Join Certain Blacks: Championing Diverse Voices in the Arts

Certain Blacks is an East London-based arts development organisation committed to presenting performance, live art, music, and theatre that reflect the creative voices of our diverse society. We aim to challenge the norms of performance and bring art from the margins into the mainstream. Our philosophy is to provide performance opportunities for new, emerging, and established artists of the highest quality.

As we continue to grow and innovate, we are excited to invite passionate individuals to join our team in the roles of Commissions Producer and Festival Producer. These positions offer a unique opportunity to contribute to our mission of supporting diverse artists and bringing compelling performances to a wide audience.

JOB DESCRIPTION: FESTIVAL PRODUCER

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Ensemble Festival 2025 takes place from Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 of July in the heart of the Royal Docks, bringing an explosive mix of circus, theatre, dance, installations and outdoor performance.

This year marks the 6^th Ensemble Festival with a programme of national and international work and commissions with our partners Without Out Walls and the Royal Docks. Ensemble Festival is produced by Certain Blacks, a diverse-led arts development organisation based in Newham, East London. The company supports the work of diverse artists from many different cultural, socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds, life experiences and life choices.

Further info about Certain Blacks is at the end of this document. 

Job title: Festival Producer

Reports to: Senior Producer, connecting with festival team (Artistic Director, General Manager, Festival Producer, Production, Marketing, etc.)

Fee: £1,557 based on £175/day for 9 days (5 days planning, development and evaluation, 4 days festival delivery)

Contract Dates:  June 18 – August 8 2025

Key dates / On-site activity: 21 July (training tbc), 26 and 27 July (festival days).

Place of work: Based in the Certain Blacks Office, at Unit 16d, The Factory, 5A and 5Pt Thameside Ind Estate, Factory Road, E16 2HB, with remote working and weekends/evenings as appropriate.

Terms:  This is a freelance contract, and the post-holder is responsible for their own tax and insurance. 

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

We are looking for a versatile and hands-on Producer to join our busy festival team and play a crucial and supportive role in our upcoming Ensemble Festival, happening from 26 – 27 July at the Royal Victoria Docks. The Producer will work closely with the Senior Producer to organise and deliver elements of the programme, with specific responsibility for trainee festival assistants and overseeing the new commissions programme. 

This post is being supported by the Royal Docks Team as part of the development of the Cultural and Creative workforce in the local area and will be supported by Certain Blacks Senior Producer.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

General Festival Management

• Support the Senior Producer in the organisation of the festival: gathering, collating, and disseminating artists’ information (marketing, technical, accommodation, parking, catering and access needs).
• Support the Festival Production Manager in sourcing and collating local information, equipment, and materials for production where necessary.
• Support the Certain Blacks team in managing audience and artists’ evaluation, collection, and collation with festival assistants.
• Attend staff meetings and share the development of areas of responsibility with the wider team.
• Support the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and Environmental Sustainability action plans.

Festival Assistants

• Recruiting a team of 10 local festival assistants to work across the weekend, including creating the call out, digital sign up and selection process.
• Supporting the Senior Producer in delivering a training day for the assistants in the week leading up to the festival, including organising content, printouts, lunch, and venue hire.
• To schedule the assistants, work shifts, ensuring all performance spaces and areas such as the artists’ green room and info tent are staffed, and the workload for assistants is balanced and appropriate for the level of experience.
• Managing the festival assistants on the event day, and ensuring they comply with agreed protocol and deliver agreed tasks.
• Collating feedback and invoices for assistants’ payments.

This list of responsibilities is not exhaustive, and the Festival Producer will be expected to perform any other reasonable duties consistent with the role.

PERSON SPEC

Below is a list of the experience, skills and attributes that we’re looking for, but we know that not everyone can meet all of them. If you don’t think you have everything on the list but know that you could make a real difference to Certain Blacks, then we encourage you to make an application.

Experience

• Working on a variety of arts and/or cultural projects and co-ordinating a range of activities to deadlines and under pressure.
• Working on a festival / cultural programme delivering multiple performances simultaneously.
• Working with a diverse range of artists, creatives, and communities to support creative delivery and development.
• Experience and understanding of the challenges of presenting new commissions in a range of art disciplines.
• Experience of working with diverse communities.

Skills 

• The ability to deliver complex project management within a creative setting.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and ability to engage with internal and external stakeholders at all levels.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team, planning own workload but reporting back in a timely manner.
• Flexible attitude and ability to adapt and thrive in a creative environment where last minute changes can occur.
• Ability to manage budgets, schedules and provide forecasts and updates.
• Ability to motivate and support community groups and individuals.

Knowledge

• Knowledge of practicalities, policies and procedures needed to produce a festival.
• An understanding of and commitment to diversity, inclusion, and environmental responsibility.
• Knowledge of and proficiency in computer software packages such as Word, Excel, Dropbox, Zoom, etc.

Qualities

• Enthusiasm for and commitment to the arts.
• Practical and adaptable team player.
• A positive and enthusiastic approach to work and its challenges. 
• Quick thinker with flexible and adaptable operational skills.
• Good attention to detail, high standards of accuracy and a good completer.
• Willingness to work flexibly to meet the needs of the programme.

Desirable

• Based in Newham with knowledge of Newham and the Royal Docks area.
• Experience of working at outdoor festivals.
• Experience working with and motivating groups and individuals.
• Emotional intelligence and the ability to self-reflect.

HOW TO APPLY

1. Please send your application via email to info@certainblacks.com with 

• A detailed CV (no more than two A4 pages) with relevant experience in relation to the job description.
• Names and contact details of two referees
• A brief summary (no more than two pages A4) of your relevant experience and skills, and responding to the criteria listed in the person specification and job description duties. 

OR a video application responding to the criteria listed in the person specification and job description duties (no longer than 3 minutes).

• Please add “Festival Producer application” and your name to the subject line of your email.

Any individual meeting the person spec is welcome to apply, but please note that we will be prioritising applications from those based in the Royal Docks and Newham.

1. Please fill out our Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form: https://forms.gle/XCatJ4Tyxpd7nnRm6 

Note: By applying for this role, you are agreeing to our GDPR policy and to share your contact details with the Royal Docks team. 

IMPORTANT DATES

• Closing date: Monday, 9^th June at midnight 
• Interview date (online): Monday, 16^th June from 2 pm – 5 pm.
• Starting day: Thursday, 19^th of June 2025

If you would like to have an informal, confidential conversation about the role or would like to have the application pack in a different version, please email maria@certainblacks.com.

ABOUT CERTAIN BLACKS

Certain Blacks is a diverse-led arts development organisation based in Newham, East London. The company supports the work of diverse artists from many different cultural, socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds, life experiences and life choices.  The company produces two annual festivals, pop-up and partnership events operating across a range of art forms, including live art, music, theatre, circus, digital and music. Long-term relationships with artists and arts organisations, venues, festivals, and promoters are core to the company’s mission of securing lasting investment in diverse work for touring and performance in the UK and beyond.

Certain Blacks is a Company Limited by Guarantee; its non-profit objectives are: 

• Support the creative development and promotion of diverse artists. 
• Challenge assumptions about their work and the audiences that see it. 
• Support and develop platforms where diverse work can be experienced, including outdoor festivals, in regional and national venues and digitally. 

In April 2023, Certain Blacks became an Arts Council England’s National Portfolio Organisation and will receive regular funding until March 2027. The organisation is part of the artistic directorate of Without Walls, a national commissioning network for Outdoor Arts and regularly works in partnership with The Royal Docks and London Borough of Newham.

Certain Blacks is committed to being a truly inclusive organisation – from our Trustees and team members to our audience and participants. We treat all job applications equally, regardless of race, age, disability, gender identity or gender expression, race, ethnicity, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, or any other equality characteristic. We particularly encourage applications from groups who are underrepresented in the cultural sector, including working-class people, disabled people, and people from Global Majority backgrounds.

Our organisation has a flexible and adaptive environment that allows our small, dedicated team to flourish. We are open to discussing the possibility of remote working, flexible start and finish times. We will explore this with candidates at the interview stage.

As a Disability Confident Committed employer, Certain Blacks will offer an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria.

ABOUT THE ROYAL DOCKS TEAM

The Royal Docks Team is a joint initiative between the Mayor of London and the Mayor of Newham. Led by a multi-disciplinary team, in partnership with a wide range of stakeholders, culture and community underpins one of the most significant regeneration projects in the UK.

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