Museum of London freelance opportunities

Kathryn Davis, 06 December 2019

NOTE 14/01/2019: THESE POSITIONS HAVE NOW BEEN FILLED

As part of its Curating London: Finsbury Park programme, the Museum of London is looking for talented freelances to fill two roles – Arts Award Freelancer and Schools Freelancer – to be undertaken in the first quarter of 2020 and completed by the end of March. Information on how to apply is given at the bottom of each role description.

CURATING LONDON: FINSBURY PARK
ARTS AWARD FREELANCER

Summary
We are looking for a freelancer (or freelance team) to deliver an arts award project in Finsbury Park, London as part of our Curating London Finsbury Park area study. Our study explores what ‘left objects’ can tell us about park life in 2019 by mixing archaeological methods with community collaboration. Our ambition is to collect the project’s archaeological archive for our permanent museum collection.

As part of the project, we want to enable local children to creatively respond to the study and share their own connections to Finsbury Park. The Arts award project needs to be completed by end of March 2020.

Background
It’s an exciting year for Finsbury Park, which in 2019 is celebrating its 150th anniversary of becoming a public park. We are working in partnership with 2NQ, an arts organisation leading the park’s 150th celebrations.

This collaborative contemporary archaeology project challenges us to capture, collect and share the 24/7 life of a well-loved north London park, sitting at the junction between Haringey, Hackney and Islington. London parks are changing; their hire for commercial events (e.g. music festivals) is sparking public debate, and their growing use as ‘safe spaces’ for rough sleeping reframes questions on access and use of public spaces across the city. This study aims to explore and record these themes by using Finsbury Park as a case study.

What are left objects?
This study collects anything manmade left in the park using archaeological recording methods. These objects will act as a catalyst to investigate the social life of the park together with park visitors, employees and neighbours. This includes children through specific schools and art awards projects.

So far we have hand collected, photographed, recorded and geo-located 533 objects from 4 ‘sites’ in the park. The majority of the objects are related to cigarettes/smoking (31%) and plastic waste (28%) but include other finds like teabags, toys and personal accessories (e.g. hairbands). We collected in September to capture summer activities in the park, and will collect in December 2019 – January 2020 to explore winter activities.

Purpose of role
To devise and deliver an arts-focused project for children to creatively engage with and respond to the left objects from the park, and connected themes. We are open to the artistic medium and focus of the project (e.g. photography, performance, visual art) but are looking for a strong connection to the project and the park. The project will support participants to attain a ‘Discover’ level Arts Award.

Objectives

To design a project to creatively respond to the left objects and sense of place of Finsbury Park.
To recruit at least 20 children from the local tri-borough area to take part in the project.
To deliver an arts award project enabling 20 local children to achieve the Discover or Explore level award.
To ensure the project commits to the Museum of London’s policies on safeguarding, GDPR and individuals intellectual rights.

Fee
The fee available for this project is £2,000. The fee covers development and delivery of the arts award project, recruiting of local children and meetings with the Museum of London team.

Content and themes
There is a wide range of objects and themes which the role holder can explore, with support from the project team. We would particular welcome project proposals which explore one or more of these areas:

The future of the park/these objects – what will archaeologists think in 100 years?
The environment, decay and pollution
Personal experience, connections and places in the park e.g. sports, events, etc.

The objects, and/or photos of the objects, can be available for use in the project.

Project schedule
We are open to proposals on the project schedule, but generally expect:

Jan - Feb 2020 – planning and recruitment of local families
Feb – early Mar 2020 – delivery of project sessions
Mar 2020 – art awards assessed and completed

Requirements of role holder

Essential
Have completed discover & explore Art Award Advisor training
Proven experience of successfully devising and delivering creative projects for children
Expertise in at least one artistic field
Passion for London
Inclusive, patient and enthusiastic approach
Commitment to safeguarding procedures and requirements
Willing to undertake a DBS check

Desirable
Knowledge of the Finsbury Park area and communities
Previous experience of delivering arts award for a museum or heritage organisation

About Curating London
Curating London is a four-year contemporary collecting programme, curating the city today with funding from Arts Council England. Curating London will change how the museum collects 21st century London. It also seeks to recruit staff from a broader range of backgrounds and professional experience and puts Londoners at the heart of our collecting practice by working in partnership with local communities. From physical objects to interviewing Londoners about their own histories and memories, Curating London will capture, collect and record contemporary London.

The project started in April 2018 and runs until March 2022.
Each year the museum will begin four projects: three area studies of particular areas and one themed study that spans the whole of London.

How to apply
Please send your CV with a covering letter explaining how you propose to meet the brief, deadlines and the requirements of the role, and how you propose to use the budget, to kdavis@museumoflondon.org.uk by Friday 3 January 2020.

CURATING LONDON: FINSBURY PARK
SCHOOLS FREELANCER

Summary
We are looking for a freelancer (or team) to develop and deliver school projects in Finsbury Park, London for our Curating London Finsbury Park area study. Our study explores what ‘left objects’ can tell us about park life in 2019 by mixing archaeological methods with community collaboration. Our ambition is to collect the project’s archaeological archive for our permanent museum collection.

As part of the project, we want to enable local children to creatively respond to the study and share their own connections to Finsbury Park. The schools’ projects need to be completed by end of March 2020.

Purpose of this role
To devise and deliver repeatable a project which can be repeated in multiple schools, for school children to share their park in 2019. The project should connect them to what physically and visually disappears, and what remains. The project does not need to provide a historical account of the park, nor teach the park’s history, but instead provide a space for children to be the history makers. The project will connect to schools engaging with existing sessions run by our partners, 2NQ.

Objectives

To design a project to creatively respond to the left objects and sense of place of Finsbury Park.
To run the project with six local schools; three primary and three secondary, reaching 500 schoolchildren.
To ensure the project commits to the Museum of London’s policies on safeguarding, GDPR and individuals intellectual rights.

Fee
The fee available for this project is £3,500. The fee is for full development and delivery of projects, with at least two contact sessions for six local schools, and for meetings with museum staff. It includes all expenses and travel.

The future of the park/these objects – what will archaeologists think in 100 years?
The environment, decay and pollution
Personal experience, connections and places in the park e.g. sports, events, games, etc.

The objects, and/or photos of the objects, can be available for use in the project.

Project schedule
We are open to proposals on the project schedule, but generally expect:
Jan - Feb 2020 – planning and development
Feb - Mar 2020 – delivery of project sessions

Requirements of role holder
Essential
Have previously developed and delivered schools projects for cultural organisations
Knowledge of the National Curriculum and development of projects to work with school’s needs
Experience of working with children outdoors
Passion for London
Inclusive, patient and enthusiastic approach
Commitment to safeguarding procedures and requirements
Willing to undertake a DBS check

Desirable
Knowledge of the Finsbury Park area and communities
Previous experience of archaeology, events in parks and/or creating immersive experiences

The project started in April 2018 and runs until March 2022.
Each year the museum will begin four projects: three area studies of particular areas and one themed study that spans the whole of London.