Festival Director

Salary £30,000 - £34,000

background information

The Hereford Photography Festival is an annual celebration of photography, which runs for a month in various public venues in Hereford. It is now in its 17th year and is the only one of its kind in the UK. It is based on the belief that photography is an enjoyable, intelligent, aware and visual way of approaching and understanding the world. By combining exhibitions and commissions from contemporary photographers, workshops, innovative community projects and opportunities for debate on current issues, the Festival aims to promote photography which comments on and raises questions about cultural and social issues.

The Hereford Photography Festival seeks to show the work of international, national and regional photographers, including students and amateurs, in a way that is accessible to audiences from all walks of life. It realises the educational development opportunities which exist in photography and works closely with local communities and educational organisations to provide opportunities that allow people to experience photography both as a powerful form of communication and a means of highlighting global as well as regional issues. The aim is also to support the development of locally produced work to be shown alongside images from photographers from a wide range of countries and cultural backgrounds, and also some of the world’s most acclaimed photographers.

The Festival is a Regularly Funded Organisation (RFO) of Arts Council England. The Trustees have undertaken a major review of the festival during the past year, and have agreed to move forward with a revised Strategic Plan and Business Plan which includes the appointment of a full-time director. The appointment of an Outreach Officer is also planned, subject to funding, to coordinate and develop project work.

The Festival is currently staffed by a full-time administrator, and a Festival coordinator who has worked on a fixed term contract to plan, deliver and report on the Festival supported by PR and technical staff and a team of voluntary helpers. Other projects have been led by arts workers, trustees, and other professionals: for example this year in addition to the photography exhibition and other activities in October, the Festival is delivering a community project working with young photographers and teenage street dancers, and will also be publishing a major and lavishly illustrated international critical review of the state of documentary photography now - ‘So Now Then’ - to be launched at the Hay Festival in May.

The Festival Director’s first tasks will be to plan for the Festival exhibition and activities in October 2006 with the Trustees, to secure funding for the continued delivery and development of the Festival in collaboration with ACE and other current funders, and to develop new sources of funding, sponsorship and partnership.

job description - Festival Director

The Festival is managed by the Board of Trustees, who appoint the Festival Committee and Festival Director and is financed by major grants from its key funders, Arts Council England, The Elmley Foundation and Herefordshire Council. Some income is also generated from sponsorships. As part of the Festival’s expansion we are now seeking to appoint a full-time Festival Director.

The Festival Director will report directly to the Board of Trustees on the implementation of the key tasks and will be responsible for ensuring that effective liaison takes place with the Chair, Board members, funding bodies, etc. between meetings.

Remuneration is offered for the post of £30,000-34,000 per annum to cover full time work, 37.5 hours/week. Some evening and weekend work is required. No overtime is paid but time off in lieu may be taken in agreement with the Board at a time outside the dates of the Festival, which has normally been held throughout the month of October, and other planned Festival events which might require the attendance of the Director. The holiday year will run from April to end March. Annual entitlement is 24 working days per year of which some has to be used during the Christmas period. There will be a probationary period for this post of three months, during which time either the employee or the festival may terminate the employment subject to one week’s notice. The probationary period may be extended for up to a further three months. Upon successful completion of the probationary period, the notice period is one month on either side. The Board would also be prepared to consider flexible or job-share arrangements.

purpose of the post
· To develop and deliver the next Hereford Photography Festival with support from the Board and other staff
· To provide the strategic lead and vision for the development of the Festival in both the short and long term in consultation with the Board
· To provide sound financial management to the Festival
· To secure a sustainable future for the Festival through fundraising, sponsorship and partnership agreements

key accountabilities
· To be accountable to the Board of Trustees of the Hereford Photography Festival for the direction, planning and delivery of the Festival and an associated programme of activities, management of the budget and for planning and carrying out a programme of fund-raising for the Festival.

key tasks
· provide management and leadership for the Festival
· manage the Festival budget as agreed with the Trustees
· plan and execute a programme of fund-raising for the Festival, including making funding applications and approaching potential sponsors and partners
· develop five year exhibition programme in collaboration with the Trustees
· develop five year project programme to include activities directly related to the exhibits in collaboration with the Trustees and to meet requirements of local participation in the festival
· establish reputation of the Festival within the regional area to gain widespread awareness within the public sphere
· establish and develop the reputation of the Festival at a national and international level to place it on an equal basis with other major annual events, such as those held in Arles, France and Houston, USA
· secure leading exhibition spaces for exhibits within Herefordshire
· develop partnerships with local and national bodies, working in similar and related fields, including liaison with other UK appropriate festivals and events such as Rhubarb Rhubarb and the Hay Festival to ensure collaboration and maximise potential mutual synergies
· oversee the delivery of exhibitions in collaboration with the Trustees and a Festival Curator if separately appointed
· line manage staff as agreed with the Trustees, to include the Administrator and other contract staff as appointed by the Festival, together with voluntary staff including the Festival Committee and Student Assistants
· carry out staff appraisals on a regular basis with all staff in order to review performance, update job descriptions, and agree appropriate staff development
· management of all printing material, liaise with and manage the Festival’s marketing and PR consultant and manage distribution of all publicity and information material
· oversee the www site’s upkeep
· be responsible for putting in place adequate insurances for all exhibitions and projects
· ensure that health and safety requirements are met at all times in relation to all Festival activities
· ensure that equality and diversity issues are full taken into account at all times
· such other duties and responsibilities as are agreed from time to time with the Board of Trustees

finance
· secure funding from both the public and corporate sectors for exhibitions, festival administration & staffing and festival associated projects
· ensure production of financial statements, business plans and forecasts, to include monthly management accounts, one, two and five year budget forecasts, annual audited accounts
· produce annual evaluation and report of each year’s Festival
· produce all relevant documentation required for the submissions of grants, bursaries and sponsorship awards.
· work directly with relevant public funding bodies, such as Arts Council England and Herefordshire County Council, and other funders and sponsors, to ensure continued financial support for the Festival

skills and experience
· experience of managing an annual visual arts event
· understanding of financial reporting systems
· experience of producing grant submissions to public and corporate bodies
· understanding of photography and its contribution to modern culture
· vision, dynamism and energy
· excellent negotiation and communication skills
· experience of programming events
· good network of contacts in the photographic and arts world
· experience of successfully managing and motivating staff and volunteers
· flexible attitude towards working hours and demands of artists and venues
· ability to work on own initiative and as a team leader or member

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