partnerships, collaborations, investigations and co-productions that will advance arts and disabilities nationally.
  • Working with the team, expand and develop VX’s audiences through innovative ways of engagement and participation.
  • Research and recommend ways in which digital strategies can be developed within the artistic programme. 
  • In collaboration with VX Team and artists feed into the evaluation of projects and productions to inform the company’s future work and practice.

Strategic

  • Contribute to growing understanding of innovative practices for VX’s Board and staff.
  • Contribute to policy development, business planning, and funding applications as required.
  • Keep the Board and management informed of artistic plans, attending meetings and with written reports as required.
  • Maintain good relationships with current and potential funders, acting as an exemplary ambassador for VX. 

Finance

  • Contribute to budget creation and income generation by timely artistic planning with clarity of purpose, writing appropriate copy as and when required.

Communication

  • Advocate for disabled-led work and VX.
  • Contribute to VX’s communication strategy, inputting information on project and artistic developments.
  • Jointly led with the Executive Director on external public relations with clear articulation of the VX vision and ambition.
  • Play an active role in meeting partners and representing VX at events.
  • Encourage partners and individuals to engage in the work of VX.
  • Maintain an up to date understanding of current affairs, cultural and creative developments that will feed company knowledge and growth and positively impact on VX’s work.

Management 

  • Responsible for the welfare of creative team and artists with line management responsibility for creative and artistic freelancers, stage managers and shared line management responsibility with the Executive Director for production management.
  • To maintain an energised environment, working collaboratively to engage with and create an atmosphere that is inclusive and enables the best from all involved
  • To adhere to and actively implement VX policies.

General 

  • Attend internal and external meetings, artistic events as required Attendance at company performances and events.

After 12 months, we expect the Artistic Director/s will have successfully:

  • Shaped an artistic programme as part of Vital Xposure’s application for ACE National Portfolio funding 2027 – 2030, that will inform an updated business plan, fundraising strategy and communication plan.
  • Finalise the programming and research areas of the 2026 —2027 VX Labs, evidencing regional consultation, arts and non-arts partnerships which engages with diverse artists.
  • Programmed audience facing work for the remainder of the current NPO period (until March 2027) suitable in scale and ambition, which meets VX’s funding commitments and is in line with the company’s vision, mission and values. 
  • Provided evidence of raising VX profile through national work and building of partnerships.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

ESSENTIAL:

  • Vision, imagination and curiosity, who is flexible, with a passion to artistically lead VX through its next phase of exploration and creativity. 
  • Proven experience of creating theatre within the d/Deaf and disability arts sectors.
  • Confidence in taking creative risks with experience of delivering bold and inclusive theatre. 
  • An effective, collaborative team worker who will consult, listen, motivate and inspire.
  • Experience of supporting creative teams and being sensitive to creative processes.
  • Experience of nurturing talent and potential in artists and theatre makers.
  • A positive attitude, problem solver, self-motivated and ability to work on own initiative.
  • Ability to form and maintain effective partnerships.
  • Ability to develop and promote VX and raise its profile.
  • Knowledge of the arts funding system and fundraising (desirable), budgeting and financial control.
  • Knowledge of equality in an arts context.
  • Knowledge of disability arts and arts and disability.
  • Wide ranging contacts in the creative sectors, particularly in theatre and disability arts. 
  • Excellent & effective communication skills.
  • Values driven with integrity and a commitment to equality and inclusion, with a desire to broaden access to the arts.
  • Good organisational and time management skills, working to deadlines.

DESIRABLE:

  • An interest in digital opportunities in the arts.
  • Understanding of marketing processes and audience development.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

TO APPLY, PLEASE SEND YOUR (up-to-date) CV AND COVER LETTER (no longer than 2 sides of A4) to: George.Belle@hackney.gov.uk

Your cover letter should cover the below points:

  1. What you are applying for and why.
  2. Tell us who you are.
  3. Why do you want to work for Vital Xposure?
  4. What is your vision for Vital Xposure?
  5. How you would lead the artistic programming, and use the VX Labs to inform the work and share the knowledge gained across the wider arts sector.
  6. What EXPERIENCE, SKILLS and KNOWLEDGE do you have that are relevant for this role? (please refer to the person specification listed above).

Please download and also complete this EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY MONITORING FORM, and submit to: George.Belle@hackney.gov.uk

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