BPOC-led Community Panel for Writing Our Legacy @ Downs to the Sea

Creative Lives in Progress; London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Part time

Job summary

Creative Lives in Progress is seeking three individuals from BPOC communities in Sussex and Hampshire for a paid role on a Community Panel. Panel members will assist with decision-making for the 'Writing Our Legacy @ Downs to the Sea' program and engage in discussions about residency applications. This role spans from August 2025 to December 2026, with compensation set at £300 for 12 hours of work over the two-year period. Applicants must have a commitment to community empowerment and engagement.

Benefits

Expenses covered for events

Qualifications

• Must be a Black, Asian, or ethnically diverse writer.
• Residing in Brighton, East Sussex, West Sussex, or Hampshire.
• Strong commitment to engagement with project dates.

Responsibilities

• Assist with decision-making and programming for the project.
• Help decide on applications for residency bursaries and commissions.
• Participate in online and potentially in-person meetings.

Skills

Community engagement

Advocacy

Job description

We are recruiting three individuals from the BPOC communities across Sussex and Hampshire to join our Community Panel to assist with decision-making and programming for our Writing Our Legacy @ Downs to the Sea programme and to act as advocates and spokespeople for the project.

This paid opportunity is open to BPOC creatives, artists, and practitioners from across Sussex and Hampshire, including Brighton, East Sussex, and West Sussex.

Panel members will help decide on applications to our Writing Our Legacy @ Downs to the Sea residency bursaries and commissions.

Please note: you will need to be available to work from home and for online meetings during our sifting periods for bursaries and commissions in 2025 and 2026:

• Round 1: Early Aug 2025
• Round 2: Early Feb 2026

The panel role will last from 1 August 2025 until December 2026.

The fee is £300 for 12 hours worked (£25 per hour) across the two years.

More information about the role

The panel aims to empower local practitioners to educate and promote the importance of water and habitats, encouraging community engagement with nature, restoration, and the project.

The panel will meet online or in person at least twice a year to discuss applications and updates.

Opportunities include attending two Writing Our Legacy @ Downs to the Sea celebrations, with expenses covered in advance.

Participation in other public activities is optional and voluntary.

Eligibility and access

Applicants must be Black*, Asian, or ethnically diverse writers residing in Brighton, East Sussex, West Sussex, or Hampshire. Applications from other parts of South East England may be considered with a strong rationale and commitment to dates.

How to apply

Applications are open via an online process. The deadline is Monday, 28 July at midday.

Please send a short statement (up to 400 words) explaining your interest and a CV to [e-mail].

The decision panel includes WOL CEO/Founder Amy Glass, Programme Manager Pauline Rutter, at least one WOL board member, and one Downs to the Sea partner representative.

More about Writing Our Legacy @ Downs to the Sea

Writing Our Legacy is part of a three-year nature programme called Downs to the Sea, focusing on wetland habitat recovery and resilience, funded by a £1.7mn National Lottery Heritage Fund grant (2025-2027).

The partnership includes the South Downs National Park Trust, South Downs National Park Authority, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Western Sussex Rivers Trust, Brighton and Hove City Council, and Writing Our Legacy.

Key strands are:

• Water in the landscape: restoring wetlands, ponds, rivers, and enhancing climate resilience.
• Water in people’s lives: connecting communities to natural heritage and water resources to promote health, skills, and conservation.

More info at: https://www.southdowns.gov.uk/downs-to-the-sea/