THE GENESIS FELLOW AT THE YOUNG VIC 2022-24

THE GENESIS FELLOW AT THE YOUNG VIC 2022-24

The close relationship between the Genesis Foundation and the Young Vic dates back over twenty years.  The generous support we have received has been crucial to establishing and maintaining our work with directors and theatre makers, which is at the heart of everything we do. 

THE ROLE

The Genesis Fellow / Associate Director is a two-year role that embeds the recipient in the fabric and daily life of the Young Vic as they continue to investigate their process.

The Genesis Fellow/Associate Director will be based within the Creators Program department and will play an integral role in the development and delivery of the Young Vic’s artist development program. The theatre is renowned for the Creators Program (that grew from the Directors Program) and has been providing an extensive program of learning activities, traineeships, and opportunities to make work for artists for over 20 years. 

Previous Genesis Fellows includes Jennifer Tang in 2020, Nadia Latif in 2017, Gbolahan Obisesan in 2015, Natalie Abrahami in 2013, Carrie Cracknell in 2012 and Joe Hill-Gibbins in 2010.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Genesis Fellow/Associate Director will be part of the Creators Program department and work closely with that team and contribute to our artist development work. They will initiate and run projects, provide mentorship for Genesis Future Directors Awards, facilitate discussions, and lead on exploration of new ideas and ways of working.   

There will also be an opportunity to direct a show at the Young Vic during the tenure of the Fellowship in one of our three spaces.

More widely, the Genesis Fellow/Associate Director will:

• Be a member of the artistic team attending programming meetings and attend run-throughs and previews of Young Vic productions
• Contribute to the new Artistic Development department by reading scripts and support the literary work of the Young Vic
• See work on behalf of the Young Vic
• Contribute to projects and productions developed by Taking Part with schools, colleges, young people, and the local community
• Work with the development department on relevant fundraising initiatives
• Attend Senior Management Team meetings and contribute to organisational management
• Gain an insight into leadership and governance by attending Board meetings and where appropriate Shadow the Artistic Director and Executive Director

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

The Fellowship is aimed at an experienced director at an associate level or equivalent who has demonstrated a talent for and commitment to directing and has an ambition to become an artistic director. 

We are looking for a director who:

• Has a strong track record and has directed high quality productions and at least one for an established theatre company (building or touring company) in a medium scale space
• Has shown a commitment to originality and a desire to expand their understanding of theatre practice
• Has demonstrated an interest in artist development and supporting new and early career artists and has experience of planning, delivering workshops and creative development projects
• Has a thorough knowledge of theatre artists and practitioners
• Is interested in new technologies
• Has demonstrated an interest in and aptitude for becoming an artistic director
• Has an interest in multi-disciplinary and / or anti-disciplinary theatre making
• Is administratively competent and well organised and where needed happy to work autonomously
• Will promote the mission of the Genesis Foundation and talk publicly of their support for the Young Vic
• Will contribute to the Young Vic’s work to become an actively anti-racist organisation.

Quantifying level of experience is complex, but we want to give some sense of what you might have done so far in your career without being prescriptive. 

You will have made work and be confident in your practice as a director or theatre maker. You will be confident in your skills and experience to feed into projects and productions of scale and with artists who are senior freelancers with practiced experience.  You can also offer skills, knowledge, and practice to artists at an early stage of their artistic development.

THE OFFER

There is a salary of £40,000 and this is a fixed term two-year contract.  The role is based at the Young Vic but there is flexibility of remote working as appropriate.  The position involves working flexible hours as necessary to fulfil the duties of the post. The minimum hours are 35 per week. Normal office hours are 10am to 6pm Monday to Friday. Some evening and weekend work will be required.  There are 25 days holiday per year pro rata.

We welcome applications from candidates who wish to work in a flexible working pattern (for example around caring responsibilities or access requirements).  This includes part time working.  We are happy to discuss flexible home and office working.

The start time is flexible and will be mutually agreed but will be within three months of the final interview.   

HOW TO APPLY  

Please download full job description (attached below) before applying for this role.

We actively work to create a team at the Young Vic that is made up of people from a variety of backgrounds with different experiences, skills, and stories to join us and influence and develop our working practice.

It is important to us that the lived experience of our team accurately and fairly represents the participants, audiences, and communities we serve.  We specifically welcome applications from candidates from the following groups, which we believe are under-represented in our workforce and in theatre more widely:

• Black and Global Majority
• Deaf and or disabled
• Neurodivergent
• Working, benefit, criminal class
• LGBTQIA+

We are committed to inclusive working practices and ensuring access. We will ask you about any access requirements you might have at each stage of the process. The pack is available in a range of formats, and we welcome written, audio, video applications (please see below for more detail).

The recruitment is led by Kwame Kwei-Armah (Artistic Director) and Sue Emmas (Associate Artistic Director) and Harriet Capaldi (Genesis Foundation).  It is also supported by a panel made up of members of the artistic team at the Young Vic.

To apply please send a CV and covering letter (no longer than two sides of A4), audio or video note (two to five minutes) including:

• What attracts you to this role
• How your skills, experience and interests match those outlined above
• How you could contribute to the Creators Program
• How you hope to develop your own practice and knowledge
• Name and contact details for two referees who have seen your work

Audio and video applications should be submitted via WeTransfer to recruitment@youngvic.org

Please also complete the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form and the Access Rider or provide your own if needed.

Filling in the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form will help us to be as representative as possible, in the makeup of our creative teams. Our aim is to embrace diversity, ambition, and excellence. To achieve this, it is useful for us to know a certain amount about who you are.

To apply you should be resident in the UK at the point of application and be able to provide evidence of a legal right to work in the UK.

Please send your application addressed to Sue Emmas, Associate Artistic Director at recruitment@youngvic.org with GENESIS FELLOW in the subject box.

If you have any questions, please send an email to the above address.

The deadline for applications is noon on Tuesday 6 December 2022.