Salary: £50,000–£57,000 per annum pro rata (dependent on experience)
Contract: Fixed-term to 31 March 2029 (Creative People and Places Programme)
Hours: 4 days per week preferred (full-time considered)
Location: Brent, London (hybrid and community-based working)
Employer: Fresh Arts CIC
Line Manager: Fresh Arts CIC
Accountable to: Creative Community Brent Consortium Board
An Opportunity to Shape the Future of Culture in Brent
Fresh Arts CIC is seeking an exceptional cultural leader to become the founding Programme Director of Creative Community Brent, a major new three-year Creative People and Places programme funded by Arts Council England.
This is a rare opportunity to lead a significant place-based cultural programme from its formative stage, shaping how creativity is experienced, valued and embedded across one of the UK's most diverse boroughs.
Creative Community Brent will place residents at the heart of cultural decision-making, supporting communities to commission, create and participate in high-quality artistic experiences that reflect local aspirations and lived experience. Through festivals, creative health initiatives, participatory arts programmes, youth-led projects, school partnerships and community commissions, the programme will engage more than 57,000 people across the borough.
Delivered through a cross-sector partnership including Fresh Arts CIC, Brent Council, University of Westminster, The Compass Learning Trust and Young Brent Foundation, the programme sits at the intersection of culture, health, education and community development.
We are looking for a strategic, ambitious and collaborative leader who believes in the transformative power of culture and understands how meaningful participation can strengthen communities, improve wellbeing and create lasting social change.
This is an opportunity to build a legacy programme, influence cultural practice nationally through the Creative People and Places network, and develop an innovative model of community-led cultural leadership that can inspire work far beyond Brent.
About Creative Community Brent
Creative Community Brent is a Creative People and Places programme supported by Arts Council England.
The programme has been developed in response to evidence that many communities across Brent face significant barriers to engaging with arts and culture. Through a community-led approach, Creative Community Brent will increase participation by ensuring local people have genuine influence over the cultural opportunities available in their neighbourhoods.
At the heart of the programme are two co-creation structures:
- Creative Community Steering Group
- Young and Creative Panel
These groups will play an active role in shaping priorities, commissioning activity and ensuring community voice remains central to programme delivery.
The programme will deliver:
- Borough-wide festivals and public events
- Community commissions and creative projects
- Creative health and wellbeing programmes
- Schools and youth engagement activity
- Artist development opportunities
- Digital content and storytelling
- Research, evaluation and sector learning
The Role
As Programme Director, you will provide overall strategic leadership for Creative Community Brent, guiding the programme through its next phase of development and delivery.
You will lead an ambitious programme that combines artistic excellence with deep community engagement, ensuring residents are active partners in shaping cultural activity rather than simply audiences or participants.
Working across a complex partnership landscape, you will bring together artists, community organisations, schools, health partners, local authority services, funders and residents around a shared vision for cultural participation in Brent.
You will oversee programme design, commissioning, partnerships, governance, evaluation, communications, fundraising and financial management, while nurturing a culture of creativity, inclusion and learning across the consortium.
This role requires an individual who is equally comfortable developing strategy, influencing senior stakeholders, representing the programme externally and ensuring high-quality delivery on the ground.
You will become a key advocate for culture in Brent and a visible leader within the national Creative People and Places network.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
- Provide overall strategic leadership and vision for Creative Community Brent
- Lead implementation of the programme's three-year delivery plan
- Ensure the programme remains ambitious, inclusive and responsive to community priorities
- Champion co-creation, participation and cultural democracy throughout all aspects of delivery
- Position Creative Community Brent as a leading example of community-led cultural practice locally and nationally
- Identify opportunities for innovation, growth and long-term sustainability
Partnership Development and External Relations
- Build and maintain strong strategic relationships across the consortium
- Work closely with senior leaders within Brent Council, University of Westminster and partner organisations
- Develop relationships with cultural organisations, community groups, schools, health partners and funders
- Represent the programme at local, regional and national forums
- Act as an ambassador for Creative Community Brent and its values
- Contribute to the wider Creative People and Places network and shared learning initiatives
Programme Development and Delivery
- Oversee the development and delivery of all programme activity
- Ensure activity reflects community priorities and reaches those least likely to engage with arts and culture
- Lead commissioning processes for artists, creative practitioners and organisations
- Support the development of innovative, high-quality and inclusive cultural programmes
- Ensure delivery is artistically ambitious, community-centred and impactful
- Monitor progress against agreed outcomes, targets and milestones
Community Leadership and Co-Creation
- Support and strengthen the role of the Creative Community Steering Group and Young and Creative Panel
- Embed community voice within programme planning and decision-making
- Ensure participation is meaningful, representative and accessible
- Foster trust and long-term relationships with communities across Brent
- Champion equitable approaches to engagement, commissioning and leadership
Team Leadership
- Line manage and support the Community Engagement Producer and future programme staff
- Lead a network of freelance artists, producers, consultants and community practitioners
- Foster a collaborative and inclusive working culture
- Support workforce development and artist progression opportunities
- Create an environment where creativity, learning and innovation can thrive
Finance, Fundraising and Sustainability
- Manage programme budgets effectively and responsibly
- Oversee commissioning, procurement and contracting processes
- Ensure compliance with funding requirements and financial controls
- Identify and secure additional investment and partnership opportunities where appropriate
- Contribute to the long-term sustainability and legacy of the programme
Evaluation, Learning and Impact
- Work closely with University of Westminster and evaluation partners
- Embed monitoring, evaluation and learning across all strands of delivery
- Use evidence and insight to inform programme development
- Ensure the programme captures and shares learning effectively
- Contribute to wider sector conversations around participation, creative health and community-led practice
Governance and Compliance
- Report regularly to the Consortium Board and Steering Group
- Lead reporting to Arts Council England and other stakeholders
- Maintain programme risk management processes and risk registers
- Ensure compliance with safeguarding, equality, health and safety, GDPR and organisational policies
- Uphold the highest standards of governance and accountability
Person Specification
Essential Experience
We are seeking candidates who can demonstrate significant experience in one or more of the following areas:
At least 5 years experience of:
- Senior leadership within arts, culture, creative, community or place-based organisations
- Developing and delivering large-scale participatory or community-led programmes
- Managing complex partnerships involving multiple stakeholders
- Leading Arts Council England-funded programmes or comparable publicly funded initiatives
- Budget management and strategic financial oversight
- Commissioning artists, producers, creative practitioners or cultural organisations
- Working with communities that experience barriers to cultural participation
- Leading teams, freelancers and cross-sector partnerships
Essential Skills and Attributes
- Exceptional leadership and strategic thinking skills
- Strong relationship-building and influencing abilities
- Excellent communication and advocacy skills
- Ability to inspire partners, communities and stakeholders around a shared vision
- Strong organisational and project management skills
- Entrepreneurial and solution-focused approach
- Commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and social justice
- Ability to balance strategic leadership with practical delivery
Desirable
- Experience within the Creative People and Places programme
- Knowledge of creative health, cultural democracy or socially engaged arts practice
- Experience working with young people and/or SEND communities
- Understanding of Brent's communities and cultural landscape
- Experience securing additional funding and developing sustainable partnerships
- Experience contributing to research, evaluation or sector learning
Personal Qualities
We are looking for someone who is:
- Visionary and values-led
- Collaborative and emotionally intelligent
- Curious, reflective and open to learning
- Ambitious for communities and culture
- Skilled at building trust across diverse stakeholders
- Adaptable, resilient and comfortable working within complexity
- Passionate about the role creativity can play in strengthening communities and improving lives
Additional Information
- Evening and weekend work will occasionally be required
- The role involves regular travel across Brent and attendance at community events
- Enhanced DBS clearance will be required
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Creative Community Brent is committed to building a programme that reflects and celebrates the diversity of Brent.
We particularly welcome applications from:
- People from Black, Asian and ethnically diverse communities
- Disabled and neurodivergent people
- LGBTQIA+ communities
- People from lower socio-economic backgrounds
- Residents of Brent and surrounding boroughs
Reasonable adjustments will be provided throughout the recruitment process and within the role.
How to Apply
Please submit:
- A current CV (including details of two referees)
- A supporting statement (maximum two sides of A4) or a two-minute video outlining your suitability for the role
- An optional equality monitoring form
Join Us
This is a unique opportunity to lead a flagship Creative People and Places programme at a pivotal moment.
You will shape a bold vision for cultural participation in Brent, work alongside exceptional partners and communities, and help create a lasting legacy of creativity, connection and opportunity for thousands of residents.
If you are an ambitious cultural leader who believes in the power of community-led creativity to drive meaningful change, we would love to hear from you.
Fresh Arts is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and all staff and volunteers are expected to share this commitment.
We value and celebrate the cultural diversity of our school community and we seek to promote equality of opportunity for all applicants.
Pay: £50,000.00-£57,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
