Could you make a difference for members of the LGBT+ community in Edinburgh and beyond?

The Lavender Menace Queer Books Archive has grown out of Scotland’s first LGBT+ bookshops, Lavender Menace (1982-87) and West & Wilde (1987-97). They sold what we now call queer books – by, about or for LGBT+ people – at a time mainstream bookshops would not stock them. The bookshops also provided openly queer meeting places, where LGBT+ people were able to connect and felt affirmed and welcomed.

Bob Orr and Sigrid Nielsen, the owners of the original Lavender Menace Bookshop, in 2019 founded the Lavender Menace Queer Books Archive to keep this valuable LGBT+ book heritage alive and share it with the community. Through its amazing collection of books, the archive tells the story of queer people’s resistance, and the rise of what is now known as ‘queer pride’. These books told the stories of queer lives; they were written honestly and positively for the first time, and they changed lives.

We are looking for a creative and highly organised Community Programme Coordinator to work on all aspects of planning and delivering a wide range of projects and activity for the delivery of Lavender Menace’s Community Heritage Project activities, which aim to engage the LGBT+ community with the archive’s heritage and promote understanding of the early years of an out and proud queer community.

The Community Project’s key activities are:

• The Archive: to provide the LGBT community with regular access to the queer books archive, focused on books spanning the 1970-2000 period.
• Author readings and events: to deliver a programme of in-person and online events, run with a range of partners, which connect people to the archive’s collection and this heritage.
• Discussion and reading groups: to run groups and classes developed around particular themes in the collection and/or aimed at different sections of the LGBT community (e.g. older lesbians reading group, trans representation).
• Volunteering programme: to work with a team of volunteers involving them in all aspects of the archive’s work including community outreach, communications and social media, groups and events.

These activities build on the work Bob and Sigrid have developed with the team of volunteers. The post holder will thus be able to tap into their experience, contacts and knowledge in taking this work forward.

In addition, over the course of Year 2 and Year 3 the plan is to run a small-scale Oral History Project and Exhibition, focused on the impact and legacy of the Lavender Menace and West & Wilde Bookshops, which operated in Edinburgh between 1982 and 1997. We will be seeking partners and additional funding to help deliver this project.

Employee benefits package

• 35 days of leave (pro-rata including public holidays)
• Enhanced pension scheme
• Flexible working options
• Training and development opportunities

Edinburgh is a multi-faith city with a vibrant art culture. In 1947 two Jewish refugees were at the forefront of establishing the Edinburgh International Festival which along with the City’s Fringe Festival would become the biggest arts festival in the world. The aim was to create positive and enriching experiences that people from all over the world could enjoy following the trauma of World War Two. The Edinburgh Jewish community is over 200 years old and throughout its history has contributed to the cultural landscape of Scotland’s capital city. The Edinburgh Jewish Cultural Centre aims to be a continuing and evolving producer of cultural events and activities open to all.

EJCC was established to protect, preserve, sustain and grow the Jewish community in Edinburgh. Since its founding, EJCC has presented dozens of culturally significant programmes experienced by thousands of Jewish people as well as those who have an interest in Jewish culture.

We are now searching for candidates to apply for the position of our next chair. Following four years of distinguished service, our current chair is required by our constitution to step down.

EJCC is financially strong, has many active volunteers, has a part-time professional administrator, and is committed to future growth. The new chair may come from a variety of sectors, for example education, culture, commercial, charity, national/local politics.

Time commitment – one day per week, although not necessarily spread evenly throughout the year. Much of the work can be carried out remotely.

The Tron was established as a charity in 1982, by the Glasgow Theatre Company, to develop Scottish theatre and theatre makers. We continue to fulfil this purpose through the Tron Theatre Company, our Tron Creative programme of support for emerging creatives, our Tron Participation team’s educational opportunities for people of all ages, and our visiting productions. Around 50,000 tickets are booked each year, and The Stage recently wrote that “The Tron is staking a claim as the home of popular theatre in Scotland”.

The role of the Business Development Manager is to maximise the Tron’s income through fundraising including sponsorship, trust and foundations and individual donations. The individual should be creative in their approach, seeking opportunities for the commercial exploitation of the building and identification of potential income streams which exist or could be developed. This role is also responsible for coordinating our successful community programme Pay it Forward, which donates panto tickets to children and families experiencing disadvantage and grows each year. The Business Development Manager will work across teams - Box Office, Production, Press & Marketing, Tron Participation and Tron Creative - in co-ordinating activity within the building, and will work closely with the Executive Director and the Tron’s Board of Directors.

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Tron, a Glasgow arts institution which is recognised for developing new talent and launching theatre careers as well as its work with young people and in the community. This is a varied and collaborative role which requires a creative and dynamic fundraiser with strong communication skills.

Join a Team of Passionate People Transforming Lives Across the North East

No matter what your job is at shmu, everyone’s work is about the same thing – transforming the lives of individuals and communities across North East Scotland. We are looking for an exceptional, passionate individual to join the North East Culture Collective Project Management Team as NECC Development Worker.

The North East Culture Collective (NECC) is a Culture Aberdeen project, funded by Creative Scotland until March 2024, establishing a network of practitioners, organisations, and communities, working together across the North East to create a positive difference in response to Covid-19 and other current challenges (by community we mean a geographic area or an interest group).

The NECC Development Worker will support the work of the NECC co-ordinator across all aspects of the North East Culture Collective (NECC) programme, with specific focus on three key areas: Communication; Evaluation and Monitoring; Training and Events.

The postholder will be a passionate advocate for the role arts and culture can play in society and have some experience of arts administration and communication. They will work with the NECC creative practitioners and project colleagues to:

• support communication between partners, practitioners, and the public.
• collect evaluation and monitoring data and gather case studies.
• plan training, personal development activities and sharing events for Culture Aberdeen, community partners and freelance creative practitioners.
• gather material for website & social media platforms.

The NECC Development Worker will also contribute to the national Culture Collective programme, ensuring that learning about how the arts can be delivered and the impact arts and culture can make is effectively collated and shared.