Freelance Artist Facilitators

Project Background

The Playhouse has been delivering a youth art project called Street Talk since 2013 in Derry Londonderry, Strabane, Limavady and mid-Ulster. The project addresses crime and justice issues with young people and improves relationships between young people and the police.

The Playhouse has now received funding to develop this work by delivering bespoke arts based projects in the 8 areas of Northern Ireland identified as being at risk from gang culture / organised crime.

The 8 areas in which this project will be delivered were identified through the Fresh Start Agreement, and are:

• New Lodge and Greater Ardoyne (North Belfast) • Lower Falls, Twinbrook, Poleglass, Upper Springfield, Turf Lodge and Ballymurphy (West Belfast) • Shankill, upper & lower, including Woodvale (West Belfast) • The Mount & Ballymacarrett (East Belfast) • Drumgask & Kilwilkie (Lurgan) • Larne area (including Antiville & Kilwaughter) and Carrickfergus area (including Northland & Castlemarra) • Clandeboye, and Conlig, including Kilcooley (Bangor) • Brandywell & Creggan (Derry/Londonderry)

The Playhouse is currently working with Open College Network (OCN) to design a bespoke OCN qualification that will use a range of arts activity to explore issues relating to crime, justice, policing and gang culture with young people. For example a graffiti arts facilitator will use street art and mural art to enable young people to visualize the themes of the OCN.

The project will work in partnership with Education Authority Youth Clubs in each of the 8 areas to deliver this Open College Network (OCN) course. There will be one OCN course per area. At least 12 young people will participate in each OCN course. The Youth Clubs will recruit the young people. Each OCN course will provide a minimum of 30 hours contact time for young people.

The Artist Facilitator will:

• Work with young people to design their own bespoke art projects in response to the OCN curriculum.

• Enable young people to devise and create artwork that explores the OCN course themes, so that young people gain insights into issues of crime, gang culture and justice.

• Lead discussions around the themes presented by a short educational films, including The Playhouse’s film Recruited. See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkHgvB8JhIw&feature=youtu.be

• Enable the young people to have greater understanding and awareness of a shared society.

• Fulfil the role of OCN assessor

Training will be provided in OCN assessment, the themes of the project and Playhouse employment policies / procedures. Standard rates of pay provided by The Playhouse for freelance facilitators are £35 per hour contact time + mileage.

To apply please send: 

• A cover letter of no more than two pages outlining the experiences and skills that you will bring to this project

• CV

• Images / examples of your work from at least two relevant projects that you have undertaken

Please send info to [email protected] by 5pm, Wednesday 4 July 2018.