Help bring world-class Indian classical music to the stage. Darbar is looking for a Senior Events Producer to lead the delivery of one of the world’s leading Indian classical music programmes — around 65–70 live events a year, from our flagship Darbar Festival at the Barbican Centre to festivals, residencies and our Emerging Artist Programme.
About Darbar
Darbar Arts Culture and Heritage Trust is one of the UK’s most dynamic and cutting-edge Indian arts organisations. Established as a charity in 2007, we have helped shape the landscape of South Asian classical arts in the UK through the highest-quality live performances. We believe in the power of Indian classical music to stir, thrill and inspire global audiences, and we widen access to the art form through digital content for streaming, social media and television, and through music education in schools and online.
We are opening a new chapter: two trading arms — Darbar Coffee House and Darbar Studios — are being set up within our new Darbar Arts Lab, a multi-purpose venue in Hayes, with all profits reinvested into the charity. We are also finalising a strategic refresh to set our trajectory for the next five years. It’s an exciting time to join us.
The role
The Senior Events Producer holds end-to-end accountability for the production and delivery of Darbar’s live events programme — from early planning and budgeting through to on-site delivery, settlement and post-event evaluation. You’ll bring marketing and audience insight to how events are shaped and sold, apply rigorous project-management discipline across a high volume of activity, support fundraising and funder reporting, embed environmental and access good practice, and line manage a small, multi-territory events team across the UK and India.
You’ll work closely with the Artistic Director and leadership team, with venue and festival partners, and with artists and their representatives in the UK, India and internationally — holding artistic ambition and operational reality together to deliver events that honour the music and the artists, on time, on budget and to the highest professional standard.
What you’ll do
- Produce and deliver the live programme — own production across circa 65–70 events a year, including the Darbar Festival (Barbican Centre), the Culture Festival Leicester, the Barbican Associate residency and the Emerging Artist Programme — from production schedules and technical plans through to on-site delivery.
- Own budgets and settlements — build and control event budgets, manage concurrent delivery windows, and oversee settlements so artists, suppliers and freelancers are paid accurately and on time.
- Support programming and contract artists — assist the Artistic Director with artist and repertoire research, issue artist contracts and letters of agreement, and coordinate international travel, visas and logistics.
- Grow audiences — bring marketing and audience-development insight into planning, contribute to on-sale and pricing, and work with digital staff to capture live content for Darbar Player and social channels.
- Lead the team — line manage two to three Events Managers (UK and India), and recruit, induct and schedule freelance crew, technicians and volunteers, building a positive and resilient team culture.
- Support fundraising and funder reporting — contribute to bids and report against funding agreements and Arts Council England’s Investment Principles, capturing accurate audience and event data.
- Embed sustainability — build environmental good practice into planning, procurement and travel, and support carbon and sustainability reporting (e.g. Julie’s Bicycle Creative Climate Tools).
- Keep events safe and inclusive — produce risk assessments and health & safety documentation, and ensure accessibility, safeguarding, licensing and insurance are in place.
- Monitor, evaluate and learn — design a clear monitoring and evaluation framework, analyse attendance, reach, demographics and feedback, and feed learning back into future events.
Who we’re looking for
You are an proven and experienced producer who thrives on delivering live events to a high standard, and a confident leader who brings people and plans together. You’ll have:
- Significant senior-level experience producing and delivering live events at major arts venues, ideally including festivals or multi-event programmes.
- Experience in the arts, cultural, music or charity sector, including working with public funders such as Arts Council England and reporting against funding agreements.
- A strong track record managing complex event budgets, settlements and reporting — on time and on budget.
- Excellent project-management skills and the ability to run a high volume of concurrent events.
- Proven line-management experience, including recruiting and coordinating freelance crew and volunteers.
- Experience drafting and issuing artist contracts and coordinating artist travel, visas and logistics.
- Working knowledge of event marketing and audience development, and experience monitoring and evaluating events or programmes.
- A sound understanding of event health & safety, risk assessment, accessibility, safeguarding and licensing.
- Genuine knowledge of, and commitment to, Indian classical music and South Asian arts, and cultural sensitivity working with artists and communities across the UK, India and the diaspora.
- Willingness to work evenings and weekends around events, to travel (including potentially to India), and the right to work in the UK.
Desirable: experience working across territories or with international artists; familiarity with project-management and ticketing tools and live-content capture; awareness of environmental reporting in the arts; and a relevant degree, professional qualification or equivalent experience.
What we offer
- Salary of £50,000–£58,000 per annum, depending on experience.
- Company pension (NEST).
- 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays.
- Hybrid working (minimum 3 days on-site at the Darbar Arts Lab in Hayes), subject to the needs of the live programme.
- Professional development opportunities.
- The chance to shape the delivery of one of the world’s leading Indian classical music programmes.
How to apply
Please submit a CV and a covering letter (maximum two pages) setting out how you meet the person specification, including specific examples of events or festivals you have produced and teams you have led. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and we reserve the right to close the vacancy early once a suitable candidate is appointed.
As part of your application, please answer:
- Describe a festival or multi-event programme you have produced end-to-end — its scale, budget, your specific role, and how you handled artist contracting and settlements.
- How have you managed and developed an events team (including freelance crew), and how would you approach line managing colleagues across different territories?
- What draws you to Indian classical music and South Asian arts?
Pay: £50,000.00-£58,000.00 per year
Ability to commute/relocate:
- London UB3 1BY: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Application question(s):
- Do you have Indian classical music events delivery experience?
- Please insert cover letter here
Experience:
- live arts events : 6 years (required)
Language:
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Location:
- London UB3 1BY (preferred)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in London UB3 1BY
