Jobs

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Icon is looking for up to 5 new trustees who are passionate about theatre and participatory arts.

In 2022, Icon was selected to join Arts Council England’s National Portfolio 2023 to 2026, alongside some of the country’s leading arts companies, enabling the charity to deepen its award-winning work – there has never been a more exciting time to join us.

Upcoming programme highlights include a major new co-production with ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company and Amina Khayyam Dance Company supported by The Historic Dockyard Chatham, the expansion of our young people’s programme on the Isle of Sheppey, and new interactive touring shows for early years children.

Who We Are Looking For

Icon’s Board of Trustees is the governing body of the company and has ultimate responsibility for the governance and strategic direction of the organisation and in it meeting its charitable objectives.

Whilst we’d like to hear from applicants from a range of backgrounds and experiences, we are keen to hear from those with skills in any of the following areas:

• Outdoor Theatre Production
• Environment & Sustainability
• Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
• Fundraising
• Human Resources
• Learning
• Legal

Trustee Responsibilities

• Ensuring Icon complies with its governing documents, charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations.
• Contributing actively to the long-term strategic direction and effective professional management of Icon.
• Managing the charity’s resources responsibly, ensuring Icon’s financial stability and solvency, including oversight of annual budgets.
• Safeguarding the reputation and values of the organisation.
• Acting in the charity’s best interests and with reasonable care and skill.
• Playing a collaborative, engaged, and committed role in the long-term growth and development of the organisation.

What We Are Looking for in Potential Trustees

• An understanding and acceptance of the legal duties and responsibilities of being a Trustee.
• Good judgement.
• Supporter of arts and creativity.
• An ability to think creatively and strategically.
• An ability to collaborate and work as part of a team.
• Effective communicator with strong interpersonal skills.
• A commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.
• A willingness to devote the necessary time and effort required (this is around 6 to 8 days per year).

Expectations: What We ask

• To serve an initial term of 2 years, with the possibility of re-appointment until 6 consecutive years’ service has been reached.
• To attend 4 to 6 2-hour Board meetings a year as well as an annual Away Day (Board meetings take place in Central London or Online, from 7-9pm. Board papers must be read in advance of meetings).
• To attend a small number of events in Medway.
• To be a Board Lead or sit on a Board sub-committee as necessary.
• Provide specialist advice to the Artistic and Executive Director as needed.
• To advocate and support the development of the charity where possible.

What You Can Expect from Us

• The opportunity to make a genuine difference to a small charity with big ambitions.
• Complimentary tickets to Icon Theatre productions.
• Flexibility to attend meetings in person or online.
• A Trustee induction.
• Trustee roles are voluntary and therefore unpaid, however reasonable out-of-pocket expenses can be covered.

How to Apply

To apply for this role, please send the following to hello@icontheatre.org.uk no later than Friday 12 January 2024.

• A brief covering letter (up to 3 A4 pages) OR a short video of yourself (no more than 5 minutes), detailing why you’re interested in becoming a Trustee and what you would bring to the role.
• Your CV (no more than two A4 pages)
• And complete an Equal Opportunities Form: https://uk.culturecounts.cc/s/6bixUb. This Form will be kept separate to your application throughout the recruitment process.

Interviews are currently scheduled to take place either in person or via video call week commencing Monday 29 January, and we will notify you either way if you have been selected for interview or not.

Should you have access requirements or need any reasonable adjustments to be made to apply for this role and/or to attend an interview, please e-mail daniel@icontheatre.org.uk

If you’d like to have an informal conversation with one of our current Trustees, Artistic or Executive Director before applying, please e-mail daniel@icontheatre.org.uk

Icon is an inclusive organisation and an equal opportunities employer. We believe diverse teams enrich the theatre we make, embolden our creativity and strengthen our communities. As part of our commitment to achieve greater diversity so that our organisation better reflects the diversity of Medway, we are particularly keen from D/deaf, disabled and global majority candidates. There is an opportunity to express this information in the equal opportunities monitoring form.

Icon is looking for a Deputy Stage Manager (DSM) for a new site-specific dance and theatre production that will be performed at The Historic Dockyard Chatham.

In Icon’s signature style, this new work will be created and performed by a 200-strong company of professional performers, a community cast and choir. Directed by Icon’s award-winning Artistic Director Nancy Hirst and choreographed by ZooNation’s Associate Artistic Director, Danielle ‘Rhimes’ Lecointe, it will be performed in a monumental covered boathouse.

This new co-production with acclaimed ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company (Sylvia, The Old Vic; Message In A Bottle, West End) and Amina Khayyam Dance Company, delivered in partnership with The Historic Dockyard Chatham, will feature a mix of breath-taking projected visuals, exhilarating choreography, spoken word and original music.

2024 marks 40 years since Chatham Dockyard’s closure and the show is inspired by newly uncovered historical research and oral histories from people working at the Dockyard in its final days. The production’s narrative will have a strong focus on the Dockyard’s links to Britain’s colonial past and will explore the journeys, impact and legacy of ships that sailed from Chatham to countries across the world including Jamaica, South Africa, and India.

The Production is a devised, large-scale, and site-specific production, presented outdoors (under cover). The production will be presented as a headline event in a year-long Medway festival.

Icon Theatre – how we make shows

Icon creates acclaimed large-scale, site-specific, promenade and outdoor participatory theatre productions by bringing professional theatre-makers, local communities and young people into collaboration. Our recent productions include If Not Now (February 2022) staged at Rochester Castle and The Ballad of St John’s Car Park (October 2022) staged at the St George’s Hotel.

Mostly, we create shows in unconventional ways, and in hidden and forgotten spaces and places, everything from old forts to castles, riversides to car parks. We bring a small idea and invite professionals and communities to create the productions with us. We prioritise telling unheard stories from marginalised communities.

Emerging artists, individuals, local groups and schools get involved in our shows’ creation in active partnership with professional creative teams. They might offer their skills backstage, local history, take a leading role alongside a professional performer, support creating costumes, or be part of a mass-dance routine that has been rehearsed in their school’s drama lessons.

Icon uses its productions as an engine for developing young people’s skills and artists of the future, offering work experience and paid placements.

**** “A sharp, impeccably performed and blazingly impassioned piece of theatre.” The Times

“Icon has been ahead of the curve in understanding that the arts have a role to play in bringing people together, helping them be heard by telling their own stories in their own way” Lyn Gardner (Journalist, The Stage)

Duties and role of the DSM

The DSM provides support for the rehearsal process and performances.

The role of the DSM will be required for all rehearsal periods. For this production, they will be the only member of stage management present in the initial R&D period in January 2024. Therefore, the main scope of the role will be to prepare the room, assist the Director with calls and the Assistant Composer with providing sound / rehearsal music.

The DSM will be key to the preparation of this production for the post-R&D period, creating the Show Book, rehearsal notes and visual documentation to be used by the creatives and cast.

The DSM will understand the role of the Stage Manager (SM), Assistant Stage Manager (ASM) and Production Coordinator, their responsibilities, the cross-over in the roles and how to define this position of DSM with them on this production.

Download the job pack for the full job description. 

Fee and allowances:
£625 per week (freelance contract)
Plus holiday pay
Relocation allowance + fair contribution for travel to and from Medway

Icon uses ITC and SOLT/equity non-commercial theatre rates plus consultation from its partners to ensure all rates of pay and allowances are in alignment with industry standards and practice.

Dates:

• Three weeks R&D, professional dancers: Monday 15 January – Friday 2 February 2024, LONDON
• Professional dancers’ rehearsal: Monday 9 – Friday 13 September 2024, LONDON
• Full Company rehearsal: Monday 16 – Friday 20 September 2024, MEDWAY
• Production week and performances: Monday 23 September – Sunday 29 September 2024, MEDWAY

Reports to: Senior Producer

Works with: Production Manager, SM and ASM, technical crew, Director, creative team, and the full company of performers (made up of professional performers and community participants).

Rehearsals:
London: East London Dance, Sugar Lane, E15 2QS
Medway: The Historic Dockyard Chatham and other central Chatham locations

How to apply

To apply for this role, please send the following to hello@icontheatre.org.uk no later than Sunday 10 December 2023, midnight:

• A brief covering letter (up to one A4 page) OR a short video of yourself (no more than 3 minutes)
• Your CV (no more than two A4 pages)
• A complete an Equal Opportunities Form: https://uk.culturecounts.cc/s/6bixUb

This Form will be kept separate to your application throughout the recruitment process.

Interviews are currently scheduled to take place either in person or via video call on Thursday 14 December, and we will notify you either way if you have been selected for interview or not by Monday 11 December, EOD.

We are looking to recruit this role as soon as possible.

Icon’s recruitment process is open to all, but we are particularly keen to hear from D/deaf, disabled, and global majority candidates, and those who have low socio-economic backgrounds, as these are currently underrepresented in Icon’s teams and the theatre industry more widely. There is an opportunity to share this information with us in the equal opportunities monitoring form.

We are dedicated to fulfilling any access requirements you have, where possible – just let us know what you need using the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form (link above).

If you would like to submit your application in another format, or have any questions about the role or production, please contact Jemma Robinson, Senior Producer: hello@icontheatre.org.uk

An Icon Theatre, ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company and Amina Khayyam Dance Company Co-Production, supported by The Historic Dockyard Chatham.