Vacancies
Music Network Co-Ordinator
If you care about communities and are passionate about music, we want to hear from you!
We’re looking for an experienced freelance co-ordinator with a background in music participation and collaborative planning, to deliver the ‘Alive with Music’ action plan for Newark and Sherwood District Council, which will connect amateur and professional musicians, venues, and participants to encourage a thriving music scene across the district
with opportunities for all.
Who We Are
We are Heritage and Culture - Newark and Sherwood District Council.
We believe in the transformative power of culture.
Our mission is to enable people to enhance their lives through heritage, culture and the arts.
Our core values ensure that everything we do is Relevant, Ethical, Welcoming, Inspirational and Creative. We achieve this by asking our communities what they want and need and responding creatively.
The Heritage and Culture team run the Palace Theatre Newark, the National Civil War Centre – Newark Museum and Newark Castle and Gardens. In 2023 we were awarded National Portfolio Organisation status from the Arts Council England to deliver on their 'Let’s Create’ strategy. We are also a lead partner in Newark’s Cultural Consortium ‘Newark Creates’ which delivers events, activities and installations to animate and activate the town centre.
The Brief
We are looking for a freelance Co-ordinator with music expertise and experience of bringing communities together, to enhance and promote a collaborative approach to music provision across the district.
You will be based at the National Civil War Centre – Newark Museum and the Palace Theatre Newark, but your role may take you across the district and you must be able to travel to rural venues. You will work closely with the Heritage and Culture team to develop and deliver the ‘Alive with Music’ action plan.
Hours of Work: The initial contract period is for 2 to 3 days per week from January 2025 for a six month period, with activities taking place throughout this period. However, the programme can be flexible to fit both our schedule and the successful candidate’s other work.
The themes and outputs of the ‘Alive with Music’ Action Plan are:
Theme: Strategic Music Development
• Create and facilitate a Music Forum for people to network, share updates and collaborate
• Encourage use of NSDC’s new event webpages to showcase the many varied events
• Explore opportunities to support local and grassroots bands, connecting with existing success stories such as Newark Festival.
Theme: Develop partnerships with music venues and providers
• Explore options for more, accessible pop-up music events across the district
• Develop collaborative music event planning through the Forum, linking venues to performers
Theme: Foster more choirs and music groups across the district
• Map all current providers and identify gaps
• Collaborate through the Forum, encourage use of NSDC’s new event webpages to maximise promotion, identify opportunities to showcase local talent
• Explore feasibility of growing / expanding the music offer into areas of low provision
Theme: Support for youth engagement
• Showcase young grassroots bands through collaboration with local events such as Newark Creates, Newark Festival etc
• Collaborate to provide opportunities for young people to perform in venues as identified through Forum.
Theme: Support for music education in schools
• Map and promote existing provision and encourage opportunities for collaboration to ensure maximum participation within existing resources
Budget
The proposed budget available is £18,000 - £20,000 plus VAT.
A separate budget will be available to commission events and activity relating to the plan.
How To Apply
Your application should include:
• Your experience of collaborating with community and/or other partners
• Examples of your work which demonstrate how you have connected people through music
• Your experience of delivering projects on time and in budget
• Your CV
• A fixed fee proposal detailing a costed breakdown of the number of days you will commit to working on the project. Travel expenses must be included within the costings. You do not need to include a costed breakdown of any activities or events you may commission through this work, but the successful candidate will need to work within the pre-set budgets.
• The contact details of two referees. One should be someone you have worked with in the last two years.
Please send your proposal to visitorinformationcentre@nsdc.info.
Timescale
The closing date for this position is Thursday 9th January 2025.
Those shortlisted will be invited to attend an interview the following week.
The decision to award the contract will be based on our assessment of the best value for money to deliver the desired outputs and outcomes. The successful applicant may be required to provide details of insurance, DBS certificate or other documentation if applicable and will assign the copyright of agreed outputs to Newark and Sherwood District Council.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
At NSDC, we are sensitive to the different needs and circumstances of others. We seek to empower everyone to fulfil their potential whether they live in the communities we serve or are part of our team.
We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds and hope to increase representation within our teams.