Vacancy -- Members x 3 – Arts Council of Wales

The Arts Council of Wales is looking for Members who are passionate about the arts in Wales. Do you believe that at their best the arts can inspire and teach us something about ourselves and the world around us?  Do you believe that the arts can be transformative and bring communities together?  Are you aware of the impact of the arts and the benefits of the arts to the health, wealth and well-being of Wales? Are you ambitious for the arts in Wales - can you help to build a creative Wales where the arts are central to the life of the nation? Could you represent the Council with authority and confidence?

If the answer to the above is ‘yes’ then we would like to hear from you

The Arts Council of Wales was established by Royal Charter in 1994. The Arts Council is a Welsh Government Sponsored Body funded largely by grant in aid from the Welsh Government. It is also a registered charity subject to Charity Law and is one of the four Lottery Distributors in Wales.

The Council’s aims as set out in its Royal Charter are:

a) to develop and improve the knowledge, understanding and practice of the arts;

b) to increase the accessibility of the arts to the public in Wales;

c) to advise and co-operate with the Welsh Government and relevant bodies; and

d) to carry out the objects through the medium of both the English and Welsh languages.

The role of Council Members is defined in the Management Framework Document.  As part of the terms and conditions of funding, Council Members have individual and corporate responsibility to the Welsh Government

About the Arts Council of Wales

As the country’s funding and development agency for the arts, the Arts Council:

• supports and develops high quality arts activity – it invests public funding, provided by the taxpayer, and allocated by the Welsh Government, helping the arts to thrive in Wales

• develops and delivers the Welsh Government’s strategic priorities for the arts – it ensures appropriate mechanisms, process and procedures are in place to deliver on the strategic agenda set by the Welsh Government, as set out in the prevailing strategy document (currently the Programme for Government) and the Annual Remit letter

• distributes Lottery funds – through applications to its funding programmes it invests in projects that develop new arts activity, supporting individuals and organisations

• provides advice about the arts – through its staff and its advisers, the Arts Council has the largest concentration of arts expertise and knowledge in Wales

• shares information – the Arts Council is the national centre of a network of information and intelligence about the arts in Wales.  It also has strong international links in the UK and beyond

• raises the profile of the arts in Wales – the Arts Council is the national voice for the arts in Wales, making sure that people are aware of the quality, value and importance of the country’s arts

• generates more money for the arts economy – through initiatives such as Collectorplan – the Council’s scheme to encourage more people to buy art -  and its work to secure European funding; these bring more money into the arts economy

• influences planners and decision-makers – the arts take place in many different settings.  They can have a dramatic impact on the quality of people’s lives, and the places in which they live and work. The arts are also frequently at the heart of initiatives for economic and social regeneration.  The Arts Council plays a key role in ensuring that the contribution that the arts can make is recognised, valued and celebrated.

As a Welsh Government Sponsored Body, the role of Council Members is defined in the Management Framework Document which also sets out the terms and conditions of the Welsh Government’s funding to the Arts Council of Wales. 

The Welsh Government sets the strategic agenda for the arts in Wales.  It wishes to encourage active participation in the arts, and  for high-quality cultural experiences to be available to all people, irrespective of where they live or their background.

Members will be expected to:

• Participate and contribute effectively to the Council’s activities, in particular in defining and developing its strategic direction, and in setting and achieving challenging objectives, and in support of Welsh Government policy;

• Act in a way that promotes high standards of propriety and public finance;

• Ensure that the Council’s activities are conducted efficiently and effectively;

• Ensure that the Council meets its and the Welsh Government’s complementary aims, objectives and performance targets;

• Ensure that the Council’s controls achieve value for money within a framework of best practice, regularity and propriety;

• Participate in the corporate planning process; and

• Appoint, with the Welsh Government’s approval, a Chief Executive, should the necessity arise.

The Welsh Government is seeking to appoint individuals who can demonstrate the following:

• Extensive knowledge of the arts in Wales and a keen interest in the future development of the role of the arts throughout Wales, the UK and internationally;

• An understanding of current Welsh Government and Arts Council priorities and initiatives, together with knowledge of the challenges facing arts organisations and ACW;

• A proven track record, knowledge or experience of working within one of the following art forms/fields:

- Music, Dance, literature (in either the English or Welsh language), visual arts/crafts, or

- Expertise in the key Welsh Government strategic priority areas of Arts and Health, Local Government and the arts, or Higher Education.

- Experience and understanding of how the arts can impact on the well-being of diverse communities across Wales.

- Engagement with digital platforms as creative spaces.

- Entrepreneurial skills that could benefit arts organisations

• An understanding of the principles of good governance. 

• A track record which demonstrates sound decision making, underpinned by robust analysis and strategic vision;

• Experience of communicating effectively at all levels; in particular the ability to act as an ambassador for the Arts Council of Wales, demonstrating tact and diplomacy in dealings with stakeholders;

• A clear understanding of and commitment to equality issues and promoting access to, and engagement in, the arts; and

• A clear understanding of and commitment to Nolan’s ‘Seven Principles of Public Life’.

The ability to communicate through the medium of Welsh is desirable but not essential, although it is anticipated that three of the six posts will be filled by fluent Welsh speakers. 

We particularly welcome applications from women, disabled people and individuals with an ethnic minority background who are conversant with the arts in Wales, are genuinely interested in the work of the Arts Council of Wales, and can contribute to making it a high performing public body. We would also welcome applications from candidates who live or work in Mid and West Wales.  

To apply for this role, click on the ‘Apply’ button below. The first time you apply for a post, you will need to complete a registration form for the Welsh Government’s online application system.  You will only need to register once, and you will be able to keep yourself updated on the progress of your application, and any other applications you make, via your registered account.

Once you’ve registered, you’ll be able to access the application form.  To apply you will need to submit two supporting documents. The first, a document outlining how your knowledge, skills and experiences meet the criteria for the role as outlined in the information for candidates.  This document should be no more than 3 sides of A4.  Your application may be rejected if you exceed this limit.  The second document is a full, up to date CV.  The two documents should be uploaded to the ‘Reasons for applying’ section of the online application form.

In your application, you will also be asked to provide details of any activities which have helped you to develop skills that would be useful in a public appointment role, and list the organisations for which you undertook these activities.  We also need to know about any political activity that you’ve undertaken over the last 5 years. 

It is recommended that you register for an account and access the application form as soon as possible so that you see how the application form is structured, before starting to prepare your evidence.  You don’t have to complete the application form all in one go.  You can save your responses, and log in and out as required, until you’re ready to submit – just follow the guidance in the application form.

If you need any further assistance in applying for this role, please contact the Welsh Government’s Corporate Shared Service Centre Helpdesk on 029 2082 5454 or SharedServiceHelpdesk@wales.gsi.gov.uk 

For further information about Public Appointments in Wales, please visit www.gov.wales/publicappointments