Able Orchestra Ensemble/s Digital Creative/s

Who we are: 

Inspire Youth Arts (IYA) is part of Inspire: Culture, Learning and Libraries, a charitable community benefit society delivering cultural and learning services across Nottinghamshire. Our mission is: To inspire people to read, learn and enjoy culture. 

Project Summary:   

Able Orchestra is an inclusive music and digital project which supports young people aged 11 - 25 from across Nottinghamshire to develop skills and confidence in making and performing music and digital art through accessible approaches.   From January 2025 onwards two new Able Orchestra Ensembles will run in the North and South of Nottinghamshire. Term time sessions will run weekly and will be open to young people wanting to explore their music and digital art making on a regular basis. The sessions aim to develop skills for young people to develop confidence in working collaboratively towards musical ensembles, digital creations, and performances.  

Able Orchestra supports an inclusive approach and targets young people who have a physical and/or learning disability and/or who are neurodivergent. There is a clear progression pathway in development for Able Orchestra participants that supports young people at different stages of their experience and skill levels in music and digital art.   

Inspire Youth Arts successfully secured funds from Arts Council England’s (ACE) National Lottery Major Project Grants to develop Able Orchestra. The aims of this work include developing and delivering practical music and digital art sessions, performance opportunities and leadership work for young people across Nottinghamshire. Researching and developing structures and approaches to enable Able Orchestra to become stable and sustainable in the long term is an area of focus.     

A group of young leaders, the Able Pioneers, are at the heart of the work. They steer the direction of Able Orchestra and are both independent young musicians and work collaboratively as a collective to create and perform ensemble compositions. They also meet regularly to progress the Able Orchestra work as leaders and develop digital visuals to accompany live performance. The Able Pioneers are supported by Lead Artist/Mentor Kris Halpin and Nicci Craig of Dyskinetic.        

Inspire Youth Arts are Producers for Able Orchestra and have established an Able Orchestra Steering Group which includes membership from local, regional, and national partners from across the music and digital art sector, including a representative from the Able Pioneers and Dyskinetic. The Steering group meet quarterly and steer the work as active partners.    

From January 2025 Able Orchestra will be developing its own brand identity and Marketing and Communication strategy to enable the project to reach new and existing participants and audiences.   

What we are looking for: 

We are looking for one or two exceptional Digital Creative/s to deliver digital production and/or digital innovation as part of the regular term-time inclusive Able Orchestra Ensemble sessions in the North and South of Nottinghamshire alongside a Musical Director. This might include one or more of the following digital disciplines: sound and light installations, lighting design, film-making, animation, AV, VR, AR, MR, XR, digital instruments, digital visual art, or various traditional or future technologies.   

The role would suit either one Digital Creative who would deliver digital production / innovation for the Able Orchestra Ensembles in both the North and the South of Nottinghamshire, or two Digital Creatives, one delivering the North Ensemble, and one delivering the South Ensemble. In this scenario, the two Digital Creatives would work together to ensure a high-quality, cohesive and creative approach was developed across both ensembles.  

Inspire Youth Arts places equality, inclusion, access, and diversity at the heart of our work and central to the delivery of Able Orchestra. We welcome applications from disabled and/or neurodivergent people and those who are members of other structurally disadvantaged groups including those from the Global Majority, LGBTQIA+ people and those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.   

Able Orchestra Ensemble (North) December 2024 – end of February 2026. 

The Able Orchestra Ensemble (North) will include term time sessions from January 2025 onwards on Wednesday evenings at 4.30pm – 6.30pm held at Portland College, Mansfield, North Nottinghamshire.  

Able Orchestra Ensemble (South) April 2025 – end February 2026. 

The Able Orchestra Ensemble (South) will include term time sessions from April 2025 onwards, in a location in the South of Nottinghamshire tbc. 

Terms of Contract 

• Regular term time Able Orchestra ensemble delivery sessions @ £150 per 1.5hr delivery session, inclusive of travel and planning.  

• Live events @ £300 per event inclusive.  

• Able Orchestra briefing/training sessions (online) @ £60 per session.  

• Half termly planning sessions (online) @ £60 per session. (This is not to plan the weekly delivery sessions, but to discuss how the work is fitting into the broader Able Orchestra strategic plans). 

The intention is to contract either one or two Digital Creative/s to lead this work. 

Total initial contract for Able Orchestra Ensemble (North) Dec 2024 – end March 2025: 

• Attendance at Able Orchestra North launch session on 11 December 2024 4.30 - 6.30pm @ £150 

• 11 x Able Orchestra North Ensemble sessions from Jan 2025 – end March 2025 @ £150 per session = £1650 

• 1 x Able Orchestra briefing/training session @ £60 

• 2 x half termly planning sessions online @ £60 = £120 

Total: £1980 

Total initial contract for Able Orchestra Ensemble (South) April 2025 – end July 2025.  

• Attendance at Able Orchestra South launch – date tbc @ £150   

• 11 x Able Orchestra North Ensemble sessions from April – end July 2025 @ £150 per session = £1650 

• 1 x Able Orchestra briefing/training session @ £60 

• 2 x half termly planning sessions online @ £60 = £120 

Total: £1980 

Total remainder contract value following the initial term over the lifetime of the project:  

Digital Creative (North) = Approx 30 sessions (£4500).  

Digital Creative (South) = Approx18 session. (£2700).  

There is likely to be 2 x performances during the lifetime of the project where £300 will be paid for work at an event/s. 

There will be 1 x half term planning online session per remaining half term deliver (so for AO Ensemble North x 5 @ £60 each (total £300), and AO Ensemble South x 3 @ £60 each (total £180). 

As a freelance contractor you will be responsible for your own Tax and National Insurance. and should be registered as Self-Employed. 

Ongoing Contracts: 

The intention is then to contract the successful person/people for the remaining regular term time delivery sessions over the lifetime of the project including fees for training, briefings, performances, and broader Able Orchestra planning development. 

Reports to: Megan Dawes – Creative Producer, Inspire Youth Arts.  

Job Description:  

• To facilitate regular digital development and delivery work for the Able Orchestra Ensemble/s through creative application of various technologies and media using inclusive approaches. 

• To be responsible for the digital production and/or digital innovation, developed through a youth-led approach in partnership with the ensemble participants and support artists. This might include one or more of the following digital disciplines: sound and light installations, lighting design, film-making, animation, AV, VR, AR, MR, XR, digital instruments, digital visual art, or various traditional or future technologies.   

• To work to develop the skills and confidence in digital proficiency for the young people attending the Ensemble/s. 

• To work alongside a Musical Director/s to support the music and digital development throughout the ensemble delivery and towards performance. 

• To work to joint creative aims and objectives in line with the Able Orchestra strategy, through a young person led approach.  

• Work with the Able Pioneers to engage them in leadership work during some ensemble sessions.  

• To work towards high-quality performance opportunities developed in partnership with the Inspire Youth Arts team and Steering group members providing exceptional performance experiences for the participants that connect to professional musicians and artists, venues, festivals, and events in Nottingham/Nottinghamshire.  

• To support live streamed events to reach broader audiences digitally.  

• To support the Able Orchestra Evaluation framework as needed.  

Role Specification: 

Essential:  

1. Professional experience working as a digital practitioner, creative, innovator or producer, and/or a relevant qualification. 

2. The ability to use a wide range of technology and media and adapt approaches to digital production with young people depending on the individuals’ level of skill, experience, and access needs. Examples might include one or more of the following digital disciplines: sound and light installations, lighting design, film-making, animation, AV, VR, AR, MR, XR, digital instruments, digital visual art, or various traditional or future technologies.   

3. The ability to plan, structure and deliver inclusive digital production sessions with young people, working towards set objectives and performances.  

4. Experience of delivering high quality inclusive digital sessions that support young people with a physical and/or learning disability; and/or those who are neurodivergent to reach their potential in digital production, innovation, and performance.  

5. An understanding of the social model of disability and the barriers that young disabled people face to digital production / innovation. 

6. Working knowledge of various digital applications and software. 

7. Excellent time-keeping and organisational skills.  

8. Excellent communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively.  

9. An ability to work flexibly, responsively, and calmly under pressure. 

10. Willingness to travel to North Nottinghamshire and/or South Nottinghamshire for weekly, term-time rehearsals.  

11. Willingness to work outside normal working hours for performances.  

Desirable: 

1. An understanding and/or experience of using accessible instruments (such as CMPSR etc). Experience of working alongside musicians and/or music projects.   
2. A network of relevant contacts and opportunities that could benefit the project.   
3. Confidence to innovate and try new approaches to digital production/innovation with young people. 
4. Experience of working with support artist/support staff. 

How to apply:   

Please send an expression of interest on a word document of no more than 2 sides of A4 or a recording outlining how you are suitable for the role and a current CV including two referees outlining your suitability for the role and send to:   

Rebecca.Streets@inspireculture.org.uk  and Megan.Dawes@inspireculture.org.uk  

Further Information and Access support:   

To discuss the role or request specific access support, please contact:  

Megan.Dawes@inspireculture.org.uk or call: 07768023181. 

Expression of interest deadline: 5pm on Friday 6 December 2024. We will not consider applications after this time.  

Shortlisting: You will be notified by Friday 20 December.

Interviews:  Interviews will be held on Tues 14 January.

Save the date: Able Orchestra Ensemble North Launch Wednesday 15 January 4.30pm– 6.00pm.