ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
APPLICATION PACK
MARCH 2012
M6 Theatre Company Limited Registered Charity No: 274198
Thanks for your interest in the post of Artistic Director with M6 Theatre Company.
Please find enclosed:
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Summary Terms & Conditions
Job Description
Person Specification
Company information
Please send Applications by email only, using the separate M6 Application Form attached,
marked M6 Artistic Director to admin@m6theatre.co.uk
Please ensure your Application addresses the skills and experience detailed in the job description and
person specification. We would be grateful if you would also complete the Equal Opportunities
Monitoring form attached to the Application Form.
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Applications deadline:
First stage interviews:
Second stage interviews:
Start date:
Noon, Monday 23rd April 2012.
Wednesday 23rd May 2012.
Wednesday 30th May 2012.
Monday 3rd September 2012.
Candidates invited to interview will also attend a performance of M6’s current touring production
Sunflowers & Sheds at M6 Studio Theatre on the evening of Tuesday 22nd May. Accommodation
will be provided and travel costs reimbursed in line with Company policy.
In line with M6’s Safeguarding Policy & Procedures, the successful applicant will be subject to an
Enhanced Disclosure through the Criminal Records Bureau. All applicants must be eligible to work in
the United Kingdom.
For further information about M6 please see www.m6theatre.co.uk.
We look forward to receiving your application.
Best wishes
Debs
Deborah Palmer ACA
General Manager
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M6 SUMMARY TERMS AND CONDITIONS & JOB DESCRIPTION
ROLE:
M6 ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
CONTRACT DURATION:
HOURS:
ANNUAL SALARY:
ANNUAL HOLIDAYS:
PENSION:
PERMANENT
FULL TIME POSITION – CORE HOURS 37.5 PER WEEK
£32,000
25 PLUS BANK HOLIDAYS
AFTER 12 MONTHS SERVICE, ELIGIBLE TO BENEFIT FROM COMPANY
PENSION SCHEME, UP TO 4% EMPLOYER MATCHED.
M6 STUDIO BASE IN ROCHDALE
M6 BOARD OF TRUSTEES
OVERALL MANAGEMENT AND ARTISTIC LEADERSHIP OF THE COMPANY
PRODUCTION MANAGER, EARLY YEARS THEATRE ASSOCIATE, ACT NOW!
JOINT PROGRAMME MANAGERS & TOURING CREATIVE TEAMS
6 MONTHS WITH INTERIM REVIEW AT 3 MONTHS
4 WEEKS DURING PROBATION, 8 WEEKS THEREAFTER
PLACE OF WORK:
RESPONSIBLE TO:
RESPONSIBLE FOR:
LINE MANAGES:
PROBATION PERIOD:
NOTICE PERIOD:
RECRUITMENT CONTEXT
Building on the successful leadership and legacy of M6’s Artistic Producer Dot Wood, M6’s Board of
Trustees seeks to appoint an exceptional individual with vision, passion and commitment, who will
build on the organisation’s achievements and lead the artistic future of M6 Theatre Company. As well
as strong artistic leadership and proven management experience, the ideal successor will also have
excellent skills in directing and producing.
KEY FUNCTIONS
The Artistic Director is head of the organisation and has overall responsibility for the development,
implementation and articulation of the Company’s vision as specified in its mission statement. S/he is
accountable to the Board of Trustees. The Artistic Director, in close collaboration with the General
Manager, will take a leading role in all areas of policy, planning and strategic development of the
Company. S/he will be responsible for maintaining the high quality and artistic/educational excellence
of both the professional touring theatre productions and local youth participatory programmes.
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AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
Artistic Leadership
The Artistic Leader has overall responsibility for the artistic management of the Company and the
development and implementation of its artistic output.
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Provide effective and inspiring artistic leadership for M6 Theatre Company.
Develop, articulate and deliver an artistic programme that is in line with the Company’s vision,
mission and core values.
Ensure M6 maintains the highest possible standards across all areas of its work.
Artistic Programme
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Manage and provide effective leadership in all aspects of the Company’s production processes.
Produce innovative, original and excellent touring theatre productions for diverse audiences of
children and young people including the very young and multi-racial audiences.
Direct specific M6 productions where appropriate.
Oversee the Company’s extensive youth participatory programme; ACT NOW!
Secure and nurture inspirational creative teams and provide the best creative environment for
artists and projects to flourish.
Strategic Development
The Artistic Director in conjunction with the General Manager is responsible for the long term
strategic development of the Company, ensuring M6’s ability to adapt and thrive.
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Work with Board and staff to develop, implement and review the Company’s strategic
planning.
Identify issues that have strategic relevance to M6 to enable the Company to prepare and
strengthen itself in a changing landscape.
Advocacy and Relationships
The Artistic Director will lead the advocacy and communications of the Company, ensuring that the
Company’s ethos and artistic vision is compellingly expressed.
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Communicate the Company’s mission, values and artistic vision to a wide range of
stakeholders – local, national and international.
Represent the Company at local, national and international levels to strengthen M6’s public
profile.
Maintain excellent relationships with funders and seek out opportunities to develop new
funding partners.
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Secure new and develop established collaborative relationships with a wide range of
inspirational artists and producing/ delivery partners to enable high quality projects to reach a
wide range of children and young people.
Managerial
In conjunction with the General Manager:
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Manage and support the M6 staff team.
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Ensure a collaborative and productive working environment.
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Develop, articulate and ensure compliance with all Company policies.
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Ensure that the Company’s Equalities and Diversity policy is fully reflected in all aspects of its
work.
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Provide monitoring, evaluation and reporting information as required by the Board, funders
and other agencies.
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Attend and report to quarterly Board meetings.
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Attend, as required, meetings of sub-committees of the Board.
Finance & Fundraising
The Artistic Director supports the General Manager in key aspects of financial management,
including:
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Budget setting, monitoring and control.
Fundraising in line with M6’s diversified funding strategy and targets.
General
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Carry out such responsibilities as the Board of Trustees may reasonably require within the
remit of the Artistic Director.
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Actively engage with all of M6’s policies and procedures, leading by example.
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Work some evenings and weekends as required.
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Some national and occasional international travel may be required.
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M6 ARTISTIC DIRECTOR PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential Skills & Experience
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Significant hands on experience of producing and directing high quality
professional theatre for young audiences, including early years and touring
productions.
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Demonstrates informed Artistic/Educational judgement: in both the aesthetic
and learning experience of young audiences.
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Proven artistic leadership and management experience within a theatre
organisation.
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A demonstrable commitment to and proven track record of developing
participatory theatre projects with young people.
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Extensive experience of collaborative working; with individuals, companies and
other organisations in and beyond the arts sector.
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Experience and knowledge of nurturing and developing diversity within a
company, its programme and audiences.
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Demonstrated ability to recognise and nurture talent and potential in both
emerging and established artists.
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Comprehensive knowledge of the theatre sector, in particular, theatre for young
audiences.
Desirable Skills & Experience
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Experience of managing budgets and financial management.
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Fundraising expertise and experience of managing relationships with funders.
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IT proficient – particularly in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint & Outlook.
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Clean driving licence.
Personal Qualities and Abilities
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Able to motivate and inspire.
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Enthusiastic and passionate about young people’s theatre.
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Excellent interpersonal skills and integrity.
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Clear thinking and problem solving.
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Positive, empowering and collaborative.
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Empathetic and open to new learning.
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COMPANY INFORMATION
M6 creates theatre that ignites the imagination, nurtures
the heart and challenges the mind.......
MISSION
M6 Theatre Company is dedicated to creating innovative and relevant high quality theatre for young
people. M6 uses theatre as a positive, creative and active learning medium to assist young people’s
understanding and enrich their imagination.
OUR VALUES
Our work is driven by a passionate belief in the power of theatre to enrich, inspire, challenge and
even transform the lives of young people. We have a strong reputation as one of the country’s
leading touring Theatre Companies: specialising in creating excellent and accessible productions for
young audiences. Our original work is renowned for its emotional resonance and its relevance to
young people.
WE BELIEVE IN....
Placing children and young people’s wellbeing and empowerment at the heart of our art
Producing work that is accessible, relevant and meaningful
Creating rich and diverse programmes of high quality professional theatre
Providing experiences that are intensely absorbing and challenging
Promoting equality, diversity and inclusion
WE DO THIS BY....
Nurturing innovative research and development with young people, artists and educationalists
Encouraging experimentation and innovation to ensure artistic quality
Supporting the creation of theatre for and with young people
Forging productive collaborations and partnerships with artists and other arts organisations
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COMPANY INFORMATION
CREATE, ENGAGE and THRIVE are key words that encapsulate M6’s goals over the next three
years. Our ambitious plans build on M6’s expertise, experience and quality reputation developed over
more than three decades.
Since its formation in 1977, as a pioneering TIE and community based, revenue funded Theatre
Company, M6 has evolved into a renowned national and international NPO touring Theatre Company
– specialising in creating imaginative and relevant theatre with and for young audiences.
The Company has produced an extraordinarily varied and wide-ranging body of original work, which
has extended the boundaries of theatre for young audiences; ground breaking bi-lingual
performances, captivating multi-sensory theatre for the very young, contemporary monologues for
teenage audiences and powerful productions for specific groups such as prisoners, their families and
young people at risk. M6’s dynamic, original work is renowned for its strong emotional resonance
and accessibility, setting the highest standards for artistic quality & making a unique artistic and
educational contribution to the lives of many thousands of young people from many different
backgrounds.
From M6’s Studio Theatre base in Rochdale, the Company’s professional productions tour to over
10,000 children, young people and families each year at local, regional and national arts venues,
nurseries, schools, community settings and international festivals: always balancing high profile
opportunities with M6’s strong commitment to reach disadvantaged communities.
M6’s on-going commitment to enabling young people to create their own theatre is currently being
realised through ACT NOW! an exciting participatory programme, providing a range of creative
theatre based activities for diverse groups of local young people.
Senior Management, Board and core staff remain dedicated and focussed in navigating the
organisation successfully amidst the economic challenges and changing funding landscapes while
remaining true to the Company’s core values and ethos.
The Company is well positioned to build on its reputation for excellence in all areas and ready to
embrace the opportunities and changes which lie ahead.
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