Job Title: Project Manager / Producer (Neurodiversity Arts Festival)
Salary: £27,985.00 pro rata
Contract: 8 month fixed term contract April 2024 – November 2024 (subject to funding)
Base: The Brain Charity, Norton Street, Liverpool, L3 8LR
Hours: 22.5 hours per week (can be worked flexibly over 5 days)
Background to The Brain Charity
The Brain Charity offers emotional support, practical help and social activities to anyone with a neurological condition, including neurodivergent adults and children and to their family, friends and carers.
It also offers workplace neurodiversity training to employers, businesses and schools, promoting a positive message about neurodiversity both nationally and internationally.
The Neurodiversity Arts Festival
Liverpool’s Neurodiversity Arts Festival will be the first of its kind in the North-West to showcase neurodivergent talent and open a conversation around social justice and inclusion for neurodivergent people.
The term ‘neurodiversity’ is derived from the evolutionary concept of ‘biodiversity’, which understands that the more genetic diversity within a population, the stronger and more resilient that population will be.
An individual should be described as Neurodivergent. Neurodivergence refers to brain function that varies from the majority and includes a wide range of profiles such as Autism, ADHD and more.
Neurodiversity enriches our society.
15-20% of the population are neurodivergent.
Neurodiversity paradigm
The Neurodiversity Arts Festival will work within the neurodiversity paradigm, which states:
1) Neurodiversity is a natural and valuable form of human diversity.
2) The idea that there is one “normal” or “healthy” type of brain or mind, or one “right” style of neurocognitive functioning, is a social construct. Just as there is no “right” ethnicity, gender, or culture.
3) The social dynamics surrounding neurodiversity are similar to those for ethnicity, gender, or culture.
(Walker, 2020)
Mission statement
The main aims of the festival are as follows:
1) Celebrating neurodivergent talent (showcasing neurodivergent talent, helping people to discover their unique qualities).
2) Education (informing the public, bringing awareness to social barriers, working with institutions to inform positive working practices around neurodiversity).
3) Opening doors (accessibility – finding ways for neurodivergent individuals and families to feel welcome in arts institutions without fear of being judged).
The festival will take place between 20-29th September 2024 in venues and arts organisations across the city of Liverpool.
Role summary
The Project Manager/Producer for the Neurodiversity Arts Festival will work alongside the Event Lead to oversee the smooth planning and delivery of the festival, working closely with Brain Charity staff, partner organisations, neurodivergent artists and volunteers.
The Project Manager/Producer will be expected to uphold the values and principles of the festival, as well as those of The Brain Charity, and should have some lived experience of neurodiversity, and the issues that neurodivergent people face.
The role will involve:
- Working with the Event Lead to ensure that organisational deadlines are met and that the project remains within budget.
- Liaising with partner organisations and key partners to build and manage a varied programme of events for the festival.
- Providing continued support to artists and venues to ensure the successful delivery of the festival programme.
- Organising monthly steering group and artistic meetings, including administrative support for these meetings.
- Acting as an ambassador for the festival, upholding and promoting the festival’s values and messaging to all partners and external organisations.
- Acting as a main point of contact for partners and stakeholders.
- Managing budgets.
- Making decisions related to marketing and project evaluation.
- Contributing to the promotion and evaluation of the festival.
- Assisting with the organisation of festival volunteers.
- Other tasks reasonably assigned.
It is expected that the Project Manager/Producer will be expected to work considerably more during the week of the festival, and these hours will be paid as overtime.
How to apply
If you are passionate about this cause and would like to become part of a vibrant and diverse team, we would love to hear from you.
The Brain Charity prides itself on being an open and diverse place to work and we openly encourage those from all minority groups to apply.
We strongly welcome applications from individuals currently underrepresented in the arts, including D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent applicants and those with lived experience of neurodiversity for this role.
Although this position is subject to funding, if you are interested in applying for the role, please show your expression of interest by submitting a written or filmed CV to jobs@thebraincharity.org.uk by Friday 22nd March 2024.
Shortlisting and interviews for successful applicants will take place as soon as funding has been confirmed and should be able to start as soon as possible in April 2024.
If you require this information in an alternate format or if you have any questions, please e-mail jobs@thebraincharity.org.uk. or call the centre on 0151 298 2999.