JOB DESCRIPTION

Title: Director

Reporting to:  Voluntary Board of Directors

Location:  This is a remote working position, and the Director can be located anywhere in Ireland. Flexibility to travel around Ireland is a key requirement of the position.

Status: Full-time

Salary: Commensurate with experience region 48,000 euro per annum

Closing date: 5pm Thursday 16^th March 2023.

Please submit a copy of your CV and a letter of application outlining your suitability for the role no later than 5pm on March 16th  to festivalinavanapplications@gmail.com. Please note that it is intended to hold first interviews for the position on 20^th /22nd March 2023.

 

ABOUT FESTIVAL IN A VAN

Established in 2020 in response to the pandemic as a mobile live arts event, Festival in a Van brings live performance to your door. A trad session at your window, a classical concert on the green, dramatic moments, or poets proclaiming in the garden, Festival in a Van is touring nationwide, bringing the magic of live performance to Ireland.

The van has been transformed as a mini mobile venue, and pops up in parks, streets, squares, care homes and more; making safe, fun arts experiences part of life. Supported by Creative Ireland, and the Arts Council, and led by a team of theatre professionals, Festival in a Van is keeping live performance going, on the move, and coming to a place near you.

In 2020 we:

• Staged more than 60 performances in 11 counties
• Worked with 48 musicians, singers, poets, artists and performers
• with a team of 15 theatre professionals, designers and production artists
• and reached more than 2,500 people

In 2021 we brought our Words Move Tour across the Island.

In 2022, we toured Ireland with the Shared Music Sessions, introducing musicians from Ireland, Ukraine and other new communities through music and song.

The work of Festival in a Van has a strong social mission, addressing isolation and inclusion and responding to the social needs of end users.

 

When Festival in a Van comes to visit...

Vans arrive to streets, housing estates or apartment blocks. They come to care homes, rural spots, parking lots or village squares. The doors open. In one, an actor delivers a dramatic monologue. In another a musician makes their own kind of magic, a singer sings songs or arias. In another a poet recites, a writer reads.

 

THE ROLE  -DIRECTOR

Festival in a Van has been operated by the founder Gemma Tipton part-time.  Demand for the services of FIAV is high and in order to maintain momentum, meet demand for our services and enhance the offering to meet new challenges, we are seeking to appoint a full-time Director. The individual we seek is multi-skilled, flexible, adaptable and adept at rising to the occasion. In return for your hard work and dedication this position promises to be rewarding at all levels.

As the sole employee of the company, working with a core team of freelance professionals, the role brings with it responsibility for finance and budgeting, producing and scheduling, ideas generation and collaboration with a wide range of partners and end users.

The responsibilities of the role include, but are not limited to:

 

Programming:

Planning and implementing Festival in a Van’s touring programme

Booking and liaising with artists

Liaising with venues and locations

 

Financial:

Budgeting and financial control

Bookkeeping

Payments

 

Funding and Stakeholders:

Identifying funding opportunities and making application to public and private funding bodies

Developing and maintaining relationships with funders and stakeholders including

Creative Ireland, Arts Council, Local Authority Network

Developing and maintaining relationships with partner networks for example festivals, social care networks

Reporting

 

Programme development:

Initiating new ideas for tours and partner networks

Responding to new social and community needs with Festival in a Van

Developing strands for Private Hires

 

Team:

Working with Production Manager

Working, via Production Manager, with the Crew

As necessary working with PR, Web developer, Social Media team

 

General:

Web and social media management, promotion of events where necessary

Maintaining schedule of Board meetings, and reporting to Board

Working with Accountants to ensure all Company legal and other requirements are met, including insurance, company returns etc

Working with Production Manager to maintain the Van

 

And other responsibilities as may be required from time to time or are necessary to deliver the mission.

 

PERSON

This role is suitable for someone who has experience in arts/ not-for-profit environments. In a previous role you may have engaged with excluded communities/ have a background in the charity or not-for-profit sector/ have come from local government/commercial sector but want to be part of meaningful changes on the ground

 

The person appointed will have:

• Programming events experience and a broad knowledge of the landscape of music, theatre, arts and performance. Experience of working within a socially -engaged context would be an advantage.
• A minimum of two years’ experience of financial management in an organisation or project
• Demonstrated capability to identify and source funding and deliver projects to a high standard on budget
• Demonstrated administrative ability and problem-solving skills
• Demonstrated production and technical knowledge in event management/ event production sufficient to deliver on the FIAV tours
• Ability to imaginatively maximise private sources of income including hires

 

Personal qualities

• It is essential that the person appointed can demonstrate initiative and be a self-starter. The Director will work closely with a small team and will direct and manage the work of the organisation.
• The ability to interact with and maintain relationships with a wide range of individuals and organisations
• Flexibility and adaptability combined with the ability to maintain focus on the mission of FIAV
• A commitment to equity and an awareness of how the arts contributes to inclusion.
• A flair for making the most of opportunities.

 

If you think this describes you, please forward your application to festivalinavanapplications@gmail.com by the closing date.