Company Number 9589499 VAT Reg No 327 0924 09 certainblacks.com
JOB DESCRIPTION: SENIOR PRODUCER (FESTIVAL)
Company Background
Certain Blacks is an arts development organisation based in 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-ups, and partnership events operating across a range of art forms, including live art, music, theatre, circus, digital art, and music. Long-term relationships with artists and arts organisations, venues, festivals, and promoters are core to the Company’s mission, 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, 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 the London Borough of Newham.
Job title: Senior Producer (Festival)
Reporting to: CEO / Artistic Director
Main Contacts: CEO / Artistic Director, General Manager.
Responsible for: Freelance staff.
Contract: Freelance. 2 days a week starting in April and finishing in August 2025.
Key dates: 26th and 27th of July 2025 – Ensemble Festival
Salary: £6,000 (£52,000 FTE)
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 some remote working and weekends/evenings as appropriate.
PURPOSE OF THE ROLE
The Senior Producer (Festivals) plays a vital role in the organisation and is responsible for the successful planning and delivery of Ensemble Festival, our outdoor festival happening every summer at The Royal Victoria Docks. The post holder will be responsible for delivering key administrative and operational processes, project management and event production.
The Senior Producer works closely with the Artistic Director and General Manager to manage project-related budgets, staffing, recruitment, evaluation and monitoring.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Key Responsibilities:
- Work closely with the Artistic Director, festival team and project partners, fostering good relationships to ensure smooth and successful delivery of the Ensemble Festival 25
- Plan, develop and deliver the festival within agreed budgets and timeframe against set deliverables and project milestones.
- Work with the Certain Blacks project team and partners to ensure the festival and associated activities meet agreed strategic aims and ambitions.
- Assist in shaping projects and negotiating with partners, venues, and funders.
- Work closely with venues, landowners, touring partners, technical teams, and freelance contractors to realise and fulfil artists’ technical and artistic requirements.
- Provide general support and advice to artists and other arts organisations involved in festival projects.
- Manage the monitoring and evaluation of projects and contribute to reports and presentations concerning the festivals and projects for our Board and external organisations as required.
Planning and Delivery
- Coordinate and support the recruitment and selection of artists, commissions, associate producers, production and project teams as necessary.
- Oversee the contracting of artists, project partners and agreed staff and ensure all necessary checks and paperwork are in place (such as technical, licencing, PLI, RAMS)
- Support the production team in comprehensive planning, scheduling and site design, ensuring all staff, contractors, and artists are compliant with current Health and Safety legislation.
- Collate all necessary technical and production documentation, including insurance, RAMS and support the Production Team in submitting and presenting the Event Management Plan at the Newham Safety Advisory Group.
- Attend London Borough of Newham’s Safety Advisory Group meetings as required.
- Oversee and manage the commissioning and training programmes and associated producers, including supporting the team in recruitment, development and delivery.
- Negotiate and book accommodation and catering for artists and crew over the festival weekend.
- Support the marketing manager and PR teams in gathering and collating materials such as images and bios.
- Manage the agreed budget, including regular reports and forecasts and collating invoices and payments.
- Undertake all relevant administration relating to the festival, including correspondence with contributors, staff, artists, venue, partners, and suppliers.
- Work with the Marketing Manager to ensure that project objectives, target audiences, and outputs are identified, that data and feedback are collected, and that evaluation supports the ongoing development of Certain Blacks.
- Act as a single point of contact and communication for logistical inquiries from partners, venues, and the production team.
General
- Uphold all organisational values, policies and procedures, promoting those specifically relevant to the scope of the role.
- To take an active role in supporting Certain Blacks’ aim to reduce its carbon footprint annually, working with the team to deliver the green action plan.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
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HOW TO APPLY
Please send a CV and cover letter of maximum 2 sides of an A4 page outlining your relevant experience and how your skills match the person spec to info@certainblacks.com
Closing Date: Monday 10th of March 2025 at 10:00 am
Interviews: w/c 17th of March 2025
Start Date: 3rd of April, 2025
If you have any questions or require assistance, please contact maria@certainblacks.com.
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 interview stage.
As a Disability Confident Committed employer, Certain Blacks will offer an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria.
JOB DESCRIPTION: SENIOR PRODUCER (FESTIVAL)
Company Number 9589499 VAT Reg No 327 0924 09 certainblacks.com
JOB DESCRIPTION AUDIENCE BUILDER
RECRUITMENT PACK AUDIENCE BUILDER PDF
Company Background
Certain Blacks is an arts development organisation based in 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-ups, and partnership events operating across a range of art forms, including live art, music, theatre, circus, digital art, and music. Long-term relationships with artists and arts organisations, venues, festivals, and promoters are core to the Company’s mission, 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, 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 the London Borough of Newham.
Ensemble Festival 2025 takes place on July 26th and 27th, 2025, in the heart of the Royal Docks, bringing an explosive mix of circus, theatre, live music, dance, and outdoor performance.
This year marks the 6th Ensemble Festival, with a programme of national and international work and commissions with our partners Without Out Walls and The Royal Docks. Additionally, Certain Blacks is celebrating its 10th anniversary with an exciting line-up of activities and performances.
Job title: Audience Builder
Reporting to: CEO / Artistic Director and Senior Producer
Main Contacts: CEO / Artistic Director, Senior Producer, General Manager.
Responsible for: Audience panel
Contract: Fixed term
Fee: £3,000
Contract Dates: April – November 2025
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 some remote working and weekends/evenings as appropriate.
Role Profile
We are looking for a personable and hands-on Audience Builder 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 Audience Builder will deliver our programme Engineers of the Imagination, acting as an ambassador outreach worker in charge of establishing an audience panel of local participants, particularly young people, and working with local community organisations to put the Ensemble Festival in the communities’ activities.
Engineers of the Imagination is Certain Blacks’ Audience Engagement Programme aims to transform the landscape of outdoor arts engagement in Custom House, Beckton, and Newham by empowering young people to become ambassadors of our Ensemble Festival. Through innovative programming inspired by radical performance practices, we seek to create inclusive, accessible experiences that celebrate diverse voices and foster community connections. As we commemorate a decade of supporting diverse artists, our mission for 2025 is to cultivate lasting relationships with local communities, organisations, and initiatives where we are based, ensuring that outdoor arts thrive and resonate with all.
This is a new position within the team at a crucial moment for the organisation as we prepare for our 10th anniversary.
Main Responsibilities
- Establish an Audience Panel: Form a diverse panel of up to 15 young creative leaders from Custom House, Beckton, and Newham, tasked with acting as ambassadors of Ensemble Festival and fostering community involvement.
- Establish partnerships with local community organisations, schools, youth clubs, and cultural initiatives to promote the Ensemble Festival and coordinate collaborative activities.
- Collaborate with the Audiences Panel to develop a manifesto that outlines the aspirations and needs of diverse communities in relation to outdoor arts, guiding future initiatives, participation and legacy.
- Act as an ambassador of Certain Blacks and Ensemble Festival at meetings, events, etc as appropriate.
- Host regular group meetings to discuss themes about outdoor arts, access, environmentally friendly practices and audience engagement.
- Organise meetings with Ensemble Festivals artists and go and see visits to partner festivals.
- Support the marketing team around campaign plans; this includes collating and creating production copy, images, social media handles and any other info required.
- Support the team in managing artists’ evaluation, collection, and collation.
- Attend staff meetings and share the development of areas of responsibility with the wider team.
This list of responsibilities is not exhaustive, and the Audience Builder 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.
Skills
- Proven experience working with communities, young people or arts-based projects.
- Positive attitude and relationship management to support artists develop their artistic ambitions creatively and logistically.
- Must be a self-starter able to manage time, workload and commitments.
- Must be comfortable with working independently, managing a range of relationships, and have good communication skills.
- Excellent organisational and interpersonal skills.
Knowledge
- Knowledge of community engagement methodologies and audience building.
- Knowledge of Newham / East London communities.
- An understanding of and commitment to diversity, inclusion, and environmental responsibility.
- Knowledge of and proficiency in computer software packages such as Word, Excel, Dropbox, Google Drive, Zoom, etc.
- Knowledge of Health and Safety and Safeguarding.
Qualities
- Enthusiasm for and commitment to the arts.
- 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
- Knowledge of Newham and the Royal Docks area
- Experience of working with artists in an outdoor setting.
- Experience working with and motivating groups and individuals.
- Emotional intelligence and the ability to self-reflect.
How to apply
- Please send your application via email to General Manager, Maria Cuervo, at maria@certainblacks.com with
- A detailed C.V. (no more than two A4 pages)
- Names and contact details of two references.
- 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 fill out our Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form https://forms.gle/sxBxLVoTapvwJNhk6
Important dates
Closing Date: Monday 10th of March 2025 at 10:00 am
Interviews: w/c 17th of March 2025
Start Date: 7th of April, 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.
Company Background
Certain Blacks is an arts development organisation based in 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, 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 interview stage.
As a Disability Confident Committed employer, Certain Blacks will offer an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria.
