EIF seek Shadow Director
Major mentoring opportunity with EIF
The Edinburgh International Festival has launched a new mentoring programme for people who are looking to develop their careers as programmers, producers or cultural managers.
The mentee will work closely with EIF director Fergus Linehan and MD Joanna Baker, gaining insights into areas such as programming, cultural policy, governance and fundraising.
Fergus Linehan, Edinburgh International Festival Director. Pic: Mihaela Bodlovic
The scheme is open to those who are originally from or resident in Scotland. The EIF say that it is “aimed at ensuring that talented individuals from all over the country have the opportunity to harness the International Festival’s unique position to further develop careers”.
The programme will run for three years, taking place over the 2017, 2018 and 2019 Festivals with one mentee selected for each of the three festivals. Each mentee will be engaged by the Festival on a full time basis for one year, receive an annual salary and will have the costs of travel to other festivals and events covered.
Applications for the first year are open with a deadline of Monday 29 May at noon. The anticipated start date is late June this year.
Fergus Linehan spoke of his excitement in announcing this new programme, especially in the EIF’s 70th anniversary year.
He said: “It’s really important that we can share the wealth of expertise and experience which exists within the International Festival team, so that we can best support the next generation of cultural leaders in Scotland who will take this Festival and other organisations forward in future years.
“I’m really looking forward to meeting our new mentees and getting cracking on working with them!”
opportunities
Each mentee will work alongside Linehan and Baker on artistic and strategic planning, external affairs and policy development, community engagement and international strategy, as well as on general management.
Their work programme will include the delivery of specific/special projects as well as shadowing key staff, There will be opportunities to visit other international festival and events.
The aim of the programme is help talented professionals to develop their skills, experience and contacts as creative cultural entrepreneurs, with the detail to be shaped around the development needs of the successful applicant.
The successful candidate will have worked in the cultural sector for no less than five years and will either be currently based in Scotland, or have spent some of their careers in Scotland.
Candidates should demonstrate a commitment to, passion for and understanding of the cultural sector, with some leadership experience, and/or experience of initiating and leading projects and people.
The award has been made possible by a major donation from Sheila Colvin who has held major cultural roles in Edinburgh and internationally. She moved from a career in television and theatre production, to being involved in the foundation of the Traverse Theatre. Later, she joined the EIF as associate director, before becoming Director of the Aldeburgh Music Festival.
Applicants should send a CV and letter of application describing their career to date, their ambition for the future and why they feel they would benefit from this opportunity to: recruitment@eif.co.uk.
Closing date for applications is 12 noon on 29 May 2017. Interviews will be Thursday 8 or Friday 9 June 2017.
Further details from https://www.eif.co.uk/jobs
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