Art Festival Producer

Art Works South Yorkshire; Sheffield; Hybrid; GBP 22,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a vibrant and inclusive team as a Festival Producer, where you will lead the planning and execution of a groundbreaking arts festival celebrating the creativity of artists with learning disabilities. This role is perfect for those passionate about event coordination and community engagement, offering a unique opportunity to make a positive impact in the arts sector. You will oversee logistics, collaborate with diverse partners, and ensure an accessible and engaging festival experience. If you are ready to take your career to the next level in a supportive and creative environment, this position is for you!

Benefits

Flexible working options

Collaborative team culture

Training and development opportunities

Access to all ArtWorks events

Free ArtWorks merchandise

Tea, coffee, and snacks provided

Qualifications

• Experience producing arts festivals and cultural events.
• Strong project management and collaboration skills.
• Understanding of inclusive practices and co-production.

Responsibilities

• Manage the overall production of the festival program.
• Liaise with partners and community groups for event success.
• Coordinate logistics and ensure accessibility for all participants.

Skills

Project Management

Communication Skills

Event Coordination

Budget Management

Accessibility Knowledge

Education

Degree in Arts Management or related field

Tools

Social Media Platforms

Marketing Tools

Job description

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We are looking for a Festival Producer to join our team!

Do you have experience working in festivals and are you ready to take the next step in developing your skills coordinating events? Whether you have significant experience producing festivals, a strong track record of delivering successful events, or are looking to expand into new areas of festival development, this role could be for you.

Title: Festival Producer

Reports to: Arts Coordinator Dominika Rojewska and Director Kayleigh Cruickshank

Based at:

• Any of the ArtWorks buildings - St Polycarps Community Centre, Wisewood Lane, Sheffield, S6 4WA, SOAR Works 14 Knutton Road, Sheffield, S5 9NU, ArtWorks Community Centre, Brook Hill, Rotherham, S61 2QF and ArtWorks, The Civic, Eldon Street, Barnsley, S70 2JL
• Working with city centre partners onsite

Fixed Term Contract at : 5 days/week for 10 months. Working hours will vary during the festival to support events. Evening and weekend work is required during the Festival. During the run-up to the festival typical working hours are Monday - Friday 8.30am - 4.30pm

Apply by : 29th May

About ArtWorks Together and ArtWorks:

ArtWorks Together is an international arts festival celebrating the creativity and talent of artists with a learning disability, who are autistic or both. The festival showcases a wide range of artwork from artists across the world in multiple venues in Sheffield including Millenium Gallery and Sheffield Train Station. ArtWorks Together aims to challenge perceptions, promote inclusion and give artists who have a learning disability, who are autistic or both a prominent platform. Through exhibitions, a site-specific commission, community engagement workshops and a series of talks, ArtWorks Together highlights the power of art to connect people, raise awareness of the disability arts movement and inspire a more inclusive cultural landscape.

ArtWorks is a not-for-profit creative arts organisation that exists to support the development of artists with a learning disability, who are autistic or both. We are a collective of creatives committed to making real change within the disability arts movement and our local communities. We support our artists to access professional platforms within the cultural sector including exhibitions, commissions and residencies, and to provide meaningful opportunities for people to engage with the arts. We set up ArtWorks Together in 2021 to expand our work internationally and further celebrate the work of artists who have a learning disability, who are autistic or both.

www.artworkstogether.co.uk

www.artworks-sy.co.uk

What does the role involve?

As Festival Producer, you’ll take the lead on planning and delivering the 2025/6 ArtWorks Together programme to produce a bold and inclusive festival that celebrates artists with a learning disability, who are autistic or both. As the dedicated Festival Producer, you will be the only staff member working solely on the festival and will be closely involved in every aspect of its planning and delivery. You will take the lead on coordinating and delivering the festival, reporting to ArtWorks’ Creative Arts Coordinator, and managing the day-to-day running of the project independently. While you will be primarily responsible for delivery, you will have access to support from the wider ArtWorks team and freelancers when needed to ensure the festival runs smoothly.

The festival will include:

• A major exhibition of international artworks at Millennium Gallery
• A launch event with a series of talks and guest speakers
• A series of multi-sensory exhibition tours
• An accompanying exhibition of work by local artists who have a learning disability are autistic or both
• A site-specific commission at Sheffield Train Station
• A professional development programme for ArtWorks artists delivered in partnership with Yorkshire Artspace
• A series of community workshops including a partnership with Cambridge Street Collective.
• A series of workshops for school groups
• A merchandise range produced in collaboration with Printed By Us

You will manage logistics, scheduling and event coordination, marketing, artist liaison, access planning and partner relationships, ensuring the festival runs smoothly, inclusively and with impact. Working closely with ArtWorks artists and staff, you will also support the delivery of public-facing activities and events. To ensure meaningful engagement from both partners and audiences, you will take lead on evaluation, reporting on outcomes in line with funder requirements.

Key responsibilities and accountabilities:

• Manage the overall production of the ArtWorks Together 2026 programme, leading on project timelines, task management, logistics and internal coordination, based on existing project plan outline

Support, and sometimes lead, the delivery of all public events eg. delivering exhibition tours

Liaise with partner venues, community groups and collaborators

Support participating artists with access and production needs

Ensure co-production principles are embedded throughout the programme

Work with the ArtWorks team on festival promotion and audience development including social media, newsletter and website updates

Oversee the monitoring of the quality of the programme, collecting feedback from artists, audiences and stakeholders and applying necessary adjustment throughout

Coordinate reporting for funders and support project review processes

Experience producing arts festivals, public programmes or cultural events

Excellent communication and collaboration skills

Understanding of accessibility, inclusive practice, and co-production

Experience managing budgets and working within funding guidelines

Ability to work across multiple sites and with a range of partners

Self-motivated with the ability to take initiative and manage time independently

Experience working with people with a learning disability, are autistic or both, or a strong commitment to inclusive arts practice

Lived experience of disability or neurodivergence

Background in visual arts, curation or community engagement

Experience with marketing or audience engagement in the arts

Graphic design skills

Experience running creative workshops and/or delivering exhibition tours

Flexible working options

Collaborative, inclusive team culture

Training and development opportunities

Access to all ArtWorks events and activities

Free ArtWorks slogan t-shirts and hoodies

Tea, coffee and snacks in all offices

We are looking for a Festival Producer to join our team!

Do you have experience working in festivals and are you ready to take the next step in developing your skills coordinating events? Whether you have significant experience producing festivals, a strong track record of delivering successful events, or are looking to expand into new areas of festival development, this role could be for you.

Title: Festival Producer

Reports to: Arts Coordinator Dominika Rojewska and Director Kayleigh Cruickshank

Based at:

• Any of the ArtWorks buildings - St Polycarps Community Centre, Wisewood Lane, Sheffield, S6 4WA, SOAR Works 14 Knutton Road, Sheffield, S5 9NU, ArtWorks Community Centre, Brook Hill, Rotherham, S61 2QF and ArtWorks, The Civic, Eldon Street, Barnsley, S70 2JL
• Remote working
• Working with city centre partners onsite

Fixed Term Contract at : 5 days/week for 10 months. Working hours will vary during the festival to support events. Evening and weekend work is required during the Festival. During the run-up to the festival typical working hours are Monday - Friday 8.30am - 4.30pm

Salary: £22,710 - £26,710 (for 10 month period, not pro rata)

Apply by : 29th May

Interviews : Week Commencing 9th June

About ArtWorks Together and ArtWorks:

ArtWorks Together is an international arts festival celebrating the creativity and talent of artists with a learning disability, who are autistic or both. The festival showcases a wide range of artwork from artists across the world in multiple venues in Sheffield including Millenium Gallery and Sheffield Train Station. ArtWorks Together aims to challenge perceptions, promote inclusion and give artists who have a learning disability, who are autistic or both a prominent platform. Through exhibitions, a site-specific commission, community engagement workshops and a series of talks, ArtWorks Together highlights the power of art to connect people, raise awareness of the disability arts movement and inspire a more inclusive cultural landscape.

ArtWorks is a not-for-profit creative arts organisation that exists to support the development of artists with a learning disability, who are autistic or both. We are a collective of creatives committed to making real change within the disability arts movement and our local communities. We support our artists to access professional platforms within the cultural sector including exhibitions, commissions and residencies, and to provide meaningful opportunities for people to engage with the arts. We set up ArtWorks Together in 2021 to expand our work internationally and further celebrate the work of artists who have a learning disability, who are autistic or both.

www.artworkstogether.co.uk

www.artworks-sy.co.uk

What does the role involve?

As Festival Producer, you’ll take the lead on planning and delivering the 2025/6 ArtWorks Together programme to produce a bold and inclusive festival that celebrates artists with a learning disability, who are autistic or both. As the dedicated Festival Producer, you will be the only staff member working solely on the festival and will be closely involved in every aspect of its planning and delivery. You will take the lead on coordinating and delivering the festival, reporting to ArtWorks’ Creative Arts Coordinator, and managing the day-to-day running of the project independently. While you will be primarily responsible for delivery, you will have access to support from the wider ArtWorks team and freelancers when needed to ensure the festival runs smoothly.

The festival will include:

• A major exhibition of international artworks at Millennium Gallery
• A launch event with a series of talks and guest speakers
• A series of multi-sensory exhibition tours
• An accompanying exhibition of work by local artists who have a learning disability are autistic or both
• A site-specific commission at Sheffield Train Station
• A professional development programme for ArtWorks artists delivered in partnership with Yorkshire Artspace
• A series of community workshops including a partnership with Cambridge Street Collective.
• A series of workshops for school groups
• A merchandise range produced in collaboration with Printed By Us

You will manage logistics, scheduling and event coordination, marketing, artist liaison, access planning and partner relationships, ensuring the festival runs smoothly, inclusively and with impact. Working closely with ArtWorks artists and staff, you will also support the delivery of public-facing activities and events. To ensure meaningful engagement from both partners and audiences, you will take lead on evaluation, reporting on outcomes in line with funder requirements.

Key responsibilities and accountabilities:

Manage the overall production of the ArtWorks Together 2026 programme, leading on project timelines, task management, logistics and internal coordination, based on existing project plan outline

Support, and sometimes lead, the delivery of all public events eg. delivering exhibition tours

Liaise with partner venues, community groups and collaborators

Support participating artists with access and production needs

Ensure co-production principles are embedded throughout the programme

Work with the ArtWorks team on festival promotion and audience development including social media, newsletter and website updates

Oversee the monitoring of the quality of the programme, collecting feedback from artists, audiences and stakeholders and applying necessary adjustment throughout

Coordinate reporting for funders and support project review processes

Essential Criteria

Experience producing arts festivals, public programmes or cultural events

Strong project management skills

Excellent communication and collaboration skills

Understanding of accessibility, inclusive practice, and co-production

Experience managing budgets and working within funding guidelines

Ability to work across multiple sites and with a range of partners

Self-motivated with the ability to take initiative and manage time independently

Desirable Criteria

Experience working with people with a learning disability, are autistic or both, or a strong commitment to inclusive arts practice

Lived experience of disability or neurodivergence

Background in visual arts, curation or community engagement

Experience with marketing or audience engagement in the arts

Graphic design skills

Experience running creative workshops and/or delivering exhibition tours

Benefits

Flexible working options

Collaborative, inclusive team culture

Training and development opportunities

Access to all ArtWorks events and activities

Free ArtWorks slogan t-shirts and hoodies

Tea, coffee and snacks in all offices

How to Apply

Please send a completed CV, covering letter explaining why you are interested in applying for the position to [e-mail]

If you have any access requirements to apply for this position please get in touch.

Interview Process

Online Test Gorilla Assessment which will be sent to you when you receive an interview offer

One-hour interview at our SOAR Works centre, 14 Knutton Road, Sheffield, S5 9NU with our director and arts coordinator.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Temporary

• Industries

  Civic and Social Organizations

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