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 you 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-communications-and-projects-assistant-hastings
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:
The Communications and Project Assistant will work with the Head of Communications and Events to support the delivery and promotion of the creative education programmes delivered from our two venues – The Barn Theatre and Museum and the Benbow Arts Space. The role will offer hands-on experience in communications, project coordination, and community engagement, while developing key professional skills in a creative and supportive environment. Key responsibilities will include:
- Assist in creating content for social media, newsletters, and the website (be it writing or photography/video)
- Keeping the website up to date and current via Wordpress (training given)
- Support the planning and delivery of our Schools and Colleges programme and our Clubs (National Saturday Club, Benbow Youth Film Collective)
- Support the planning and delivery of our public events (e.g. Open Days, Christmas performances, half-term and summer shows)
- Maintaining up to date databases via Excel (training given)
- Contribute to marketing campaigns and audience engagement activities
- Provide general administrative support to the team
- Preparing venues and resources for school visits, workshops and events
- Creating supplementary literature in programmes such as Canva to support our programme
- Welcoming visitors to events and workshops and assisting the team in the delivery of activity where needed
- Collecting data for Evaluation
The role will be based at our office in the Benbow Arts Space, 2 London Road, St Leonards-on-Sea, TN37 6AE. With some work at our other venue, the Barn Theatre and Museum on the outskirts of Hastings. The second venue is inaccessible via public transport; however we can help with transport if the successful candidate needs to attend the Barn Theatre.
About The Bright Foundation:
The Bright Foundation is an arts education charity based in Hastings and St Leonards-on-Sea, founded by Academy Award winning costume designer, John Bright.
We offer a programme of life enhancing creative learning to children and young people, particularly to those experiencing disadvantage in their lives. We have two venues:
- Barn Theatre and Museum – a 50 seat children theatre and museum of antique toys and puppets all set within 24 acres of countryside
- Benbow Arts Space – a youth arts space dedicated to the art of film-making featuring an Early Cinema exhibition
Our programme includes:
- School and group visits exploring our collections and spaces through themed days such as puppet making, outdoor learning, introduction to creative careers
- As Community Partner for the Children’s International Film Festival our film team go into schools to support them to make a film to submit to the festival
- Public events and family performances
- Creative skills development courses
- Introduction to creative careers in film and employability support
We are a small staff team of 7 people and work with a wide range of freelancers and volunteers.
We also run a National Saturday Club in Film and Screen; we lead a BFI Film Academy Short Course during the October half term; and we have devised and premiered a new children’s theatre show which will return in 2027.
You must apply via the Artswork website, otherwise your application will not be accepted - https://artswork.org.uk/opportunities/breakthrough-communications-and-projects-assistant-hastings
Pay: £12.71 per hour
Benefits:
Work Location: In person
