Opportunities
Here we will post all opportunities to get involved or work with us or our partner organisations.
Here at Derby Poetry Festival we currently have several paid job opportunities available as we expand and host more events, activities and workshops. Please view the roles available below and apply using the application form. Alternative application methods are available, please contact us to discuss your requirements further. Read more about each position below:
Derby Poetry Festival Administrator
We’re looking for an administrator to support the day-to-day operations of the Derby Poetry Festival Team, including preparation for the 2024 Festival (2nd - 6th October 2024) and year-round activity.
This is a freelance remote position with some Derby-based meetings and delivery, while we welcome all applications priority will be given to Derby & Derbyshire-based applications. The successful applicant will be well-organised and able to work independently and as part of the team with a flexible approach and maintain confidentiality.
This role is currently expected to be 1 day per week, with some flexibility of time and days, additional evening and weekend work is also required around periods of high delivery to be paid additional to regular hours. This role is currently expected to last until December 2024 but may be extended based on additional funding.
Job Description
Responsible to: Co-Directors; Aoife O’Connor, Dan Webber, Sophie Sparham
Probation: 6 Weeks
Hours: 1 day per week / 6 hours per week.
Fee: £3000.00 (£100 per day for 30 days) - maybe extended depending on additional funding.
Location: Remote Working with elements of Derby-Based Working
Key Tasks:
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To compile and send out monthly newsletters, tracking subscribers and support growth. Our newsletter consists of DPF and partner updates, opportunities, announcements and special projects.
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Scheduling some pre-prepared Social Media Posts, checking social media inboxes and supporting social media growth.
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Being the first point of contact for all enquiries and reviewing and maintaining tidying team inboxes
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Taking Minutes for internal and external meetings and general administrative tasks.
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Liaising with Artists & Correspondence post-programming confirmation, managing expressions of interest and artist database.
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To undertake ad hoc tasks as required including surveys and feedback forms, data input and budget monitoring and carry out some other tasks and duties as may be reasonably expected of the post.
An ideal day may look like:
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Inbox review & management: flagging relevant emails for directors
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Social media scheduling
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Sending out artist contracts/partnership agreements
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Updating activity tracker e.g. attendance for workshops etc.
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Taking minutes at a weekly/fortnightly team meeting
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Calendar updates
About Derby Poetry Festival
Derby Poetry Festival is a four-day poetry and literature festival held in the centre of Derby in the autumn. We are dedicated to developing new writing talent in Derby and bringing excellent poetry to the city.
Previous headliners include Terrance Hayes, Linton Quasi Johnson, recent T S Elliott winner Joelle Taylor and Shivanee Ramlochan.
We host a range of performances, workshops, slams and panel discussions for all ages in partnership with many venues in the city including Quad, Derby Libraries, Derby Museums, Derby Theatre, DEDA and Waterstones. Supported by Arts Council England and Derby City Council.
How To Apply
Application Deadline: Tuesday 30th April
Applicants will be informed by the w/c 6th of May 2024 if they’ve been selected for interviews which will take place week commencing 13th May.
Your application
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To submit a written application, please complete the Application Form.
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Alternative application methods are available, please contact us to discuss your requirements further.
We will contact every candidate, whether you are shortlisted for an interview or not, but unfortunately, we are not able to offer feedback to candidates who aren’t shortlisted for an interview.
Interviews will take place on Zoom.
We look forward to receiving your application.
Derby Poetry Festival Associate Poet
Derby Poetry Festival is looking for two Associate Poets with a connection to Derby and/or its surrounding areas to join us for six months of development working with the DPF Team for the 2024 festival.
About us:
Derby Poetry Festival is a four-day poetry and literature festival held in the centre of Derby in the autumn. We are dedicated to developing new writing talent in Derby and bringing excellent poetry to the city.
Previous headliners include Terrance Hayes, Raymond Antrobus, Rachel Long, Linton Quasi Johnson, recent T S Elliott winner Joelle Taylor and Shivanee Ramlochan.
We host a range of performances, workshops, slams and panel discussions for all ages in partnership with many venues in the city including Quad, Derby Libraries, Derby Museums, Derby Theatre, DEDA and Waterstones. Supported by Arts Council England and Derby City Council.
About the opportunity:
Derby Poetry Festival is looking for two Associate Poets with a connection to Derby to join us in this development opportunity for six months, working with the DPF Team organising the 2024 festival.
Starting in May 2024 the Associate Poet will join DPF’s team and get a behind-the-scenes look at programming a festival, will create new poems and be given opportunities to facilitate and perform.
The Associate Poets will be specifically commissioned to create a new piece of work which will be professionally filmed and shared as part of the festival. They will also facilitate a workshop with the guidance of the team, or an experienced facilitator and they will be guaranteed a support slot at Derby Poetry Festival 2024. There are also opportunities to get involved in different elements of the programme depending on the poet’s interests.
Who it’s for:
Whether you have been publicly performing poetry for years or writing secretly at home, this opportunity could be for you. We ask that you live in, are from or have a strong connection to Derby (you can self-define this), with some creative writing experience but you do not have to call yourself a poet, have performed publicly or have a publishing record. We are looking for people interested in poetry, who can commit to approx 9 days across six months.
What we are looking for:
- Must be available for most if not all days between 2nd - 6th October 2024
- Passionate about writing
- Creative writing experience (even if that is just writing in your bedroom)
- Connection to Derby
- Be confident in advocating for the festival and for poetry in the city
- Someone willing to learn more about poetry
What you will get:
- £1,750 fee (for approx 9 days of work)
- A professional video of you reciting an original piece of work
- Professional profile/headshots
- Shadowing experience of festival development
- One feature act slot at Derby Poetry Festival and workshop facilitation with guidance
- Supported professional development
How to apply:
Please provide an expression of interest via the application form below with your name, contact details, postcode and your connection to Derby. Alongside a summary of your writing experience or your reasons for being interested in this post. This does not have to be extensive, no more than a side of A4/500 Words, it could be as simple as a bullet-pointed list answering the requirements above.
You can send this in the body of an email or as an audio recording. Please get in touch if you have any questions.
We want to be as accessible as possible with this opportunity and we understand that there are different ways of applying. Please get in touch to discuss any support you may need to complete a written expression of interest or alternative methods of application.
The deadline for applications is Tuesday 30th April 2024, at midnight.
Derby Poetry Festival Shadow Writers
Derby Poetry Festival is looking for several Shadow Writers for multiple projects throughout the year. The writers will join us for six months to support lead writers and help facilitate writing sessions, the projects include 21 nature writing walks and monthly youth groups.
Support Writers will be paid £100 per session (approx. 2hrs) and there are approximately 30 sessions, with more to be added. We are looking for several writers to fulfil these roles, with each person taking 8-10 sessions each. The project spans the whole of 2024 and is a mix of evening, weekend and weekday activity. We will pair Shadow Writers with the sessions that suit both availability and interest, so we’d still love to see an application even if you can only do certain session dates or have a preference between the activities. The dates cover most Saturdays and some Sundays between April 2024 and September 2024. Apply here.
These sessions will be based in Derby/Derbyshire so access or ability to travel in Derby/Derbyshire is ideal, however, we can also support this.
Write the Wilderness sessions are funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund made possible thanks to National Lottery players and The National Forest Arts Grant.
The Youth Group Activity is co-produced with Writing East Midlands and supported by a private donation.
TO apply, please complete the form below. The deadline for applications is Tuesday 30th April 2024, at midnight.
About Derby Poetry Festival:
Derby Poetry Festival is a four-day poetry and literature festival held in the centre of Derby in the autumn. We are dedicated to developing new writing talent in Derby and bringing excellent poetry to the city.
Previous headliners include Terrance Hayes, Raymond Antrobus, Rachel Long, Linton Quasi Johnson, recent T S Elliott winner Joelle Taylor and Shivanee Ramlochan.
We host a range of performances, workshops, slams and panel discussions for all ages in partnership with many venues in the city including Quad, Derby Libraries, Derby Museums, Derby Theatre, DEDA and Waterstones. Supported by Arts Council England and Derby City Council.
About The National Lottery Heritage Fund:
As the largest dedicated funder of the UK’s heritage, The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future as set out in the strategic plan, Heritage 2033.
Over the next ten years, the Heritage Fund aims to invest £3.6billion raised for good causes by National Lottery players to bring about benefits for people, places and the natural environment.
The Heritage Fund helps protect, transform and share the things from the past that people care about, from popular museums and historic places, our natural environment and fragile species, to the languages and cultural traditions that celebrate who we are.
The Heritage Fund is passionate about heritage and committed to driving innovation and collaboration to make a positive difference to people’s lives today, while leaving a lasting legacy for future generations to enjoy.
Follow @HeritageFundUK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLotteryHeritageFund www.heritagefund.org.uk
The above Derby Poetry Festival job opportunities are made possible and funded by Arts Council England
