Director -30 hours per week
Location: Banchory, Aberdeenshire & on location as agreed
Accountable to: The Board of Trustees
£42,000 - £45,000 (FTE) pro rata equivalent to £21.54 – £23.08 per hour
Application Deadline Midnight 25 August 2025
Background:
The Barn, a not-for-profit arts centre in rural Aberdeenshire, has operated since 1994. Evolving from a volunteer-run group, it now employs full - and part-time staff alongside 40+ volunteers. For 30 years, the Barn has promoted visual arts, theatre, music, film, and contemporary crafts. At the Barn, we prioritise collaboration between participants and creative communities to deliver highquality artistic experiences. Our creative focus explores how people respond and adapt during ecological challenges, reflecting the interests of local artists and communities.
This leadership position comes as the Barn enters an exciting new phase, with Creative Scotland funding secured through to 2028. The Director will guide the senior team and creative programming, working with the Board to ensure the Barn remains a vital cultural and community resource with a multidisciplinary programme focused on current ecological themes.
We are looking for a dynamic and creative person, someone who can demonstrate experience of developing creative programmes in partnership and is invested in shared subjects and the cultural life of their communities.
Who we are?
The Barn began as a cultural space in the early 1990s when the disused farm building was used as a makeshift rehearsal space for a community play. Energised by success, a small committee of volunteers began organising shows, workshops and fundraising to establish the Barn as a community arts facility. Our site is situated at the confluence of diverse groups and perspectives and is surrounded by agricultural communities deeply rooted in vernacular traditions, encompassing music, storytelling, and gatherings.
For over 30 years, the Barn has championed environmental and ecological awareness, positively influencing the lifelong learning and wellbeing of the surrounding community. The urgency of the climate emergency further compounds the challenges faced by Aberdeenshire rural communities, as it increasingly impacts their livelihoods and everyday lives. With a track record of working in arts and ecology, the Barn is well placed to connect our volunteers, audiences, networks and communities with a host of outstanding artists and thinkers and to inspire people to speak up for the planet.
With the enforced closure of the venue during Covid-19, it was apparent that to remain culturally relevant and sustainable, the Barn needed to develop ways of working beyond live event programmes. The Barn used the Covid challenges and its impact on performing arts to rethink what it might mean to be an ecological organisation.
We are a dynamic multi-arts organisation addressing the climate crisis through creative exploration. As a collaborative team of staff, artists, partners and volunteers, we work together to devise and deliver a diverse programme of community and research projects, artist development, residencies, commissions, creative workshops, visual art and performances of theatre, music, film, dance, comedy and talks.
Essential role and responsibilities:
Leadership & Governance:
Foster a unified ‘Barn team’ by managing in a way that provides inspiration and facilitative leadership, nurtures inclusivity and collaboration across Staff, the Board and Volunteers.
Lead on the development of future Business Planning.
Oversee the good management of all fiscal and legal responsibilities.
Creative Programming:
Provide creative leadership, knowledge and expertise for the Barn’s inter-disciplinary programme in line with the current Creative Scotland funding bid.
Liaise with the Barn’s staff team, creative communities and residents to ensure that the programme is relevant to their interests and shared concerns.
Manage and inspire the team directly involved in fundraising, marketing, delivering programme and developing participants and audiences.
Partnerships:
Represent the public profile of the Barn and develop reciprocal, long-term relationships with our communities, stakeholders and partnership organisations.
What are we looking for?
Excellent communication skills.
Significant experience as a director of a cultural organisation or lead responsibility of the development of interdisciplinary creative programmes.
A proven track record of working in partnership with cross-sector organisations and engaging audiences and artists in the development of projects and events.
Knowledge of the requirements and passion to champion equity, diversity and inclusivity.
Experience of identifying sources of appropriate long-term funding for cultural organisations.
Our roles are open to everyone. We encourage applications from people who are underrepresented in our organisation and in the arts and cultural sector. We recognise that a candidate may not fill all the criteria of the job. We will consider all applications and so please apply even if you do not feel you cover all of the skills & experience.
Hours:
30 hours per week pattern to be agreed. Representing the Barn at some evening and weekend events may be required.
Pay and Contract:
£42,000 - £45,000 (FTE) pro rata equivalent to £21.54 – £23.08 per hour.
A 6-month probationary period will be required.
32 days Annual Leave entitlement (pro-rata to contract).
Benefits: Complimentary tickets to selected events at the Barn.
Priority booking for selected events at the Barn.
Automatic enrolment into the company pension scheme.
How to Apply?
Applications should be submitted in confidence to applications@thebarnarts.co.uk with the subject Director by midnight on 25 August 2025 .
Interviews will be held week commencing 8 September 2025 and all applicants will be informed if they have been shortlisted or not.
Applicants are asked to submit a statement of interest and CV. These can be submitted:
In written form (no more than 2 sides of A4)
Via video or audio files (3 mins maximum)
We welcome applications in BSL and/or alternative formats. Please get in touch to discuss your needs.
Further information can be found at https://www.thebarnarts.co.uk.
If you have any questions regarding your application, please either email applications@thebarnarts.co.uk or call us on 01330 826520.
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