Peterborough Presents is looking for a Freelance Exhibition Curator to work with the Peterborough Present project team to create a community exhibition celebrating the heritage of Peterborough’s Millfield area. This is not a traditional exhibition and we are not looking for a traditional curator. However, experience in a heritage setting is essential as is a strong track record in inclusive practice and the telling of people’s stories.
PROJECT BUDGET
Curator Fees: £5,000 inc VAT (based on £175 – £200 per day)
Exhibition Production budget: up to £7,000 inc VAT
SUMMARY OF BRIEF
Peterborough Presents has received funding from National Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council England to both restore the Millfield Link Rd Mural, a street mural painted in 1982, and to uncover, collect and share stories and experiences of people who have lived the area over the past forty years. The overall project is called The Millfield Link.
For this project we want to explore the history of the area, including integration, and focussing on the period since the mural was painted. There are two narratives of interest:
The experiences of people like Roger Brooks, the councillors and local authority staff tasked with developing the policies and strategies to support integration.
The experiences of residents; both migrant communities and white British community; those who were expected to go through a process of integration.
To date we have collated relevant information and documents already held by Peterborough Archive. We have also been gathering interviews, film and photography to collect stories and experiences of local residents. We are also currently commissioning artists to create new art works / portraits that respond to the interviews and memories gathered. Material collected so far can be seen here.
The role of the Exhibition Curator is to bring all of this material to life in an innovative, creative and accessible way. The Exhibition Curator will work as part of a small team, including the Programme Director, Community Producer and community partners, to develop the programme and align the exhibition and workshop programme with the wider Millfield Festival programme.
Over 120 languages are spoken in the area; large panels of text will prove a barrier to access. This exhibition requires interpretation that is highly visual, interactive and personal.
The whole project will be community led and this includes the creation of the exhibition. As part of the process the Exhibition Curator will be required to run activities that enable local residents to be actively involved in the design and installation of the exhibition.
Due to the Pandemic we are also considering different approaches to the traditional exhibition and the ways in which we engage the public in its creation. For example, we are not seeking a large scale indoor exhibition or large workshops in the community. We have the streets and neighbourhoods of Millfield as our possible exhibition space and are open to the ideas of a smaller displays. We are looking for a blend of digital and analogue approaches to engagement and presentation.
Further details of the brief and person specification can be found in downloadable recruitment pack at the bottom of the page.
HOW TO APPLY
Send us an introductory letter telling us about
· Why you are interested in this role
· What would be your approach to curating this exhibition
· What factors you would consider
· Tell us about your experience of curating exhibitions with communities
· Names and contact details of two referees
Attach your CV and 3 – 4 examples of your work
If you are shortlisted, we will invite you to come and meet our commissioning panel. This will be confirmed within two weeks of the closing date. If this is in person, reasonable travel expenses will be paid and agreed in advance.
Contact:
Sarah Haythornthwaite, Peterborough Presents Programme Director
Email: sarah.haythornthwaite@neneparktrust.org.uk
