Building the Power of Carnival is a new exploratory project to be shaped with and by London’s Carnival sector.
We are inviting Expressions of Interest (EOI) for the position of Sector Development Lead for Carnivals in London, who will deliver the full project.
About The Project
Building the Power of Carnival aims to:
- Build a shared understanding of the current landscape.
- Gather insight on key challenges, strengths and opportunities.
- Explore potential areas for future collaboration and support.
- Consolidate perspectives and create a forward plan outlining recommendations to support sector resilience.
This project will be owned and shaped by London’s Carnival sector. A Steering Group consisting of London-based Carnival practitioners will appoint the Sector Development Lead to facilitate the process. The Group will also support the Sector Development Lead by helping the shape of strategic direction and encourage sector wide engagement.
The project is funded by Arts Council England (ACE) of London, and OutdoorArtsUK (OAUK) is providing administrative and coordination support for this project as an impartial management organisation. OAUK has been appointed due to being an Investment Principle Support Organisation for outdoor performances.
This approach aims to ensure the work remains Carnival-led, independently shaped and grounded in lived experience.
This project is not a pre-defined programme or strategy, but a process shaped with and by the sector in London.
Role Overview
The Sector Development Lead will lead and facilitate this sector-led process, involving the cross section of London’s Carnival Sector. The process is to be delivered across separate phases.
Preparation: July – September
- Undertake desk research, drawing on existing data, reports and sector intelligence to build a baseline report that indicates potential challenges and strengths of London’s Carnival Sector for further consideration by the sector. These data may be sourced from Arts Council England, sector colleagues or from other sources.
- Design research and engagement that will gather evidence to help generate strategic work that enables the sector to collaborate on artistic development and build resilience of London’s Carnival Sector.
- The research and engagement must be inclusive and may use a variety of forms such as interviews, roundtables, workshops, and surveys. It should holistically enable the gathering of lived experience, insight, challenges and opportunities from across the sector. This should be supported by an appropriate outreach plan.
- The engagement must be conducted in a way that builds confidence and encourages participation.
Engagement & Insight Gathering: September – December
- Carry out inclusive engagement as designed above and begin collecting evidence.
Reflection & Co-Development: December – January
- Facilitate open and constructive dialogue with the sector to reflect on emerging themes, identifying shared priorities and opportunities for collaboration, cross checking direction of travel with the Steering Group.
- Produce an interim report of findings and a proposal for Pilot Activity.
Testing & Practical Delivery of a Pilot Activity: February – May
- Design and deliver at least one pilot intervention or activity, co-created with the sector through the process as above.
- Ensure this is evidence-led, relevant and achievable.
- Capture learning and outcomes to inform future development.
Outputs & Future Planning: May
- Analyse and synthesise findings into clear insights and recommendations, respecting any wishes for respondents’ anonymity.
- Produce a report of a forward plan for sector resilience, agreeing the degree of its public facing nature with the Steering Group at drafting phase.
Leadership & Coordination
- Set the agenda for Steering Group meetings (at least 5 meetings over the course of the project), and guide discussion in the meetings.
- Work collaboratively with the Steering Group to shape and refine the direction of the project.
Indicative Areas of Inquiry
As part of this exploratory process, the Sector Development Lead will work with the Steering Group and the wider sector to investigate a range of strategic themes. These may include, but are not limited to:
- Funding access and systems
Exploring patterns of funding application and success, barriers to access, and how current funding structures shape activity and behaviour across the sector and in its grassroots. - Sector collaboration and connectivity
Examining how individuals and organisations currently work together, where fragmentation exists, and the opportunities and challenges associated with more collective approaches. - Evidence, data and articulation of value
Understanding what information currently exists about the size, impact and value of London’s Carnival sector, how it is used, and where gaps or inconsistencies remain. - Positioning, perception and advocacy
Considering how Carnival is understood and valued by funders, policymakers and wider stakeholders, and how the sector articulates its role, impact and distinctiveness. - Sustainability and long-term development
Investigating challenges and opportunities on how the sector currently sustains itself, including economic pressures, resource needs, and infrastructure stability (such as availability of affordable venues and workspace), and the impact of these on potential for longer-term planning. - Year-round practice and sector ecology
Exploring the full breadth of Carnival activity, including year-round programmes, community engagement, artistic development and connections to wider cultural, social and creative sectors.
From Insight to Action
The Sector Development Lead will be expected to move beyond analysis, working with the Steering Group and the London sector to identify clear priorities, highlight areas for collective focus, and propose opportunities where insight could inform practical change, testing and future development.
Who We Are Looking For
Person Specification
We are looking for someone who can prove:
- Trust and credibility within the London Carnival sector
Evidence of established relationships, reputation and/or track record that enables engagement with confidence, legitimacy and goodwill - Knowledge and experience of the Carnival sector
Including its diversity, structures, challenges and opportunities - Experience of conducting research and analysis
Including desk research, use of existing data, and synthesising evidence into insight - Experience of leading consultation and engagement processes
Designing and facilitating inclusive processes across a wide range of stakeholders - Strong facilitation and mediation skills
Ability to navigate disagreement and enable productive dialogue - Experience of strategy or sector development work
Translating insight into clear findings, recommendations and plans - Experience of designing and delivering projects or initiatives
Taking work from concept through to delivery - Experience of delivering pilot activity or interventions
Designing practical, testable approaches and capturing learning - Strong communication skills
Producing clear, accessible report and outputs for different audiences consisting of artists, organisers, policymakers and funders - Project leadership and delivery experience
Managing multi-phase work involving engagement, reflection and delivery - Experience of budget management
Attributes and Ways of Working
The role requires someone who:
- Acts with integrity and earns trust through their approach
Working transparently, fairly and accountably - Is collaborative and inclusive
Committed to co-design and sector ownership - Is culturally sensitive and aware
Respectful of the histories and lived experiences within Carnival communities - Is empathetic and emotionally intelligent
Comfortable navigating complexity, tensions and strong opinions - Is action-oriented and practical
Able to translate insight into tangible activity and delivery - Is reflective and adaptive
Responsive to emerging learning and able to adjust approach - Builds strong relationships
Engaging widely and bringing people with the process
Please note that although the geographic focus of the project is specifically London, the Sector Development Lead does not need to be based in the capital city.
Budget
The total budget for this project is £33,000.
The breakdown and payment schedule of the budget will be agreed between the Sector Development Lead and OutdoorArtsUK with appropriate input from the Steering Group.
The budget will cover:
- Fees for the Sector Development Lead at a fair and competitive rate
- Fees for sector contributors, including interviewees and workshop participants who are freelancers
- Access costs, to support inclusive participation
- Project delivery costs, including any travel, venue hire and materials
- Design and delivery of the pilot intervention(s)
- Contingency
OutdoorArtsUK will be responsible for fees payable to the Steering Group for the designated five meetings during the course of the project, and any additional meetings and fees incurred by the Steering Group must be covered by the project budget.
How to Apply
We invite expressions of interest from individuals with the experience, knowledge and approach outlined above.
Please submit the following:
Statement of Interest (2–3 pages)
Your statement should demonstrate how you meet the expectations as outlined under “Who We Are Looking For”.
CV
Please include a CV highlighting relevant experience and projects.
Example of Previous Work
Please provide one example of a relevant project you have led, which demonstrates your ability to deliver and communicate complex, strategic and sector development work. A short summary or link is sufficient — we are interested in the relevance and impact of the work, not volume.
This should include projects that:
- Involve multiple stakeholders or partners
- Demonstrate strategic or sector-level impact (not just delivery of activity)
- Resulted in tangible outcomes, such as:
– A programme of activity
– A partnership or network
– A strategy, framework or action plan
– A pilot or intervention leading to further development
– A clear and comprehensive report
Examples might include work connected to initiatives such as Cultural Compacts, Creative People and Places, or similar place-based or sector development programmes.
Referee or Endorser
Please provide the name and contact details of at least one referee or sector endorser from London who can speak to:
- Your credibility, relationships and standing within the Carnival sector
- Your approach to working collaboratively and delivering complex projects
We may contact your referee/endorser as part of the selection process.
Please note that the endorser cannot be a member of the Steering Group to avoid conflict of interest. Please see here for further information on the Steering Group.
How to Submit
Please send your application to: info@outdoorartsuk.org
Deadline: 11.59pm 2nd July 2026
Interview dates:
- 10th July, 10am-5pm
- 13th July, 10am-5pm
Or
- 16th July, 10am-1.30pm
In your application, please indicate dates and times of your availability for a 75 mins interview.
