Inspire: Culture, Learning and Libraries

Arts Council; Bassetlaw, Ashfield, Mansfield, Newark and Sherwood; On-site; GBP 60,000 - GBP 80,000; Part time

Job summary

A cultural organization is looking for five creatively curious makers in the East Midlands to engage with community audiences and co-create original artworks. The role includes attending paid professional development workshops, delivering collaborative workshops at libraries, and creating an exhibition. Successful candidates should showcase their past work and provide a creative response to the project prompts. This opportunity focuses on artistic practices with various materials, and relishes creativity and collaboration.

Benefits

Paid workshops

Budget for travel and materials

Qualifications

• Creative approaches in any artform with materials-based practice in 2D or 3D.
• Experience in collaborating on creative projects.
• Ability to engage audiences and co-create original artworks.

Responsibilities

• Build connections by delivering collaborative workshops.
• Inspire co-created artwork.
• Create an exhibition, publication, and podcast.

Job description

Job Summary

I Am A Maker is the fourth branch of our I Am A Creator cultural programme, funded by investment from Arts Council England, through our status as an National Portfolio Organisation. Working with libraries across the county and targeted groups in Bassetlaw, Ashfield, Mansfield & Newark & Sherwood.

Job Description

What we want:

We are open to creative approaches in any artform. We are looking for five creatively curious makers to:

• Develop their practice by attending paid Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
• Work collaboratively with Inspire, our partners, and other makers on the project
• Engage creatively with our target audiences to co-create original artworks, and make a commissioned piece

By maker we mean artists who work creatively with a materials-based practice in either 2D or 3D, for example: clay, metal, paper, wood, glass, willow, textiles.

Fee:

• CPD workshops will be paid
• Each target group will have 4 (half day) workshops plus introductory meeting
• Each library will have 1 (half day) public workshop
• Fee for commissioned piece to be negotiated

Rate £250 per workshop, this includes expected preparation time. Workshops will be shared between the selected makers. Additional budget for travel, materials, access costs and to ensure a quality creative outcome suitable for exhibition from each group is available and will be negotiated. There is no additional budget for accommodation.

Job Requirements

Our aims are to:

• Support the creative development of makers
• Engage and inspire audiences to explore their creativity
• Make great co-created artwork
• Tour the work to Inspire Library Galleries
• Be part of The Big Draw 2026

Job Responsibilities

Our outcomes are to:

• Build strong and mutually beneficial connections with our target audiences, by delivering collaborative workshops in Inspire libraries and community settings
• Inspire co-created artwork
• Create an exhibition, publication and podcast

What we need from you:

1. Your creative response. Below are some prompts to help you think about what you might tell/show us:
   • How will you engage the audience?
   • What could you do?
   • How will you deliver it?
   • What will you need?
   • What could be produced?
2. Your credentials in the form of past work. We want to work with new and/or established makers but would like to see some examples of your work that will help us know more about your practice. This might be:
   • Weblinks
   • Photos
   • Social Media account links
   • Book titles
   • Podcasts
   • Something else…?

We will accept any form of application:

• Written (Max one side of A4)
• Audio (Max 2 mins)
• Drawn (Max A2)
• Filmed (Max 2 mins)
• Something else…?

About Inspire: Culture, Learning and Libraries