Header

Head of Arts, Wales

Based Cardiff

Salary: £31,500 per annum

An attractive benefits package including 32 days’ leave and benefits from a range of family-friendly policies

The British Council is the United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. Our purpose is to build mutually beneficial relationships between people in the UK and other countries and increase appreciation for the UK’s creative ideas and achievements. We operate in 110 countries and territories worldwide.

Our arts programme lives and breathes the aspiration to inspire to transform lives – to offer creative artists, participants and audiences across the world life-changing and life-enhancing experiences. Our catalyst is the UK’s profound cultural and artistic strength and diversity. We believe a direct experience of the arts contributes vitally to the development of society, shared prosperity and mutual attraction which strengthens cultural relations through inspiration that results from:
• The exchange of new and challenging ideas.
• The expression and sharing of emotions.
• The exploration of difficult issues.
• The increased understanding of diversity and other people’s cultures.
• The realisation through exchange of individual creative potential

British Council Wales builds international relations for Wales, a nation within the UK state that asserts its identity globally. That means the Council promotes long-term, mutually beneficial relationships between the peoples of Wales and other countries, mindful of the international priorities of the Welsh Government. The Council’s operation in Wales is focused in three main areas: the arts and education and society. Given the global significance of the Hay Festivals, the National Museum of Wales, National Theatre Wales , museums and libraries and the current flourishing of literature and music in Wales, the arts are of first importance.

This role is to take the strategic lead in building and developing relationships and ideas with the arts sector that are consistent with Wales’ growing cultural importance on the international stage and with the Council’s cultural relations missions. We need a clear point of contact for our external stakeholders and partners in Wales and one whom they will respect and acknowledge as an expert in internationalisation of the arts for and in Wales. Relationships and partnerships will be developed from there.

The post reports to Director BC Wales and works closely with the London-based Director Arts and heads of different art forms. The post holder will also work with Regional and Country Directors overseas and with their regional arts leads, setting country-specific approaches in the arts that are in line with the common objectives of British Council Wales, of the global Arts Group, and of the Welsh Government and Welsh arts organisations. The post will work closely with Arts Council Wales and Wales Arts International on our partnership agreement.

This is an exciting time for British Council Wales, increasing our profile in the arts and education, and our relevance to Wales. We are now looking to build our team by adding an energetic, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable arts specialist.

You will have: a relevant undergraduate degree, or equivalent professional experience; experience of building partnerships, generating income and designing and implementing projects together with partners; significant recent professional experience in the arts sector in Wales and a well developed network among Welsh arts professionals; a comprehensive understanding and appreciation of current trends and practice in Wales; and an understanding of the opportunities for cultural relations through the arts, within an international context. It is desirable that you have experience of working in dispersed teams and/or international teams.

Download an application pack:
Role Profile
Candidate Information
Application Form
British Council Behaviours

Closing date for completed applications is: Friday 1 June 2012 at 0900 hours.

Please send completed applications quoting the job title to UK-Resourcing@britishcouncil.org

If you have any problems downloading the application pack please contact UK-Resourcing@britishcouncil.org

Candidates must have the right to work in the UK at time of applying

The British Council is committed to a policy of equal opportunity and is keen to reflect the diversity of UK society at every level within the organisation. We welcome applications from all sections of the community. Applications from disabled candidates are particularly welcome, as this group is under-represented at this level in the organisation. We guarantee an interview to disabled candidates who meet the essential criteria. The United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. A registered charity: 209131 (England and Wales) SC037733 (Scotland).