Creative Engagement Associate (0.4 FTE): Greater Manchester, Liverpool and Yorkshire

New Earth Theatre is looking for a committed and passionate part-time Creative Engagement Associate to join our friendly team in 2026/27. With an artist development and community engagement focus, the Creative Engagement Associate will work with Kelsey, our Creative Engagement Manager, to manage and deliver our participation strands. We are looking specifically for locals from the North who will be able to attend the events in Greater Manchester, Liverpool and Yorkshire, and have a knowledge of the theatre landscape where they are based.

This is a part-time role at 16 hours a week (0.4FTE), for a fixed team contract of one year, with the possibility of extension, subject to funding availability.

• Deliver and develop our New Earth Academy programmes, audience development initiatives and other public-facing activities through on-the-ground engagement.
• Undertake community research and partnership building in the Midlands and North of England with a view to further developing the Academy programme.
• Keep abreast of new developments and models of participation building in the theatre sector.
• Work collaboratively with the team to build clear pathways and opportunities across the entire New Earth programme.

• Work closely with our Creative Engagement Manager to deliver community engagement projects, including New Earth Academy programmes, open workshops, listening sessions and masterclasses.
• Manage applications for New Earth Academy programmes and ensure a smooth recruitment process.
• Engage and contract programme facilitators, guest workshop leaders, tutors and the lunchtime industry talks and create New Earth Academy timetables and schedules.
• Be the first point of contact for academy applicants, participants and alumni for all our academy courses.
• Ensure effective, regular communication between academy partners and NET team throughout the academy programmes.
• Support marketing and programme partners to develop and implement specific campaigns and participation engagement initiatives that build the reach of the New Earth Academies and our public-facing activity.
• Assist the Creative Engagement Manager and Artistic Director to design and develop a detailed New Earth 2027/28 engagement programme (including scope, objectives, timeline and course content for Academies, listening sessions and more), involving all relevant academy partners and stakeholders.
• Support the Community Engagement Manager to keep track of academy budgets, expenditure, income and invoices.
• Engage with Academy partners to explore engagement opportunities and pathways for participants once the course has ended, and write up case studies.
• Engage with Academy Alumni to maintain an active Ambassadors network across the UK.

• Support the Creative Engagement Manager to collate and present engagement data, evaluating the impact of specific BESEA audience and participation engagement initiatives.
• Track audience and participant data via Illuminate.
• Support relevant project evaluations, including capturing data, collecting participants feedback, numbers, evaluation with facilitators and partners and compiling end of project reports.

The list of responsibilities is not exhaustive and the Creative Engagement Associate may undertake other tasks as reasonably requested by the Creative Engagement Manager.

• Previous producing or project management experience working in an arts or events role/environment.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral.
• Approachability and ability to communicate with people at all levels.
• Great organisational and time management skills.
• Good IT skills, including knowledge of Google Suite and Microsoft Office and good knowledge of social media platforms/tools.
• Attention to detail.
• Ability to think strategically and design a cohesive engagement programme.
• Able to work both independently and in teams (in person and digitally).
• A passion for the arts and deep interest in community engagement.
• Share our values of collaboration, access, inclusion and equity.
• Knowledge and awareness of British East and Southeast Asian theatre.

• Experience of audience development and/or community engagement in the arts.
• Experience of organising and/or running creative engagement workshops.
• Experience of collecting data for reporting purposes, particularly for Arts Council.
• Knowledge and experience of fundraising.
• Training in Mental Health First Aid.
• Working knowledge of an East or Southeast Asian language.

This is a part-time role at 16 hours a week (0.4FTE), for a fixed team contract of one year, with the possibility of extension, subject to funding availability.

Remuneration: £28,500 per annum (£11,400 pro rata)

Probation Period: 6 months

Holiday Allowance: 23 days annual leave excluding bank holidays (9.2 days pro rata excluding bank holidays)

New Earth Theatre operates a company pension scheme using NEST.

Please download the job pack from here. Please email your CV and cover letter (up to 2 sides of A4) or video recording (up to 8 mins) with the heading ‘Creative Engagement Associate’ to hello@newearththeatre.org.uk by 9am Monday 16 February 2026.

Interviews will be held on Monday 2 March 2026.

For any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us: hello@newearththeatre.org.uk

New Earth Theatre is a Disability Confident Employer and guarantees to interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for our vacancies. Please state in your email whether you qualify and would like to be considered.

If you would like an initial informal conversation about the role, do contact the email above to arrange a phone call with one of the team.

We look to appoint the role to start in April/May, subject to the successful candidate’s availability. The candidate may be based anywhere in the UK.