Breakthrough is a 6‑month employability programme from arts charity, Artswork. It's designed as a stepping stone to get you workplace experience and all-important employment skills. This short placement gives insight into a future career in the Creative Industry, supporting your confidence and professionalism in the workplace, and helping you to break through into a career that matters to you.
You must apply via the Artswork website, otherwise your application will not be accepted - https://artswork.org.uk/opportunities/breakthrough-creative-development-producer-slough/ (make sure you replace this with the unique link of your role on Artswork’s website) – you’ll find this by going to https://artswork.org.uk/your-creative-career/opportunities-for-young-creatives and then finding your role and organisation – click into this and copy the URL
Eligibility criteria:
To be eligible to apply for a Breakthrough training programme role, applicants must:
- Be aged 18-25 on the 28 September 2026
- Have the right to work and be usually resident in the UK
- Available to start work on the 28 September 2026 and available for the duration of the placement (until 28 March 2027)
- Have no or little (less than one month) previous experience of working in an arts, creative or voluntary sector organisation
We particularly welcome applications from applicants who:
- Are currently not in employment, education or training
- Are disabled and/or neurodivergent
- Have experienced barriers to employment due to current or prior mental health issues
- Have experienced barriers because of racism, homophobic or transgender discrimination
- Are recent school or sixth form college leavers
- Are struggling to find work due to lack of training or employment experience
Please note that this programme is not suitable for those on a degree placement year or an MA programme.
Job Description:
This placement is an opportunity to work with and learn from Towner’s Historical Collections Curator, supporting the organisation and documentation of the Eastbourne Heritage Collection. Recently taken into Towner’s custodial management, the collection includes approximately 20,000 artefacts, photographs and works on paper of local and regional significance, with strengths in local history, archaeology and photographic material charting the development of Eastbourne over the last 150 years.
The role will include supporting cataloguing and collections management, helping to refine paper and digital records, assisting with storage and location information, uploading digital resources, inputting data into Towner’s collection database and liaising with the Marketing & Communications team to provide archive images for web, press, publicity and social media. Training may include object handling, cataloguing, digital asset management, database use and regular one-to-one support from the heritage team.
The placement will mainly based at the Heritage Collections Store in Hampden Park, with some working at Towner and remotely.
About the employer:
Collecting and exhibiting contemporary art for 100 years, Towner Eastbourne sits where the coast and the South Downs meet. Towner presents exhibitions of national and international importance for audiences in Eastbourne, the UK, and beyond, showcasing the most exciting and creative developments in modern and contemporary art. Towner is now in the early stages of managing the care of Eastbourne’s varied Heritage Collection and is preparing for expansion onto a nearby farm site at Beachy Head.
Towner is a free resource for the local and wider community. With a Learning Team who work closely to support local school, college and other visits, and with artists to offer new and engaging ways of exploring creativity. We deliver a programme of events for all ages, gallery engagement resources and skills development for those looking to experience work in the creative industries.
Our team is welcoming and friendly, committed to sharing our skills and experience.
You must apply via the Artswork website, otherwise your application will not be accepted - https://artswork.org.uk/opportunities/breakthrough-gallery-and-communications-assistant-portsmouth (make sure you replace this with the unique link of your role on Artswork’s website) – you’ll find this by going to https://artswork.org.uk/your-creative-career/opportunities-for-young-creatives and then finding your role and organisation – click into this and copy the URL.
Pay: £12.71 per hour
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Eastbourne BN22
