Opportunities
Opportunity: Carnival/Parade Artist
We are looking for an experienced carnival/parade artist to work with Year 7 students at Haywood Academy (City Learning Trust) as part of Stoke Creates’ CASCADE Programme.
We are looking for an experienced carnival/parade maker to create a mid – large sized carnival make on wheels for the People’s Parade in Stoke-On-Trent this June. The mid-large make will be based on the ideas and designs generated by the Year 7 students at Haywood Academy.
The make needs to be:
· On wheels.
· People powered.
· Robust.
· Able to travel 2 miles.
· Eye catching and engaging.
· Made using recycled materials where possible.
· Reflective of the group's ideas.
· Completed, tested and ready by Monday 2 June.
The successful artist will be working closely with PiCL’s Creative Producer, a small creative group of Year 7s at Haywood Academy and freelance costume designers.
The group will visit the artist at some point during the making process to see how the work is progressing and to help where possible.
The successful artist must:
· Be comfortable developing & creating work with young people.
· Be enthusiastic about sharing their learning and knowledge with the next generation of creatives.
· Have a space to create and store the work until the parade on Saturday 7 June.
· Have some experience creating work for parades/carnivals.
· Have Public Liability insurance (£5 million cover)
· Have an enhanced DBS check or be willing to undergo a check
The successful artist must be available on the following dates:
· Monday 21 April OR Tuesday 22 April OR Wed April to meet with PiCL’s Creative Producer to discuss the project and expectations.
· Wednesday 30 April to meet the students in an after-school session.
· Saturday 7 June – the parade day.
· Plus, dates TBC for group visiting the artist.
Fee: £3300 inclusive of all expenses including VAT.
There is a separate materials budget of £1200 to support this project.
How to apply:
Please send a cover letter (no more than 1 side of A4) to say why you think you would be a good fit for this project.
Please send in your CV with relevant experience, including a link to your website or socials.
Please attach at least 3 photos of your work (no more than 8).
Deadline for expressions of interest Thursday 10 April 2025 at 4pm.
The successful candidate will be chosen by the year 7 group and the Creative Producer.
We will inform the successful candidate by Wednesday 16 April.
All applications need to be sent to cascade@picl.uk.com
Context:
Partners in Creative Learning (PICL) design and deliver creative learning projects in schools, communities, classrooms, public spaces, community venues, pop-up shops and online. With 13 years of experience, we design innovative projects that use creativity, culture and art to make positive changes and communicate messages.
Our mission is to facilitate learning with all that we work with, using creative tools and techniques and exciting and fresh collaborations.
Stoke Creates is the Cultural Compact for Stoke-on-Trent and the surrounding area.
A Cultural Compact is a partnership model that builds collaboration across sectors to support and grow a place’s arts and cultural ecosystem, leading to increased social and economic benefits.
Initiated by Arts Council England and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Cultural Compacts aim for a step-change in how cultural organisations, local authorities, businesses, education providers, cultural and community leaders work together.
Stoke Creates CASCADE project
CASCADE is our aspirational co-created project which aims to transform Stoke-on-Trent’s arts ecology.
Funded by significant initial investment from Arts Council England, and complemented by further financial input from the government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, the CASCADE initiative spans three years as the first phase of an emerging ten-year strategic plan. CASCADE launched in Autumn 2023.
The project’s aim is to nurture a skilled, connected, and sustainable arts sector that reaches and represents underrepresented communities, enhancing digital skills and increasing sector sustainability.
Four arts organisations are co-creating four ‘Cultural Action Zones’ (CAZs) across three high streets and one zone specifically designed for and with children and young people. The key purpose of each CAZ is to revitalise and transform the arts ecology in specific high-street areas and for targeted community groups. Each zone will have a unique theme and set of offerings, with insights and learnings shared and extended in subsequent phases – ‘cascaded’.
The project is also funded and supported by the The Character & Arts Foundation.
The Character & Arts Foundation is a completely unique organisation imagined and brought to life by The City Learning Trust.
Funded independently and exclusively via donation, its aim is to deliver a world class programme of activities for children and young people across Stoke-on-Trent and the neighbouring regions.
Downloadable versions of the brief:
Become a board member
As part of our ongoing commitment to inclusivity, relevance and dynamism, Partners in Creative Learning CIC is seeking enthusiastic new board members.
What does being a Board member involve?
Attending quarterly board meetings (usually online - Microsoft Teams) to provide oversight, scrutiny, advice and support as well as ensuring the organisation is well managed and risks identified and managed. The time required is 1-2 days every quarter.
You will have the best interests of PiCL at heart when attending meetings, making decisions and representing the organization.
You will engage in decision making and share your perspective ideas, advice and knowledge with the rest of the board.
You will also be someone who is willing and able to shout about the work of PiCL.
This is an unpaid role however PiCL will reimburse board members for any reasonable expenses incurred such as travel.
Desired skills:
A passion for improving the lives of children and young people through creativity and culture.
Knowledge of the challenges faced by children and young people in Stoke-on-Trent.
Benefits of Joining Our Board:
Make a positive difference to the lives of young people, teachers and artists in Stoke-on-Trent.
Enhanced professional networking opportunities.
Contribute to the future direction of PiCL's programmes and activities.
Make sure you:
Tell us where you are from and the work you do, and if you work in the cultural sector or somewhere else.
Tell us why you would like to have this role and the principles that matter most to you.
Tell us what you think you would bring to the organisation and how your skills could support the board and team in achieving its vision.
Commitment to positive action.
PiCL is committed to inclusive practice and would actively encourage applications from people underrepresented in our organisation. The characteristics or identities that we welcome applications from include:
people from racialized identities
people that are (d)Deaf, Disabled and/or Neurodiverse
those who are care-experienced*
people from a refugee or disadvantaged migrant community
those from a Gypsy, Roma or Traveller community
people from a working class/low-income background (or if you have identified as such in the past).
We recognise this is not an exhaustive list, and we encourage applications from people that may have faced barriers to working in the cultural sector (this may be because of age, unpaid caring responsibilities, or being LGBTQ+ for example).
*A care-experienced person is defined as anyone who has been, or is currently in care, or is from a looked-after background at any stage in their life, no matter how short, including adopted children who were previously looked-after.
If you feel you have any barriers in applying or require additional support to apply, please email info@picl.uk.com or call Lucy on 0785143396
To arrange an informal chat please also drop us an email or call the number above.
Application Process:
To express your interest in the role, please send us an expression of interest to info@picl.uk.com no more than 2 pages long, or by film or audio of no more than 5 minutes, by 12pm on Monday 3rd March.
Join the PiCL Steering Group!
Are you passionate about shaping the arts and cultural landscape in Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffs? We're on the lookout for professionals to join our voluntary group.
What's the commitment?
We meet online once an academic term (3 times a year), sharing insights for no more than an hour.
What you'll gain:
Connect with local arts enthusiasts
A network for collaboration, advice, and driving positive change
A space where your expertise are valued
Have opportunities from your org featured in our newsletter
Who we're seeking:
Arts & culture lovers in Stoke-on-Trent
People invested in enhancing arts opportunities for children & young people
Especially interested in teachers/educators and artists
Diverse professionals with expertise in education, arts, facilitation, non-profits, PR, and marketing.
Ready to shape the future of local arts?
Email iain@picl.uk.com to join.
