Breaking the Box: Project Coordinator

Breaking the Box is a complex and far reaching project involving many partners. These include Taking Flight Theatre, Hynt, Pontio, Rct Theatres, Theatrau Sir Gar, Disability Arts Cymru and Awen Cultural Trust. 

We are looking for a Project Coordinator who will lead in the recruitment and management of two Deaf, disabled or Neurodiverse Changemakers, supporting them to embed into their assigned partner venues.  We are looking for someone with a passion for inclusivity and making change.  Someone who will reflect the project’s core values of openness, authenticity, solidarity, realism, and legacy.   

What is Breaking the Box?

We need more Deaf, disabled, and neurodiverse creatives bringing their talents and skills into theatre in Wales. Not just on stage, but backstage, across producing and arts management too. To make this happen we need an informed and aware theatre and arts sector, with its working cultures and environments ready to support everyone to do their best work.

Breaking the Box (BTB) is a connected and committed consortium of partners.  Together we are testing and learning new ways of working together.  Through this, we model how to create opportunities and the changes needed to make the arts a more viable place of work for everyone. 

In its initial phase, BTB established a network of Welsh venues that are accessible and welcoming to staff, creatives and audiences.  It placed strong emphasis on fostering a culture of inclusivity and embracing accessibility as a core value. It also sought to address the under-representation of Deaf and disabled backstage creatives in the sector, through career development opportunities.  We worked with 6 Early Career Creatives (ECCs), to explore the different backstage skills and disciplines open to them. So far the project has seen enhanced levels of awareness, improved accessibility and stronger relationships fostered with Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent creatives and communities.

As we enter our second phase, we’re looking for a new member of the team to join us on the journey.  This person will work with us to coordinate the experience of a new cohort of creatives, connecting and holding relationships between our project partners across its 16 month timeframe.

What is the purpose of the Project Coordinator?

The Project Coordinator will work in close collaboration with the core BTB partners, to coordinate the operation of the Breaking the Box programme. 

The Coordinator will assist in the recruitment and ongoing support of two ‘Changemaker’ roles: a new aspect of Breaking the Box which will place two Deaf, disabled or neurodiverse individuals (creatives or those with an interest in arts engagement) in-house in our partner venues.  These roles will be tasked with representing the values and ambitions of BTB, building relationships internally with staff, and externally with local communities and audiences. 

The Project Coordinator will play a key role in the recruitment and induction of a new cohort of Early Careers Creatives (ECCs), in collaboration with the newly appointed Changemakers. They will coordinate all the ECC placements and workshops across the duration of the project, acting as a central liaison point and providing mentoring and support to the individual ECCs. 

The Coordinator will also serve as the primary point of contact between venues, ECCs, and project partners, ensuring effective communication and collaboration among all stakeholders.