Vacancy: Let’s Create Lead Artist

WHALE Arts; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Part time

Job summary

A local community arts charity in Edinburgh seeks a Let’s Create Lead Artist to run creative sessions for women facing mental health challenges. The role includes planning and delivering weekly activities, ensuring engagement, and fostering a supportive environment. Ideal candidates should have experience in leading creative groups and a strong understanding of mental health issues. This freelance position offers £35 per hour for 4 hours a week.

Qualifications

• Experience in leading creative groups.
• Ability to facilitate various creative activities.
• Calm, understanding, and committed to equality.

Responsibilities

• Plan and deliver weekly creative sessions.
• Organize and tidy materials for sessions.
• Serve food and ensure hygiene standards.

Skills

Understanding mental health challenges

Conflict resolution

Creative knowledge

Excellent communication skills

Education

Formal qualification in creative/therapeutic field

Tools

Food hygiene certification

Job description

We are looking for someone to run creative sessions for our group, Let’s Create, which is for women who are struggling with their mental health.

Job Title Let’s Create Lead Artist

Reports to Head of Programmes

Location WHALE Arts, Wester Hailes, Edinburgh

Contracted Hours 4 hours a week, Tuesdays 9.30am – 1.30pm (40 sessions over a year)

Contract Freelance

Hourly Rate £35 per hour

The sessions consist of a creative activity followed by a shared meal with the group.

Main Duties

The lead artist will work with group members to co-design creative activities which suit the interests and goals of group members.

The group enjoy exploring a variety of mediums and techniques so the lead artist will need to be able to facilitate a variety of creative sessions.

At WHALE Arts, we are trying to be as sustainable and eco-friendly as possible, so sessions must be designed with that in mind.

Let’s Create aims to build the confidence, self-esteem and self-worth of the participants, and reduce social isolation. The Lead Artist will need to work with the group and Head of Programmes to design opportunities to support this development. We imagine this will include visits to other organisations as well as places of interest and relevance.

The session concludes with a shared meal. This is usually soup made by a WHALE Arts chef which is heated up and served by the lead Artist. This shared meal gives the group a chance to talk and reflect.

The session is 3 hours, the fourth hour is allocated to 30 minutes setting up and 30 minutes pack away of the session. This includes arranging tables and chairs, gathering materials needed for the session, getting refreshment laid out and setting up equipment to heat up soup.

Summary of Main Duties:

• Plan and deliver weekly creative sessions to fit with the needs of the group.
• Plan and deliver visits with the Head of Programmes Lead to fit with the needs of the group and budget restrictions.
• Look after the Let’s Create materials. This includes keeping the cupboard organised and liaising with Arts and Wellbeing Programme Manager when new, or replacement materials are required.
• Heat up and serve soup to the group. Food Hygiene and Safety training will be provided by WHALE Arts.
• Set up, and tidy away for each session. This includes moving tables and ensuring the space is clean a tidy upon exit.
• Collecting evaluation and any feedback during sessions. This includes taking photographs as well as prompting and documenting any evaluation or feedback.
• Attending regular supervision meetings with line manager.

Job descriptions cannot be exhaustive and the post-holder may, from time-to-time, be required to undertake other duties, which are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities.

Person Specification

We are seeking an experienced creative practitioner to lead Let’s Create sessions.

We are looking for someone who…

• Understands the issues and challenges facing people who struggle with their mental health.
• Is calm and understanding. Is confident at resolving conflicts and dealing with challenging behaviour.
• Understands how to set and preserve boundaries.
• Is committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Is well-organised, is self-motivated, and able to use their own initiative.
• Has excellent communication skills and can interact with and support individuals from a range of backgrounds.
• Understands the issues facing people living in areas of deprivation.
• Experience in leading a creative groups.
• Experience with people who are struggling with their mental health and knowledge of the challenges they face.
• Creative knowledge; has the ability to facilitate a variety of creative sessions that explore different creative mediums and techniques.

Ideally but not essentially, you may have…

• Food hygiene certification.

Formal qualification in the creative and/or therapeutic field.

How to apply

To apply, please fill in the application form by clicking the link below. The link goes to a secure Microsoft Office Form.

If you require the form in another format, such as printed or to have the ability to apply using audio/video recordings, please get in touch.

This form will not be used in the recruitment process, it is just used to evaluate our marketing reach.

The deadline for the application form is no later than midday on Monday 8 th July.
Interviews will take place on Tuesday 16 th July.

The successful candidate will be appointed to the role subject to confirmation of PVG Scheme Membership.

If you have any questions or would just like an informal chat about the role, please get in touch with us.

Contact Name: Kat Prior
Role: Head of Programmes
Email: [e-mail]
Phone: [phone] – ask for Kat Prior

WHALE Arts is …

... the cultural anchor organisation for Wester Hailes.We are a community-led arts charity and social enterprise, set up by local people in 1992. Our mission is to be the creative heart of a vibrant, thriving community.

WHALE Arts

30 Westburn Grove,
Edinburgh,
EH14 2SA
0131 458 3267
[e-mail]

Latest News

WHALE Arts has been successful in its application to Creative Scotland for Multi-Year Funding for 2025-28. We will be joining the MYF Portfolio for the first time, which this time has seen 251 organisations across the country awarded funding. WHALE Arts CEO Kate Griffin said: Congratulations to our partners who also received funding! Starcatchers, Sistema […]