Arts Engagement & Outreach Officer
Based at The OctagonTheatre/Westlands Entertainment Venue, Yeovil
Closing Date: 7th June 2026
Salary: Grade 12 - ranging from £17,158 to £19,236 per annum for 22.2 hours per week
This is an exciting opportunity to help shape how people experience arts and culture across Somerset. As Arts Engagement & Outreach Officer, leading on the Octagon Theatre’s Talent Development & Artist Support programme, you will connect communities, artists and partners to create inspiring, inclusive programmes that bring creativity to life. Your work will help grow vibrant cultural spaces and open up access so more people can take part and feel the impact of the arts. At Somerset Council, you will be part of a team that puts creativity, wellbeing, and community at the centre of what it does.
Role Purpose
This role supports the development and delivery of the Octagon Theatre’s Arts Engagement & Outreach programme across Somerset, helping to ensure that arts and cultural opportunities are accessible, relevant, and welcoming to all.
The Octagon’s Arts Engagement & Outreach team works to develop the venues (Octagon Theatre and its sister venue, Westlands Entertainment Venue, in Yeovil) as cultural hubs and delivers the Arts for Health & Wellbeing, Creative Learning & Education, Talent Development & Artist Support, Participation, and Productions & Events programmes across Somerset, with schemes to improve inclusion and remove geographical, social, economic, physical and psychological barriers to access. It plays an important part in breaking down barriers to participation, enabling more people from a wide range of communities to engage with and benefit from creative activity.
Working closely with the Arts Engagement & Outreach Manager, you will lead on the development, planning, facilitation, and delivery of the Talent Development & Artist Support programmes with activities at The Octagon Theatre & Westlands Entertainment Venue and across Somerset. You will help to plan, deliver and evaluate a varied programme of activities, partnerships, and events across Somerset. This includes working with schools, young people, artists, community groups, and partner organisations to create meaningful opportunities for participation, learning and creative development.
Through this work, the role contributes to strengthening Somerset’s cultural offer, supporting local talent and building lasting connections between communities and the arts. It helps ensure that creativity is embedded within everyday life, supporting wellbeing, inclusion and a vibrant cultural landscape across the county.
What You Will Do – Key Responsibilities
- Support the planning, facilitation and delivery of Arts Engagement & Outreach activities and programmes
- Develop partnerships and collaborate with a rich network of artists, creatives, facilitators, practitioners, teachers, regional and national arts organisations and companies to programme enrichment opportunities as appropriate.
- Lead on delivery of our Talent Development & Artist Support programme, including work experience programmes, career talks and events, community projects, masterclasses, artist mentoring, performances, and wider offer as appropriate.
- Inspire, recruit and support participation, particularly among underrepresented communities
- Contribute to the development of inclusive and high-quality creative programmes and events
- Promote and communicate opportunities with a wide range of stakeholders
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with community groups, partners and cultural organisations
- Collaborate across teams to ensure successful delivery of events and activities
- Support project budgeting, funding identification and resource management
- Monitor and evaluate programme impact and support reporting requirements
- Process bookings, financial transactions and maintain accurate records
- Contribute to partnership development with artists, practitioners and organisations
- Support commissioning and delivery of creative projects and initiatives
- Assist with wider projects and service delivery as required
Knowledge, Experience, Skills and Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to A Level standard or equivalent or qualified by strong relevant experience.
- Supporting development and delivery of arts-based projects
- Working with partners and developing relationships
- Experience of commissioning work and evaluating work and projects
- Experience of working in an arts organisation
- Experience of working with key strategic partners – Arts Council, arts funders, artists, and arts practitioners
- Experience of working in a role developing and sustaining a network of community groups and individuals.
- Proactive with commitment to provision of excellent customer service
- Able to communicate effectively both orally and in writing
- Building effective relationships
- Accuracy and attention to detail
- Well organised and methodical
- Team worker with ability to work on own initiative.
- Resourceful and flexible in approach
- Problem solving and decision making
- Able to perform efficiently and effectively under pressure
- Proficient in MS Office or equivalent
- Arts Engagement to include supporting artists development, developing projects, fundraising, and evaluating work.
- Good understanding of Arts organisations and procedures in the UK
- Knowledge and understanding of relevant legislation and processes.
Desirable
- Educated to Degree standard or equivalent or qualified by strong relevant experience. Arts related qualification.
- Grant / Bid Writing
- Consultation processing and analysis
- Basic working knowledge of the legislative frameworks surrounding the areas of specialism
- Experience in event support, with a flexible attitude to working evenings, weekends and bank holidays.
- Able to review processes and recommend better ways of working
- Experience using Spektrix and Artifax
- Good understanding of Arts organisations in Somerset
- Good knowledge of Project Management and Health and Safety of public events
- Data protection & safeguarding
Additional Information:
- 25 days’ annual leave, plus bank holidays (pro rata)
- Fixed term contract for 5 years in line with current Arts Council England funding
- Part-time - 3 days or 22.2 hours p/week
- Yeovil - Octagon Theatre / Westlands Entertainment Venue / Agile
- Flexible working pattern with evening, weekends, and bank holidays
Regretfully, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.
For an informal chat about the role, you can contact Katherine Beverley, Arts Engagement & Outreach Manager at [email protected]
A full job description will be provided to shortlisted candidates on request by contacting [email protected].
