Job Description

Job Summary

Concrete Youth, an award-winning charity dedicated to increasing cultural provision for people labelled with profound and multiple learning disabilities, is seeking a skilled and passionate Set & Costume Designer for the research & development phase of our current major project, Blueprint.

Job Description

About Blueprint

Blueprint is an ambitious, research-led project that reimagines how sensory theatre is made with and for audiences labelled with profound and multiple learning disabilities.

Developed by Concrete Youth in collaboration with co-researchers labelled with profound and multiple learning disabilities and their support networks, Blueprint sets out to build a bespoke, audience-led model of sensory theatre that adapts to everyone's unique needs, preferences, and best ways of engaging. Drawing on years of acclaimed national touring and award-winning work, the project combines creative innovation with academic practice to place the audience at the heart of every decision.

Led by Concrete Youth's Chief Executive and Artistic Director, Daniel Swift MBE, Blueprint forms part of his doctoral research at Rose Bruford College and the University of East London. This study informs the project's inclusive methodology, centring co-authorship with people labelled with profound and multiple learning disabilities to shape the work from within.

As Concrete Youth continues to pioneer new models of inclusive theatre, Blueprint represents a pivotal opportunity to explore bold ideas and redefine inclusive practice. The project is now moving towards a research and development phase, where its findings will begin to be implemented into the creation of a new sensory theatre production for the first time. Its findings will directly inform the company's artistic direction and contribute to the wider conversation on accessibility and co-creation across the theatre sector.

Fee

In your expression of interest, please outline your pay expectations for design. For transparency, our budget for fee currently sits around £4,000-£5,000. Set making will be undertaken by an external company. The set will be designed for small-midscale venues and costumes will be required for a cast of four.

Job Requirements

The ideal candidate will have:

• Professional experience designing sets and costume for theatre
• Experience in designing set and costumes for audiences labelled with profound and multiple learning disabilities
• Ability to work to a brief creatively and effectively
• Significant experience working to design budgets
• Open and honest communication
• A positive attitude with a high level of self-motivation and ability to work on your initiative

Job Responsibilities and Overview

We are seeking a skilled and passionate Set & Costume Designer to join our team. If you are passionate about making a difference through sensory theatre and meet the qualifications, we would love to hear from you! We are currently accepting expressions of interest for this role.

Please note that our audience comes from all walks of life, and so do we. We work with great people from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it makes our company stronger. If you share our values and our enthusiasm for inclusive theatre, you will find a home at Concrete Youth.

To apply, please submit your CV and expression of interest by midday on Friday 17th October. You can do this via our application form or by emailing jobs@concreteyouth.co.uk if you require a more accessible method.