Join Activate’s Board of Trustees

Are you passionate about performance? Interested in joining a supportive and dynamic board which brings world-class events to unexpected places and which promotes and produces incredible performing arts projects in our communities?

We'd love to hear from you

Our charity has been pushing the parameters of the performing arts for 30 years. Our aim is to break down barriers and reach the widest possible audiences, while celebrating our natural landscape and sense of place. In everything we do there are just two rules: anything is possible, and everyone is invited.

Activate are looking for a diverse range of people to join our board as charity trustees. We encourage people who are underrepresented in our sector to apply particularly from the global majority, those with disabilities and with socio-economic difficulties. This is because we want to better reflect the people we serve in our communities.

The position is voluntary, but expenses will be reimbursed. Meeting expenses can be claimed and access requirements will be supported, including travel and care costs.

The majority of our trustees and our staff leadership team is female, and we have a broad mix of people with lived experience of caring responsibilities, disability/long-term health conditions and being from a working-class background in our Staff Team, extended team and board members. To read more, click here.

If you have any access requirements, or if you want to have a chat about what joining our board could mean to you, please contact us and we will be happy to help.

This is an exciting time for Activate as we look ahead to Inside Out Dorset 2025 and plan another extraordinary programme that promises to bring exceptional artists from around the world to perform work that pushes the parameters of indoor and outdoor arts.

Want to know more?

We invited Michael Noonan, our current Chair, to answer questions about his role and to get under the skin of the work of a trustee.

  • What impact can board members have in their role?

    ‘The board works with the executive to decide on strategy, the way forward, thinking about the needs of the community and where the organisation can have most impact. Supporting the executive calmly giving them time to reflect and plan is a key aspect of what we do. All board members have experience and talents to draw upon that enrich our deliberations.’

  • Are there any preparations required for becoming a trustee?

    ‘An interest in the performing arts and a concern to ensure people in all our communities have the best art available. Trustees need to have love and passion for the work the organisation presents.’

  • What is the board profile like in terms of background and experience?

    ‘We welcome everyone who is keen to contribute and feels passionate about the arts. We have people who have not sat on boards before: we have artists: we have people who feel strongly about Dorset. We have people who want to volunteer and make a difference.’

  • What makes the existing Activate board unique and rewarding to be part of?

    ‘Range of talents, expertise and interests means our work and meetings are always stimulating, informed and inspiring.’

  • Time commitment

    There will be 4 board Meetings a year including the Annual General Meeting (AGM). Board members are expected to attend and participate in all board meetings. These are 2 hours, plus travel and time is required to read papers and other documents in advance which can take between 2-3 hours.

    The position is voluntary, but expenses will be reimbursed. Meeting expenses can be claimed and access requirements will be supported, including travel and care costs.

How to apply

Please send us a letter with your CV as a word or PDF file, or you can use other formats such as video and audio. Your application should say what interests you have about this role with Activate, your qualifications, skills and experience, and how these relate directly to the position of Charity Trustee/Director at Activate. Please also complete our Equality of Opportunity form.

This will be treated anonymously and will not be used as part of the selection process.

If you have any access requirements or need any help with your application, please contact us below and we will be happy to help.

If you would like this pack in another format such as BSL, Large Print or Audiofile, we will happily provide this or if you need further information, please contact info@activateperformingarts.org.uk or call 07826514774

Send your application to: irene@activateperformingarts.org.uk

We recommend using WeTransfer to send large files.

Deadline: Thursday 24th December 2024

A yellow megaphone speaker is positioned on wooden stilts within a forest.
Back to top