Summary
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This role will ensure the completion of a project, that was interrupted due to Covid-19, and the role will have particular responsibility for reinvigorating on planning and delivering an Archive Action Plan to complete the cataloguing and deposit of all items currently stored within the Citizens Theatre to the Scottish Theatre Archive within Special Collections at the University of Glasgow. This will include working with and overseeing a team of volunteers to assist with cataloguing and collection management. You will work closely with internal teams, especially the Heritage Engagement Officer, to identify items from the archive to feature within resources online, physically as part of the heritage exhibitions across the building, and as accompanying resources for activities to engage a diverse range of audiences.
Following a seven-year closure for a major redevelopment of the building, we intend to reopen the Citizens Theatre to the public in August 2025. The transformed building and facilities will present new opportunities for artistic, participation and commercial activities, including a new bar/café. This is an exciting opportunity to join the team ahead of the reopening to contribute to our Homecoming programme of activity and ensure an exceptional welcome to our visitors when we reopen our doors in the summer.
This post will be key to finalising our archive within our opening year, so our preference is for candidates available to start by end-August 2025.
Key Responsibilities:
- Review and complete the Archive Action Plan to catalogue and make accessible the Citizens Theatre Archive in partnership with the University of Glasgow, Special Collections, including arranging the digitisation of key archive items of interest.
- Review and refine a Collections Management Plan to define the policies and procedures of the Citizens Theatre’s collections development, risk management, stock management, access and legal compliance, as well as managing any budgets and contracts relating to protection of materials and processes.
- Identify the parameters of a Core Collection and Extended Collection for the Citizens to guide future development and use of relevant material, including recommendations of materials and resources to be used as part of the Citizens Theatre’s heritage and history section of its website.
- Contribute to the delivery of the Interpretation Plan in collaboration with the interpretation consultant and interpretation design team, identifying key items and stories of interest through the archiving process, as well as identifying unique key themes as they emerge through the archiving process that could underpin interpretation plans as they develop across the first year of re-opening
- Support the work of the Heritage Engagement Officer and FOH Manager in the design and delivery of a volunteer programme that includes a cohort of volunteer archivists, setting out clear processes and procedures for cataloguing safely.
- Support the Heritage Engagement Officer with the planning and delivery of heritage activities, including archive engagement workshops, where appropriate.
- Represent the Citizens Theatre where appropriate in relation to archives and heritage collections (e.g. in heritage forums, in discussions with partners relating to collections and with the media).
- Work with Participate, Marketing and Box Office teams to keep accurate records of project activities. Regularly assess and evaluate the impact of heritage engagement activities, providing feedback and recommendations for the future.
Person Specification:
Essential
- Experience and/or qualification in archival processes and management
- Understanding of delivering archive strategies and plans
- Experience in setting up collections management processes
- Excellent research skills with a keen interest in archiving the history of Glasgow, its communities and cultural landmarks
- Experience in project management and delivery on a tight timescale, with the ability to oversee budgets, timelines and resources effectively
- Understanding of how to engage diverse audiences through creative, inclusive and interactive archival and heritage processes
- Experience of working with teams of volunteers
- Excellent communication, interpersonal and IT skills, with the ability to work with a wide range of people, including colleagues, volunteers, community groups and external partners
- Excellent verbal and writing skills, with a high level of accuracy in English and good time management skills
- A proactive and adaptive approach, with the ability to respond creatively to challenges and opportunities, and the capacity to work on own initiative as well as collaboratively
Desirable
- Familiarity with Glasgow’s local heritage and cultural history
- Knowledge and experience of the ongoing work across the Scottish and/or UK Heritage Sector to embed better working EDI practices and to widen representation within heritage and archival plans
- Knowledge of digital tools and media, with the ability to create and deliver virtual heritage content
Organisation
