Programme Lead – Light Up The North

Light Up The North (LUTN) is a strategic network which supports the development of the light art sector. As a network of light festivals, we work together to share our collective expertise and to learn together. We support artists, commission new artworks, and carry out research. We wish to appoint a Programme Lead to support us to deliver an exciting programme of activities across the next two years, consolidating the extremely successful period of growth in our membership and partnership working.

Contract dates: July 2026 – January 2028 inclusive. Budget of up to £1,200 (across 19 months) to cover travel and subsistence whilst on LUTN business.

About Light Up the North (LUTN): Light Up The North is a network of light festivals committed to sharing expertise, driving innovation, & supporting excellence across the sector. LUTN network consists of light festival members in: Barnsley, Blackpool, Bradford, Durham, Hull, Lancaster, Liverpool, Leeds, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Oldham, Rotherham, Salford, Stoke, Wakefield, Wigan & Worcester. The representatives of each member festival are united by a shared ethos of collaboration. They bring expertise based on a collective & rich foundation of cultural practice & technical knowledge. They offer cross‑festival support to LUTN members, sharing best practice & enhancing skills across the light art sector in producing outdoor events & festivals.

LUTN’S STRUCTURE: LUTN strategic initiatives are facilitated by members working closely together through a subgroup structure covering communications, commissioning, talent development and more. Through Arts Council England (ACE) Project Grant funding, the network is further supported by a three‑person team (Programme Lead, Marketing & Communications Lead & Administrator), under the supervision of the Chair & Accountable Body (Blackpool). LUTN will also engage dedicated producers to project manage talent development programmes, ensuring dedicated capacity & expertise to support artists. In 2027, LUTN will also engage additional specialists to support:

• Light Art Festivals
• Partnerships / Delivery Models
• Review Impact Reporting
• Conference Management and Delivery

LUTN’S OBJECTIVES over the next 2 years are:

• Work with its members in advancing the ambition, quality, accessibility, relevance, diversity, and resilience of the light art sector and light art festivals in the UK (primarily in Northern England).
• Provide development opportunities for artists, and professional development & research opportunities for members.
• Carry out research, to include shared data and festival visits.
• Commission reviews of festival delivery and business models.
• Share learning and best practice with the sector.
• Strengthen the light art sector, and its capacity to collaborate with others in our sector and beyond.
• Deliver a world‑class artist development programme.
• Work in collaboration to co‑commission and co‑present excellent light art work.
• Raise the profile of light art and LUTN, including measuring and communicating the impact of our festivals’ events and LUTN’s activities.

Role: We see the Programme Lead working over a period of 19 months, spreading 48 days out accordingly and in line with what is best for delivering the role. As this is a new role, we expect that it will be, to some extent, shaped by the successful applicant, working with the Chair of LUTN and the LUTN accountable body. NOTE: Some of the LUTN aims are outside of the scope of this role – additional expertise will be brought in to lead on these areas. If the appointed Programme Lead has the appropriate skills and wishes to apply to deliver these elements, for an agreed additional fee, that would be considered. The role is funded through the ACE Project Grant. The appointed freelancer will enter into a contract with Blackpool Council (as the accountable body) for the fee and work programme to be delivered. Regular update meetings between the Chair of LUTN and the LUTN accountable body will be timetabled from the start date.

Key Tasks:

• ADVOCACY & PARTNERSHIPS: Advocating for Light Up the North (LUTN) and the network members, and the light art sector, with strategic partners including Arts Council England (ACE), national and international festivals, relevant consortia and organisations, potential partners or supporters and collaborators. Represent LUTN at identified events or meetings, sometimes with the LUTN Chair or other members. Carry out ‘horizon scanning’, advising LUTN of opportunities for collaboration / partnership development.
• STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT: Support the engagement of freelance specialists, working with the Recruitment Sub‑Group, as required. In Year 2, advise and support planning for the development of the network beyond Spring 2028. Contribute to the development of articles / blogs for the LUTN website and e‑newsletter, and press releases, as required, and support the Marketing & Communications Lead to analyse data and impacts to create case studies and articles.
• PROGRAMME DELIVERY, EVALUATION & REPORTING: Meet with prospective new network members, if required, progress their applications and advise the LUTN Memberships Sub‑Group. Lead on evaluation, updating the evaluation framework, planning for evaluation across 2 years of delivery, and ensuring ongoing data collection by network partners. Update reporting systems and track the network’s progress against planned activity. Report progress to quarterly LUTN meetings, including progress against outputs and outcomes, and advising the network around successful routes to progression. Lead on writing the interim progress report to Arts Council England (expected Feb 2027). Advise and support on planning for the LUTN Conference in 2027.
• OTHER: Attend quarterly LUTN meetings (in person or virtually) providing brief written updates / reports for the meetings as requested by the Chair.

Person Specification: The right candidate will:

• Be highly organised and focussed on key tasks.
• Be a good communicator and advocate able to work with people and organisations, developing partnerships, at a strategic level.
• Be a self‑starter capable of working independently.
• Have experience of managing successful projects with multiple stakeholders and timelines.
• Have experience of working on ACE‑funded projects, and reporting to ACE.
• Be experienced in evaluation.
• Be able to analyse data and write compelling reports.

You may also have:

• Experience of reporting to a non‑executive board.
• Experience of working on the development of light festivals and commissioning artists to create new work for diverse outdoor locations.
• Experience of writing and delivering strategic plans and/or funding bids.
• Experience of delivering conferences.

The fee is based on £250 per day, and an average of 2.5 days per month, although it is expected that the workload will be weighted to certain months in the year. The fee is payable monthly on a retrospective basis. You would be formally contracted by Blackpool Council and will require a UTR to receive payment through invoices and to meet the Council’s due diligence contracting procedures. There is an additional expenses allowance of £1,200 throughout the contract term.

To Apply: Please submit your CV with a short supporting statement (no longer than 2 pages) describing your suitability and interest in the role. Please outline how your skills and experience fit the Key Tasks. Submit by email to Deadline: midnight 7 June 2026. Shortlisted applicants will be notified by 11 June 2026. Interviews will be held on w/c 15 June 2026.

As well as your application, please consider completing our Equality & Diversity Monitoring Form. This helps us to understand whether we are successfully reaching a diverse range of applicants. The monitoring form is entirely anonymous and not connected to your application.

Criminal record information: Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. A criminal record check is not required for this position. However, all applicants will be required to declare if they have any ‘unspent’ criminal offences, including those pending.