Community arts worker Job Information | National Careers Service

The work

As a community arts worker, your tasks could include:

• supporting existing groups and developing new groups and activities
• working with local community groups to identify local needs and concerns
• creating art work for or with the community
• helping community members to develop their own ideas
• leading meetings and training activities
• advising on grants, sponsorship and other sources of funding
• writing funding bids and proposals, managing budgets and doing general administration
• encouraging interest and support from possible sponsors
• promoting and co-ordinating input from arts workers and community members
• publicising activities through the press, local radio, leaflets and posters
• managing projects, ensuring they stay on track and assessing how successful they have been.

Depending on the job, you may focus on practical creative work and support of projects, or on administration and management.

You will often work with other organisations such as health, youth and education services.

The following articles and insights on the Creative Choices website may be of particular interest:

• diversity-in-visual-arts
• running-a-festival
• working-in-community-arts

Hours

Your working hours will depend on the needs of the community and the projects that you are undertaking. You will often work at weekends and in the evening.

You could be based in a variety of places, such as community centres, libraries, youth centres, schools, prisons and care homes. You may be involved in outside events such as carnivals and street theatre.

Income

Salaries can start at around £16,000 a year. More experienced community arts workers can earn from £20,000 to over £30,000.

Contracts are often short-term and/or part-time. Earnings for part-time jobs will be a portion of full-time rates (known as 'pro rata' payment). Freelance workers often charge a daily rate.

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Entry requirements

You will usually need to be qualified and experienced in a specialist area of the arts such as music, visual arts, dance, drama, music or creative writing.

To find work it is important to have relevant experience. Volunteering is a good way of getting this experience and making contacts. You can find out about local community arts projects which you might become involved in from:

• the Voluntary Arts Network website
• the arts officer (or similar job title) at your local council
• the Arts Councils.

You could also look in local telephone directories or search the internet for community arts organisations in your area.

You may find a community arts qualification useful, although this is not essential for getting work. Foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses in community arts are offered by a few universities. Typically they combine the study of an art form such as painting or dance with the theory and principles of community arts.

You should check entry requirements with individual colleges and universities. Experience is just as important for getting onto a community arts course as it is for finding paid work.

You will need to have Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) clearance to work with young people and other vulnerable groups.

• Criminal Records Bureau (Home Office website)

Training and development

As a community arts worker, you can complete training to update and develop your knowledge and skills in areas such as:

• your arts specialism
• management
• marketing and PR
• project management
• sourcing and obtaining funding
• new legislation
• health and safety
• child protection.

Visit the Voluntary Arts Network and Foundation for Community Dance websites for details of some relevant courses. You may also be able to attend training run by local councils and regional and national community arts organisations.

• Voluntary Arts Network
• Foundation for Community Dance

Skills and knowledge

To be a community arts worker you should have:

• a sound overall knowledge of the arts
• experience in one or more arts areas
• strong communication and 'people' skills
• the ability to organise your time and work to deadlines
• an aptitude for project management skills
• a talent for raising funds and managing budgets
• a proactive and creative approach
• enthusiasm and self-motivation
• the ability to motivate community members and build up their confidence
• persuasion and negotiation skills
• patience and tolerance.

More information

Foundation for Community Dance
LCB Depot
31 Rutland Street
Leicester
LE1 1RE
Tel: 0116 253 3453
www.communitydance.org.uk

Voluntary Arts Network
www.voluntaryarts.org

Arts Council England
Tel: 0845 300 6200
www.artscouncil.org.uk

Creative and Cultural Skills
Lafone House
The Leathermarket
Weston Street
London
SE1 3HN
www.creative-choices.co.uk

Opportunities

You could find work with local authorities, theatres, museums and galleries, and community arts organisations. You may also have the opportunity to work with regional arts councils or development agencies.

Alternatively, you could work freelance, running projects or setting up initiatives using funding such as money from the National Lottery.

In larger organisations you may be able to progress to a senior job. If you are freelance, you could move on to larger projects with bigger budgets as you gain experience.

You may find the following links useful for job vacancies and general reading (links open in new window):

• The Stage
• The Guardian – arts and heritage jobs
• artsjobsonline
• Arts Hub
• British Council Arts Group