Trustee - Arts at the Old Fire Station

Last edited by justine.malone on 12 March 2019
Salary / Fee: 
None
Closing Date: 
Wednesday, 1 May, 2019

Arts at the Old Fire Station is a dynamic public arts centre in Oxford with a theatre, gallery, shop and studios. What makes us different is we share our building with the homelessness charity Crisis, which means we are uniquely placed to be able to include people facing tough times in everything we do.

We are seeking an outstanding individual for our Board of Trustees who will bring expertise and experience in arts practice/management and act as a passionate champion of the role art plays in public cohesion and transforming people’s lives.

We are looking for someone with experience in the arts as a practitioner or manager who can demonstrate or evidence the following skills, qualities and experience

Experience of being on the board of a charity (or other relevant experience)
Experience of successful leadership and strategic thinking
Experience of creating, commissioning or producing art
Ability to advise on ways of improving quality, increasing engagement and nurturing talent in the arts
Understanding the importance of and a commitment to art and culture in Oxford
Understanding of and commitment to the significance of shared public space and social inclusion
Have a connection with Oxford and be able to devote enough time to engage fully with the organisation
Prepared to be involved with fundraising and donor development and show some experience of these activities.
Prepared to join the Artistic Development Sub Group of the Board which usually meets four times a year (in addition to full board meetings).

All Trustees are expected to
• promote and support AOFS’ vision, mission and values
• contribute to the development of strategy, business planning and policy
• ensure that policies, operations and priorities are in keeping with the aims and values of AOFS and in line with relevant legal frameworks
• ensure the charity is well managed in terms of finance and accountability
• monitor the charity’s performance in terms of meeting agreed goals and objectives
• attend board meetings
• contribute to fundraising and development through funder/donor cultivation
• be an active advocate for the organisation by supporting wider networking
• support the Director and where necessary meet Director and staff between Board meetings
• attend events, performances and workshops where possible

Every trustee is expected to prepare for and participate in regular AOFS Board meetings (currently four per annum, each lasting 2.5 hours and held in Oxford, plus one annual away day, usually held in Spring), and may also be asked to serve on a working group.

The minimum time commitment is likely to amount to 12 days per year.

All AOFS trustee appointments are unpaid, although reasonable travel and other out of pocket expenses will be paid for.

The usual term of office is 5 years extendable by a further 3 years to a maximum of 8.

Arts at the Old Fire Station (AOFS) is known and respected for its values-led approach and passion for social change, and all trustees are expected to share that commitment.

We value diversity and welcome and encourage applications from everyone.

If you would like to be part of our next chapter we would be delighted to hear from you.

ABOUT ARTS AT THE OLD FIRE STATION (AOFS)

AOFS is a creative laboratory and pioneering charity and company based in The Old Fire Station, in central Oxford. We share the building with Crisis, the national homeless charity. Our central belief is that Art is for everyone, and everyone has potential.

What do we do?
The Old Fire Station is a public arts centre
• presenting new work across art forms
• supporting artists
• including people facing tough times

How do we do it?
We do this by focussing on:
• good quality relationships
• encouraging creativity and risk-taking
• offering a public space which is welcoming to all

Why is this needed?
Oxford is globally renowned for stunning heritage and outstanding research.
Oxford is also a place of disadvantage and inequality and is sometimes regarded as closed.
Oxford needs the Old Fire Station because it is about openness, inclusion, looking forward and different thinking. The Old Fire Station acts as a bridge between sectors, organisations and people.


Our Mission
Presenting new work across art forms
We want our reputation to be good quality art aimed at adults which takes a risk, asks questions and entertains. We want our audiences to have fun and be open to new ideas and different people.
Supporting artists
We support early to mid-career artists from all disciplines with advice, networks and promotion to help them become more successful.
Including people facing tough times
We share our building with the homelessness charity, Crisis. Through this partnership, we offer people who are homeless space to define themselves and choose their own labels by including them in the running of the centre. We look for ways of including others who are socially isolated and disadvantaged. This improves the quality of what we do, helps develop networks, builds resilience and leads to more stable lives.

We do this, with Crisis, by offering a public space which is shared by very different people and helps to break down barriers and promote solidarity in Oxford. We prioritise building good quality relationships within our team, with our public and with partner organisations.

Our Values
Openness: We want everyone to feel welcome and able to contribute.
Good Quality Relationships: We try to be honest and transparent.
Innovation: We look for creative ways of operating.
Learning: We reflect deeply on what we do, seek to learn from others and listen to dissent.
Professionalism: We aim to provide the best possible service to customers, artists and collaborators.
Fun: We think it is important to play and take risks.

In just eight years, our organisation has grown from a start up with no staff and no guaranteed subsidy and a first year turnover of £90k to a thriving arts centre employing 17 permanent staff and a budgeted turnover of £750k supported by a range of local and national funders.

Since opening to the public in 2011, we have hosted hundreds of public artistic events and shows across art forms in our theatre and gallery as well as over 25 regular weekly dance classes. We have helped emerging artists develop their professional skills – making, showcasing and selling work - and fostered the development of talent through workshops and networking. We also provide homeless people with the opportunity to cultivate their skills, develop networks and grow resilience as audience, participant, volunteer, trainee and/or artist. We provide a shared, inclusive and creative public space.

We work very closely with Crisis and Oxford City Council and collaborate with cultural partners across the county and beyond. We also run a social business through our box office, hires, bar, shop and various services.

We have secured a significant place in the cultural landscape of Oxford with a strong presence on social media and a reputation for high quality, easy-to-access art across forms through strong partnership working.

We have received funding and backing from Arts Council England, Lankelly Chase Foundation, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Monument Trust, Big Lottery Fund, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Tudor Trust and Oxford City Council amongst others.

We also host national and regional debates and events about public space, arts provision and funding, and social innovation. And we co-produce major events such as Marmalade (social innovation conference) and Off Beat (performing arts festival).

We have been cited as good practice by the Cabinet Office, Local Government Association and Culture Hive as well as our funders.

Independent evaluators published a series of reports about our work which, along with our accounts, can be found here: https://oldfirestation.org.uk/about/revi...

We have also developed a storytelling approach to evaluation which has attracted national interest and is described here: https://oldfirestation.org.uk/about/our-...

Contact Details: 

If you would like to be part of this unique organisation, please arrange to meet the Director for an informal conversation by emailing Justine Malone (justine.malone@oldfirestation.org.uk). If, following this meeting, you wish to apply to join the Board you will be asked to provide the following and then meet with two Trustees.
• A comprehensive CV
• A supporting statement of around 500 words, explaining how you believe your skills and experience match the requirements of the role and why you wish to join the board.

Multi Artform
Crafts and Applied Arts
Dance
Film and Animation
Music
New Media
Outdoor Arts
Theatre
Visual Arts
Written and Spoken Word
Commissions - practising artist
Community Arts
Curation
Education (adult learning)
Education (young people and schools)
Exhibitions
Performance
Promotion
Public Art
Selling
Venue