About The Photographers’ Gallery
The Photographers’ Gallery is the UK’s leading centre for the presentation and exploration of photography in all its forms and a dedicated home for an international photographic community. Established in London in 1971, the Gallery has been instrumental in reflecting photography’s pivotal role in culture and society and championing its position as a leading art form through a rich programme of exhibitions, talks, events, workshops, courses and other activities
Organisational Purpose:
Our mission: To champion photography for everyone
Our Vision: To stimulate public understanding and deeper engagement with photography and its value to society.
Our Key Aims:
- To be the UK’s leading photographic gallery with international impact
- To be the driving force for debate and new thinking about the role of the photographic image in society today
- To place innovative learning, diversity and excellence at our core
- To ensure long-term sustainability for the Gallery and all its activities
Programming at The Photographers’ Gallery
The Curator: Talks & Events post sits within the Programming team which is comprised of Exhibitions, Education and Archive staff. Programming staff are responsible for the planning, development, delivery and evaluation of: exhibitions, projects (residencies, web-based activities, off-site sessions and exhibitions), talks, events, courses and workshops for adult groups; and activities for school groups and young people.
Programmes are currently developed and announced over three distinct seasons of 3-3.5 in length for exhibitions, with a 4-8 month overview for talks, events, courses and workshops. Budgets are drafted and approved on an annual basis, and refined/reported on a quarterly basis. Off-site tours and on-site talks, events and workshops are also programmed by staff in Development and Bookshop
The majority of on-site events, courses and workshops take place on our flexible Eranda Studio Floor (on the Gallery’s 3rd floor). This space is equipped with a data projector, as well as amplification and recording facilities, tables for workshops and courses, and seats for up to 100 people. The café space is also available for use outside Gallery opening hours for courses and events.
Programme strands
This role would be specifically responsible for
- Artists’ Talks: by both exhibiting and guest practitioners (currently 6-10 per annum)
- Themed talks: by significant practitioners and high-profile, cultural commentators, related to photography’s wider applications (projected 12-15 per annum)
- Courses: 8-week evening courses related to photography theory, genres and histories (currently 6 per annum);
- Workshops: practical sessions for photographers and photography enthusiasts to hone their knowledge and skills (currently 12 per annum);
- Special Events: sessions/seminars for photography collectors or enthusiasts (2-3 per annum).
An additional series of free events for photographers (The Social, Folio Friday), free-with-exhibition-entrance events (Look Again, Curator and Outset Teen Tours), Access events (BSL and Audio-described Tours), and school, youth and teacher activities are programmed by other staff within the Programming team.
Ambition
The Photographers’ Gallery’s talks and events programme is an increasingly vital area of activity, in terms of both audience engagement and income generation. Through this programme we aim to increase our revenue to both support other aspects of the public programmes and to build the Gallery’s reserves fund.
Principle job objective:
- To research, plan, organise and deliver a strategic programme of high-profile, income-raising talks, events, courses and workshops related to photography – its applications, positions and value – that excite, involve and fulfil the interests of core and potential audience groups including: photographers and artists, other photography specialists and enthusiasts, Gallery patrons, members and other adult visitors to The Photographers’ Gallery.
Specific job objectives:
Ambition, Strategy & Direction
- To develop a high-profile programme in line with the Gallery’s Audience Development Plan, Digital Strategy and Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation status;
- To consistently review all planning, developing, delivery and dissemination for talks, events, courses and workshops in relation to the Gallery’s Mission, Vision and Key Aims;
- To plan for, and deliver, a significant surplus income;
- To work with a range of external partners (individuals and organisations) to widen the diversity and profile of, and audiences for, the programme;
- To represent the Gallery at identified, significant internal and external events, including staff meetings, Director’s Circle events and national/international conferences.
Logistics & Management
- To work collaboratively with, and remain informed about the work of, the wider Programming staff team, and with the Director, Bookshop and Print Sales staff, on the development of programme ideas;
- To liaise with, and inform, the wider gallery staff on forthcoming programme on a seasonal basis (via email and presentations), and forthcoming activities on a weekly basis (via a weekly logistics meeting);
- To produce concise, informative and attractive information on all activities for the Gallery’s leaflet and expanded information (including event description, biographies, position papers and links) for website listings and content;
- To liaise with the Communications team around promotion /social media before, during and after key, identified events;
- To contract and brief speakers/presenters and gain advanced permission for recording (audio or video) events, as appropriate;
- To liaise with speakers/presenters on all planned events, ensuring all material and presentations are working and in place ahead of each event and clear learning objectives are in place, where appropriate;
- To liaise with other departments within the Gallery (Gallery Managers, Development, Front of House, etc) to ensure the smooth running of all events;
- To undertake technical and room set up for, as well as attend, host, run and contribute to take-down for all programmed talks and events (c. 2 per week);
- To ensure talks and event recordings are downloaded and deposited in the Archive within one week, including signed release forms from all speakers/contributors;
- To select and prepare events for streaming/online dissemination, in liaison with the Digital Manager (Communications);
- To identify, within budget, events where a freelance photographer or videographer should be commissioned to document activity.
Monitoring & Evaluation
- To regularly update the Head of Education & Projects and Director regarding planning and ideas;
- To evaluate a selection of talks and events with audiences in relation to the Gallery’s Key Performance Indicators;
- To prepare updates for Gallery Trustees on key aspects of the programme (highlights, income, KPI information);
- To monitor and regularly update budgets with income and expenditure, and to deliver quarterly reports to the Head of Education & Projects.
Person Specification
Essential:
- A minimum of three years’ experience of developing programmes with a relevance to a range of audience needs and interests;
- Considerable knowledge of photography and related media, including its applications within online and expanded fields;
- Superb knowledge of the UKs wider cultural scene – including significant, emerging voices with a wide audience appeal;
- Good knowledge of international photography scene;
- Understanding of emerging photographic practice within under-represented cultures and geographical locations;
- Excellent public speaking/presentation skills;
- Minimum three years’ experience leading on income-raising, public programmes within the cultural sector that net a minimum of £20k;
- Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills;
- Ability to work to work under own initiative and as part of a team;
- Willingness to regularly work evenings and weekends;
- Computer literate, preferably with Mac, including fluency with Excel, CRM systems and website administration.
Desirable:
- Experience in organising single, large-scale, high-profile, photography-related events that return a £3- 5k+ profit;
- Experience in organising fee-paying workshops and courses;
- Experience of developing programmes in partnership with educational, cultural or business partners;
- Direct knowledge of the UK photography scene – its key thinkers, collectors and producers;
- Practical knowledge of photography and photographic processes – both analogue and digital.
