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The Tricycle
Recent background
In May 2012, Indhu Rubasingham took up her appointment as Artistic Director and Chief Executive of the Tricycle Theatre. In June, The Tricycle published its new mission statement:
The Tricycle views the world through a variety of lenses, bringing unheard voices into the mainstream. It presents high-quality and innovative work, which provokes debate and emotionally engages. Located in Brent, the most diverse borough in London, the Tricycle is a local venue with an international vision.
In July, Indhu launched her inaugural season consisting of the World
Premiere of Red Velvet, written by Lolita Chakrabarti with Adrian Lester in the role of Ira Aldridge, followed by the Tricycle’s first festive family show, The Arabian Nights, written by Mary Zimmerman adapted from The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night. In 2013 the Tricycle will present an Eclipse Theatre production of One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show by Don Evans, followed by another World Premiere, Paper Dolls written by Philip Himberg and adapted from the award-winning documentary by Tomer Heymann, produced by Stanley Buchthal. Red Velvet has just opened at the Tricycle to outstanding reviews and continues until 24 November. Indhu’s next
production will be Paper Dolls.
Indhu Rubasingham was recently awarded the Arts & Culture Award at the Asian Women of Achievement Awards for outstanding achievements in theatre. She was awarded the Carlton Multi-Cultural Achievement Award for Performing Arts and in 2010 she jointly received the Liberty Human Rights Arts Award for The Great Game: Afghanistan.
Recently Indhu directed Bola Agbaje’s Belong at the Royal Court Theatre and has just finished working with Sundance Theatre Lab, developing a new piece called Africa Kills her Son and also a musical called Kwa Maji Rise.
Indhu’s previous work at the Tricycle includes Stones In His Pockets, The Great Game: Afghanistan; Women, Power and Politics; Detaining Justice as part of the Not Black and White season; Fabulation; Starstruck; and Darfur: How Long Is Never?
Additional directing credits include the Pulitzer Prize winning Ruined at the Almeida Theatre, numerous productions for the Royal Court as well as
productions for the National Theatre, Hampstead Theatre, Chichester Festival Theatre, Birmingham Rep, Soho Theatre, the Young Vic, and Theatre Royal, Stratford East.
The Tricycle comprises a 235 seat theatre, a 300 seat cinema, a café/bar, a large rehearsal studio, a visual arts studio for educational use (the Paintbox)
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The theatre is located on the busy and vibrant Kilburn High Road, with its wide variety of residential accommodation, shops, cafés, bars and
restaurants. It is a flagship arts organisation in the London Borough of Brent, with the Kilburn High Road dividing the borough from its neighbouring
Borough of Camden. The population of Brent is growing with many people moving into the borough creating new emerging communities, and is expected to grow from a currently estimated population of 279,200 to one of 305,000 by 2017. Other key social factors to note and that inform the work of the
Tricycle are that:
• 54% of Brent’s population are from black and ethnic minority
communities, compared with an average for London of 40%, and over 24% of the 14,172 people in Brent’s Kilburn ward are of Black African or Black Caribbean ethnic origin, compared with just over half that for the 10,494 people living in the Kilburn ward of Camden
• Over 130 languages are spoken in Brent’s schools and 120 in
those of Camden
• Over a quarter of Brent’s residents are aged 19 years or under
(21% for Camden); one third of residents in the most deprived wards in the south of the borough are under 16, and 62% aged under 40 compared with 52% nationally (70% of Camden’s residents are under 44)
• The 2007 Index of Multiple Deprivation identified Brent as the
53rd most deprived area out of 354 local authority areas; Camden was identified as 57th
The Tricycle is one of Arts Council England’s National Portfolio of regularly funded organisations and is also funded by Brent Council. It is a registered charity.
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Creative Learning Director – Job Description
Job Title: Creative Learning Director
Main purpose of the job: To create, communicate and develop an inspiring vision of a new model for creative learning and to provide
leadership and strategic direction to the teams delivering world-class creative learning activities throughout the Tricycle Responsible to: Artistic Director/CEO
Directly responsible for: The Education and Social Inclusion Manager (title under review), freelance artistic and creative learning staff working with the department The Creative Learning Director is part of the theatre’s senior management and team and will submit reports to the Board on a regular basis.
The Creative Learning Director is expected to work in close consultation and collaboration with the Development Director and the Marketing &
Communications Director.
Examples of key contacts: the Chair, Board and staff team of the Tricycle; representatives from Arts Council England and London Borough of Brent; senior representatives from local/community organisations and education establishments, teachers, visiting companies, co-producers, artists and their agents, theatre organisations and individuals, sponsors, donors, trusts and foundations and professional bodies.
The role
The role of Creative Learning Director requires an outstanding and talented individual who is an active member of the Tricycle’s senior management team. The Creative Learning Director is expected to support the Artistic Director/CEO in planning, developing and implementing the Tricycle’s creative learning strategy particularly for disadvantaged young people, and to work in partnership with schools, other educational establishments, and local
community organisations with like-minded objectives. The post-holder is required to have excellent strategic planning, team building and
communication skills combined with a strong track record of
theatre/performing arts creative learning practice and expertise. S/he is required to contribute to the big picture as well as translate strategy into achievable action plans. S/he needs a passion for learning and education in the broadest sense and the ability to understand the rapidly changing
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Purpose of the post
The Artistic Director/Chief Executive is responsible for the artistic vision, creative, entrepreneurial and strategic leadership of the Tricycle Theatre. The Creative Learning Director works with the Artistic Director/CEO to enable the theatre to achieve its artistic, audience and financial objectives. In particular, s/he is responsible for creative learning strategy, developing appropriate partnerships and collaborations, advocating the work of the department and ensuring the delivery of the highest quality creative learning programmes across the Tricycle.
Main responsibilities
Strategic
• To be an active member of the senior management of the Tricycle and
to contribute to the theatre’s overall strategic development
• To work closely with and support the Artistic Director/CEO on the
development of creative learning strategy and community engagement
• To provide strategic and operational leadership to the Creative
Learning team and department, setting clear work objectives, conducting annual appraisals as appropriate and setting and maintaining appropriate professional standards for the team
• To plan and ensure the delivery of the highest quality creative learning
programmes across the Tricycle
• To maintain effective relationships with funding bodies, particularly the
London Borough of Brent, working in collaboration with other senior staff to enable the Tricycle to deliver their respective local and national priorities and to help the theatre make appropriate applications for core and project funding and attend all relevant meetings
• To broker partnerships with appropriate bodies to establish a cohesive
internship and work experience programme that will develop pathways of progression and deepen community engagement with the Tricycle
• To develop a culture of research, evaluation and impact study that will
underpin all projects and programmes delivered by the Creative Learning Department and will help to inform funding applications and the Tricycle’s communication and advocacy work
• To position the work of the Creative Learning Department within the
wider theatre context of London to enable it to deliver a unique and meaningful programme that is relevant to identified need
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• To foster and develop longer-term relationships with local schools,
education establishments and community groups in support of the Tricycle’s overall creative learning and community engagement strategies
Management
• To recruit, lead, develop and inspire the Creative Learning Team’s full,
part-time and freelance staff, to monitor quality and to provide appropriate support and feedback to enable them to reach their potential
• To nurture integration across the Creative Learning Department and
across those engaged in other creative activities throughout The Tricycle, providing the highest level of best practice educational input and expertise
• To provide a central resource for all education, outreach, engagement
and creative learning expertise at the Tricycle and to contribute to The Tricycle’s digital strategy to support the development of its creative learning programmes
• To help create a positive, open and responsive working environment
and cultural ethos that is conducive to the development of work of the highest standards of artistic, educational and professional endeavour
• To develop new opportunities to work in partnership with visiting
companies and a range of community-based organisations, including schools, particularly in Brent but also elsewhere in London to plan and deliver creative learning programmes that align with the Tricycle’s new mission
• To work closely with the Development Department to maximise the
opportunities for fund-raising for Creative Learning activities and programmes
• To work closely with the Marketing & Communications Department to
implement marketing and audience development activities that promote engagement and long-term growth
• To contribute to the development of appropriate creative learning
budgets, monitor expenditure and income targets and undertake financial and statistical reports as required
• To ensure compliance with all statutory requirements, particularly in
respect of Child Protection law and Health & Safety regulations and to be the Tricycle’s Designated Child Protection Officer.
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Contracts & administration
• In consultation with the proposed Executive Director to prepare
contracts for creative and freelance staff who are engaged for Creative Learning projects
• In consultation with the proposed Executive Director to prepare
contracts between the Tricycle and other third parties that are collaborators and ensure compliance
Communications
• To attend and report at meetings of the Board of Trustees and its
committees and working groups if required to do so by the Artistic Director/CEO and ensure the timely preparation of any reports
• To ensure effective communication and advocacy with funders and
other key stakeholders
• To keep abreast of current thinking and practice in theatre, creative
learning and theatre education and maintain the Tricycle’s profile as a centre of excellence
• To ensure that relevant Tricycle staff and its visiting artists are informed
in a timely fashion of all planned activities of the Creative Learning Department
• To attend run-throughs, technicals, previews, press nights, creative
learning activities, other performances and events, internal and external meetings as appropriate
• To attend the annual appraisal meeting to be conducted by the Artistic
Director/CEO
• To engage with the Tricycle’s fund-raising activities as appropriate • To attend and participate in such training as is required by the Artistic
Director/CEO and to ensure fulfilment of the job description
• To carry out such other duties as may reasonably be required by the
Artistic Director/CEO, proposed Executive Director or the Board of Trustees.
This job description is a guide to the nature of the work required of the Creative Learning Director and does not form part of the contract of
employment. It is neither wholly comprehensive nor restrictive and therefore does not preclude change or development that will inevitably be required in the future.
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Person Specification
The post-holder will be able to demonstrate:
Skills and experience
• Experience of working within an arts organisation, preferably within a
producing company or performing arts venue
• Ability to think and plan strategically and develop long term policies • Good leadership skills that can anticipate future demands,
opportunities and constraints
• Excellent managerial and team building skills
• The ability to work in collaboration with the Artistic Director/CEO and to
connect, collaborate and work in partnership with others internally and externally
• Substantial knowledge and understanding of the theatre industry and of
local and national policy in relation to work with young people
• Substantial knowledge of current practice in the field of participatory
arts, particularly with young people
• Ability to inspire and motivate others
• Excellent oral and written communication, time-management and
presentation skills
• Sound knowledge of financial budgeting, reporting, monitoring and
responsibility
• Ability to reflect and evaluate the impact of their performance to-date
and apply this going forward
Qualities
• A genuine commitment to the principles of equal opportunity, cultural
diversity and broadening access to the arts, and an empathy with the objectives of The Tricycle
• Resilience, stamina, reliability and responsiveness to the changing
external environment
• A creative mind with the ability to generate innovative ideas and
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• A supportive and empowering management style, that is visible,
approachable and earns respect
• An understanding of personal strengths and weaknesses and their
impact on others
Outline of Proposed Pay and Conditions
Title of post: Creative Learning Director Salary: c. £28k depending on experienceContract: Full-time subject to review by the Artistic
Director/CEO with a three month notice period. Probationary period will be six months with a review by the Artistic Director/CEO after four Holiday entitlement: Four weeks per year (pro rata in the first year) plus
bank holidays plus five single days after two years’ continuous service
Sick Pay: Four weeks on full pay and a further four weeks on half pay after three months’ continuous service Pension: The Tricycle operates a Stakeholder Pension
scheme with Aviva. If you choose to become a member, the Tricycle will currently make a pension contribution of 3% of basic salary into your plan after you have successfully completed your probationary period and where this is matched by you.
