Theatre Writing Partnership and Lincolnshire County Council are looking to recruit a Literary Associate to work on the development of theatre writing in Lincolnshire.

Working closely with Blackfriars Arts Centre, the South Holland Centre, the Terry O’Toole Theatre and the University of Lincoln, the new post is designed to discover and support playwrights across the county, with a particular focus on emerging writers, through the Momentum project.

If you are interested in applying for the post, please send a cv and a letter outlining your experience and why you would like the post to Sarah Françoise, to arrive no later than Tuesday 30th January.

This project was awarded this year’s St Hugh’s Commissioning Award.

Sarah Françoise
Theatre Writing Partnership
c/o Nottingham Playhouse
Wellington Circus
Nottingham
NG7 6HY

 

Literary Associate (Lincolnshire)

1) Context

Theatre Writing Partnership

Theatre Writing Partnership discovers, develops, produces and advocates for theatre writers in the East Midlands, UK.

The company has recently entered an exciting period of development. In April 2006 it was established as an independent company with its own board of trustees and RFO status from Arts Council, East Midlands.

In its new form TWP also has a range of members who pay an annual subscription fee to support the company’s strategic work developing new writing. Existing members include Lakeside Arts Centre, Nottingham, Leicester Haymarket Theatre, New Perspectives, Royal & Derngate, Northampton, and Nottingham Playhouse.

TWP in Lincolnshire

Earlier this year, Theatre Writing Partnership and the Lincolnshire County Council Arts Development team brought together a group of theatre venues across Lincolnshire to implement a new post to discover and support the county’s playwrights.

The partners are: Blackfriars Arts Centre in Boston, South Holland Centre in Spalding, Terry O’Toole Theatre in North Hykeham and the University of Lincoln.

In December, we won the St Hugh’s commissioning award, in support of the project. The award, matched with funding from TWP and the partners, will fund a residency for a Literary Associate for the next 18 months.

In particular, the new post will be articulated around the delivery of Momentum in Lincolnshire, although the post will also be seen in the wider context of strategic development of drama writers in Lincolnshire.

Momentum

One of TWP’s core projects is Momentum, a development scheme for young theatre writers, which sees young writers being mentored by professional playwrights and dramaturgs in the writing of their play.

In August, writers from the core groups are offered the opportunity to participate in the nationally acclaimed Momentum Festival, where the best writing that has been generated during the year is showcased. The Momentum Festival currently happens at Lakeside Arts Centre, Nottingham.

The Momentum project has been hugely successful in the region leading to professional commissions and productions for some of the young writers who have participated.

2) Objectives and Responsibilities:

To discover writers of all ages and nurture the development of new writing for theatre in the county

To develop, implement and lead a vision for developing new writing projects in association with the partner venues

To devise workshops suitable for young people interested in playwriting, in association with the Director and Literary Manager of TWP, and to deliver the sessions in the partner venues

To be proactive about generating ideas for projects, which may include playwriting events, readings, workshops or productions

To read scripts and offer feedback to writers from Lincolnshire

To undertake some taster workshops in schools, colleges and community centres as appropriate

To help promote Momentum and other playwriting activities in Lincolnshire by liasing with the marketing teams of the partner venues and with TWP’s Development Manager

To collaborate with TWP’s Development Manager on fundraising for play readings and workshops (it is envisaged that this will be a modest amount, approximately £2,500 per year)

To communicate effectively and regularly with all the partners about the intitiative

To organise steering group meetings (approximately four during the project) and report to this group about the progress of the work

To attend regular catch up meetings with the Director (one per month), and to keep the TWP office abreast of the progress of the project

To undertake any other activities that may be reasonably expected of the post holder by the Director of TWP

3) Terms and Conditions

This position is offered as an 18-month contract, commencing in February 2007 and ending in July 2008.

This is a part-time position, envisaged as a commitment equivalent to two days per week. It is envisaged that there will be an equal split of time developing writers across the county, in association with the venues. There can be a level of flexibility to accommodate any other work the post holder may wish to undertake within the term of the contract.

The post is self-administering.

The post holder will need to have a full CRB check before commencing any unsupported work with young people.

The salary for the post is equivalent to £25,000 pro rata (two days per week). This works out at £10,000 for the first twelve months and £5,000 for the final six months.

There is a budget of up to £2,000 for travel expenses in the first year, and £1,000 in the final six months.

Holiday entitlement is equivalent to 25 days a year (pro rata).

The contract is subject to a probationary period of 3 months, during which the notice period is one month. Thereafter the notice period is one month.

The post is based across the partner venues in Lincolnshire, although it will be possible to also work from the TWP office, if appropriate, which is based at Nottingham Playhouse.
Working from home on appropriate days is also negotiable with the Director of TWP.

The post is line-managed by the Director of TWP.

The project will have a steering group, which will include representatives from the partner venues, as well as TWP and the Lincolnshire County Council Arts Development team, and will meet approximately four times during the duration of the project.

 

Person Specification

Knowledge

– Wide knowledge of plays and contemporary British theatre —- Essential
– Workshop techniques to communicate play structure and form —- Desirable
– Other young writers’ projects (nationally /internationally) —- Desirable

Experience

– Professional writing / dramaturgy —- Essential
– Evaluating scripts in a professional context —- Essential
– Experience of working in a team —- Essential
– Working in an educational environment —- Desirable
– Leading workshops with young people —- Desirable
– Leading writing workshops with young people —- Desirable

Skills

– Excellent communicator —- Essential
– Diplomacy —- Essential
– Facilitation and workshop skills —- Essential
– Ability to offer honest and constructive feedback to writers —- Essential
– Ability to work independently —- Essential
– Self-motivated —- Essential

Other

-up to date CRB check —- Essential
-computer literate —- Essential
-access to own transport —- Desirable