Create seeks Festivals Connect Coordinator

Create seeks applications for the role of Festivals Connect Coordinator, to work with us on the new four-year Connect project, supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). The project is led by the British Council and is implemented in partnership with Create and Politics in Action (Northern Ireland), and with the support of the Arts Council of Ireland and Arts Council of Northern Ireland as associate partners.

One of the three main work packages of the project is Festivals Connect: A programme aiming to engage with existing festivals of all forms and sizes, learn about their different approaches to festival making and place making and provide a range of opportunities. The planned work will bring benefits to festivals, artists and communities in Northern Ireland and border counties in particular, providing a range of opportunities rooted in cultural democratic approaches that foster interaction and expression. This will improve their reach in diverse local communities, equip them with the skills to work with socially engaged artists and build sustainable structures to continually develop community-led programmes and partnerships.

Overall, the four-year project aims to address four main challenges: mistrust between communities, community isolation and discrimination and inequalities for the most vulnerable, and a lack of skills to critically review, assess information and act to bring positive change. This project aims to tackle these deep-rooted issues by fostering positive relations, respect for cultural diversity, and inclusive community engagement. The overall objective of the project is to build strong, resilient relationships between diverse communities across the island of Ireland.

The role of the Festivals Connect Coordinator is key to successfully managing this significant project. They will have oversight of the Festivals Connect work package and liaise with the lead partner on meeting the aims and objectives of the project over the coming years.

The Festivals Connect Coordinator is a busy, varied and exciting role which presents the successful candidate with an opportunity to make a real contribution to the development of Create and collaborative arts practice across Ireland. The role is offered part-time (3 days), on a three-years and six-months fixed-term contract.  The Salary for this role will be €27,041 per annum (€45,068 pro rata) with a 6-month probationary period.

Function and overall purpose of the post

The role of the Festivals Connect Coordinator is to coordinate the successful delivery of the Festivals Connect work package of the Connect project, overseeing timelines, budget and subcontracting in line with the project plan. The Festivals Connect Coordinator is a key member of the Create team and will work closely with other staff to ensure the optimum development of the field of collaborative arts in line with the organisation’s strategy.

As a liaison between diverse partners and stakeholders, including artists, festivals, contractors and volunteers, the role requires outstanding project management abilities and communications skills combined with a solid understanding of socially engaged art practice, as well as an understanding of public funding and, in particular, EU funded projects. Given the geographic spread of the project, the role will involve considerable travel and attendance at events throughout Northern Ireland and the border counties which are the focus of the PEACEPLUS funding programme.

The successful candidate will be employed by Create in Ireland and paid in Euros. Given the geographic focus of this work, applicants living in Northern Ireland may be interested to apply. Find information on cross-border workers on the Citizens Information website.

How to apply

Prospective applicants must read the full job specification, linked below, which contains information on the application process.

Full job spec

The deadline for applications is Wednesday 1^st October 2025 at 5pm. Applications received after the closing date and time will not be accepted.

Interviews will be held in an accessible location in Dublin, or online, on Friday 10^th October 2025.

Create is committed to equal opportunities and diversity in its employment policy, practices and procedures. If you feel you need assistance with your application or need to apply in a different format, please contact recruitment@create-ireland.ie or phone (01) 473 6600 with details.

Create is committed to respecting and protecting the privacy of applicants. We collect different kinds of personal data about prospective employees to manage the recruitment process and meet our legal obligations. It is Create’s policy that this information is processed in accordance with Data Protection law. Records relating to the recruitment process will be retained for 1 year.