Community Producer

Creative Lives is looking to work with a freelance Community Producer to help plan and deliver a four-week programme of creative activity as part of the Children’s Capital of Culture celebrations in Rotherham.

The programme will take place at BBC Radio Sheffield’s ‘Soft Studio’ in Rotherham town centre, and aims to spotlight community-led creative activity, involving young people, families and local artists.

Project Brief:We are looking for a freelance Community Producer, based in or near Rotherham, to work with Creative Lives and BBC Radio Sheffield to help celebrate, promote and support Children’s Capital of Culture (CCoC) 2025, as well as wider creative activity across the borough. This project will promote creative opportunities for young people and families, and celebrate creativity and pride of place in Rotherham.

The Producer will coordinate local artists, facilitators and creative groups, support the smooth and inclusive delivery of workshops and events, and collaborate with both Creative Lives and BBC teams to spotlight 'everyday creativity' through live content, interviews and recordings. The role may also involve supporting the young reporter-in-residence.

Role:
The successful candidate will co-plan and deliver a four-week programme of creative activity at BBC Radio Sheffield’s temporary Soft Studio in Rotherham town centre during summer/autumn 2025. This programme will showcase everyday creativity through a wide variety of art forms and community-led creative groups, from choirs and Tai Chi classes to print-makers, creative talks, knitting, crochet, paper craft, dance and gaming sessions.

These activities will be featured on-air by BBC Radio Sheffield, including through interviews with participants, artists and facilitators.

You will be responsible for booking and coordinating artists, facilitators and community groups, ensuring that activity is inclusive, accessible and effectively delivered. Working closely with BBC Radio Sheffield, you will support the development of high-quality, engaging content for broadcast that reflects and celebrates the vibrancy of local creative activity.

The role includes:

• Planning and coordinating a four-week programme of creative activity in partnership with BBC Radio Sheffield and the Children’s Capital of Culture team;
• Booking a range of artists, facilitators and creative groups, ensuring appropriate safeguarding and insurance documentation is in place;
• Supporting the smooth delivery of workshops and activities, including logistics, materials and refreshments;
• Liaising with the Creative Lives team to ensure compliance with health and safety, safeguarding and risk assessment policies;
• Supporting community engagement through outreach and partnership working;
• Working with BBC Radio Sheffield to highlight activity through audio content, guest suggestions and live opportunities;
• Managing a small budget and maintaining accurate records;
• Collecting monitoring and evaluation data, including images and audio content/permissions;
• Producing a short final report on project delivery and outcomes.

We want to encourage and support participatory, creative activity at a local level with a specific focus on broadening diversity and inclusion, reducing isolation and improving wellbeing.

Key dates/timings:The creative programme will take place over a four-week period in late August and early September 2025 (exact dates TBC), during which BBC Radio Sheffield’s Soft Studio will be based in Rotherham town centre and staffed approximately three days per week. The role will also include a four-week planning period beforehand and a four-week evaluation period afterwards.

The programme will include a minimum of eight creative workshops and/or masterclasses for young people and families, each engaging at least eight participants. The activity may also include a commission for an artist or group to develop a piece of work that evolves throughout the Soft Studio period.

Fee:
The total fee is £6,600, based on approximately 33 days at £200/day (inclusive of VAT and expenses), with activity running from late July to the end of October 2025. The successful candidate will report to Robin Simpson,…