Learning Officer

Are you a creative dynamic individual committed to using art and cultural heritage to make people's lives better? Do you want to be part of a small team with a big ambition to develop one of the South West's most pioneering and enterprising art gallery and museums?

The Wilson Art Gallery and Museum is a unique and established organisation which is currently undergoing redevelopment. It forms part of The Cheltenham Trust, a dynamic charitable organisation that manages 5 culture and leisure venues with the support of Cheltenham Borough Council. The role offers a unique opportunity to be involved in helping to shape our future and the cultural life Cheltenham and Gloucestershire.

The Wilson's Collections are richly diverse from Old Masters to world cultures to a social history collection which tells the story of Cheltenham and the surrounding Cotswolds area from the Bronze Age. A dedicated gallery houses the Arts and Crafts Movement Collection, a Designated Collection of national importance. The Art Collection includes painting and sculpture spanning four centuries, costume and textiles, decorative and applied art.

Our galleries house permanent and temporary display programmes and include one dedicated co-production space led by a Creative Communities panel to present and develop projects with our local communities in Cheltenham and Gloucestershire. In addition, the Wilson is home to artists' studios, a facilitated bursary programme for early career artists, innovative learning and events activities based in our Foyle Learning Studio, our Open Archive and Study space and caf?? with plenty of space to meet friends, work, or for families to play.

The Learning and Engagement Curator is a critical role within the organisation. You will work closely with the curatorial team to help us devise and deliver a public programme of events and workshops for families, young people, adults, and school groups, which help audiences, engage with our collections and exhibition programme.

We are looking for someone with the experience, energy and drive to join us at this time of change. You will work with a small team delivering our community arts and events programme and have a passion for engaging different audiences and exploring new ideas. You'll be enterprising with good communication and networking skills, helping build relationships and partnerships with educators, artists, and community partners across the cultural sector in Cheltenham and our surrounding area of Gloucestershire.

We believe that diversity and equality within our workplace, programmes and in our outlook is crucial. We know that the cultural sector in the UK will be stronger, more exciting and relevant to more people if we embrace diversity. We therefore particularly welcome applications from candidates that are under-represented at the Wilson and within the cultural sector, including racialized minority candidates and/or candidates with a disability.

We consider all applicants in fair and considered manner so that the most appropriate person is selected, regardless of age, colour, disability, gender, marital or family status, nationality or cultural heritage, race, religious belief or sexual orientation.

Purpose:

• To support the organisation and delivery of a wide range of learning activities across the Trust venues and through community based provision
• To liaise with schools and colleges, parents and members of the public in order to deliver a high standard of formal learning programme
• To support the delivery of events within our venues and across the wider community that promote learning, talent and skill development

Key roles and responsibilities:

• To support the delivery of the formal learning programme for Arts and Culture for The Cheltenham trust
• To support the development of programming for schools, colleges, universities, early years and special educational needs providers
• To organise delivery and directly deliver learning activities at Cheltenham Trust sites and other related sites; planning and delivering interactive lessons where required To assist in the origination for new content for learning programmes, highlight new opportunities for programing
• To support the evaluation and review process, and support the development of programming for learning audiences based on review outcomes
• To form productive and proactive relationships with partners in educational settings that develop the quality and quantity of learning programmes at The Cheltenham Trust Develop the Museum Takeaway Service into a core educational offer and manage its day to day delivery Develop and manage the Museum Handling Collection, and related activities
• To develop, communicate and deliver a clear offer of opportunities for educational settings, within a clear vision of what Learning at The Cheltenham Trust represents and enacts.
• Support the delivery of projects with wider learning objectives and educational audiences, for example, large community events, trust wide activity, exhibitions
• To liaise effectively with those booking and delivering learning activities
• Provide general administration relating to the arts and cultural learning team; maintaining accurate record keeping relating to financial transactions and contact databases
• To devise, schedule and evaluate the learning activities delivered by freelancers, casual staff and volunteers
• To support the overall planning for Learning Strategy related to Arts and Culture
• To produce resources, set up and maintain equipment relating to learning activities
• Ensure appropriate Safeguarding procedures are adhered to, flagging up procedural gaps if they arise
• Support the completion of risk assessments within related programme of activity Act as a champion for widening access to learning opportunities at the trust
• To link with exhibitions and cultural programming across TCT and develop relevant learning resources and interpretation
• Highlight opportunity for informal learning activities based on the direction of what is happening within schools, colleges and other formal educational settings
• To assist with promotion and marketing of schools/formal learning programme and the Takeaway Resource Service
• To support the completion of evaluation within frameworks, to ensure all programmes are assessed for success and financial viability

Essential requirements -

• You will have a passion for learning and culture and an understanding of the wider educational environment.
• You will be an experienced learning professional and an excellent communicator with the ability to engage and work effectively with a wide range of people.
• You will be a team player who is highly organised and able to respond to challenges whilst working efficiently to tight deadlines.
• You will be enthusiastic about the potential of pushing boundaries, using new approaches and working closely with audiences to deliver and embed meaningful learning experiences.
• You will ensure all learning provision is inclusive, culturally sensitive, physically and intellectually accessible

Skills and Experience

• Experience of working within the cultural learning and engagement, particularly in Museums or Galleries Experience of working in partnership with schools colleges and community group.
• Experience of education administration, school bookings and finance
• Proven track record of creating and developing learning packages and programmes
• Experience of delivering learning sessions and programmes
• Skilled in monitoring and evaluation of the delivery of learning
• Working knowledge of the National Curriculum, school-based curriculums and wider learning agendas
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English
• Knowledge of health and safety at work and risk assessment process