Sea Change artist – Montrose

Introduction to Culture for Climate Scotland

Culture for Climate Scotland believes in the power of the arts and culture to help achieve sustainability in Scotland and the world. The arts inspire, illuminate, communicate, educate, entertain and encourage new ways of thinking and shared experience – all attributes needed to tackle climate change. That’s why we support individuals and organisations in the arts and culture sector to be sustainable themselves and to lead and influence climate action through their creative work, including by collaborating with environmental experts and organisations working directly on climate change.

We are a nimble, positive, influential and growing charity in a dynamic field. We are experiencing great demand and enthusiasm for our work in carbon emissions reduction and climate change adaptation from both the cultural and the climate change sectors. We receive significant long-term funding from Creative Scotland, the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries in Scotland.

Introduction to the project

Sea Change: Co-creating coastal futures is a multi-year, action-research project running until June 2027. It is supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (UK branch) and NatureScot, with contributions from and the involvement of decisionmakers from the Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate. The project will involve working with local communities, anchor organisations and embedded artists in two Scottish coastal locations that will be heavily affected by climate change and the transition to net zero.

Artists will apply their creative skills and practices to work with the community, to build understanding of how climate change is affecting the area and what a just transition might look like in that specific context. They will also work with decisionmakers to learn from the lived experience and local expertise of participants and develop creative solutions. The project has a major focus on evaluation, understanding how to show the value of arts-based community-led work on climate change in ways that are usable by decisionmakers and can influence their future approaches. Overall, the project will empower the communities to advocate for and enact a just transition in their area, improve understanding of how arts and culture can contribute to just transition planning, and develop decisionmakers’ support for community-led arts-based work on climate change. Outputs will include creative work and activities, community-owned just transition plans, learning and sharing events, and detailed evaluation.

We have identified the first location for the project, Montrose. We will employ an artist for two and a half days a week for up to two years to work with local communities and local anchor organisations and will also contribute to the project design and Culture for Climate Scotland’s core work. We will be advertising a second artist role when we have confirmed the second location.

Culture for Climate Scotland employment approach

Culture for Climate Scotland aims to be a friendly, collaborative employer where the team knows they are supported, valued and respected. We offer flexible working arrangements to balance employees’ personal circumstances with the needs of the organisation, and we facilitate individual training and development opportunities. As a result, we have a great team of knowledgeable, friendly and committed people producing work of a very high standard.

NB: Due to Culture for Climate Scotland’s size and circumstances, this opportunity is only open to those who already have the right to work in the UK.

Employment details

Job title

Sea Change artist – Montrose

Salary

£36,622 pro rata for 0.5FTE, + 3% of salary in pension contributions

Reports to

culture/SHIFT manager

Hours

Part time 0.5 FTE. This means a 17.5-hour week with a degree of flexibility on both sides, as some evening and weekend work may be required and busy periods may call for extra hours, with time taken off in lieu during quieter periods.

Holidays

25 days plus 10 public holidays (pro-rated to 0.5FTE) to be taken at times agreed with the line manager.

Place of work

The place of work for this role is Montrose. Culture for Climate Scotland is based at Thorn House, 5 Rose Street, Edinburgh, and desk space will also be available for you to use there. Remote and hybrid working is available for all staff at Culture for Climate Scotland. It is expected that you will work in the office in Edinburgh at least two days a month and attend relevant team meetings in person. Travel throughout Scotland may be required for events or meetings on an ad hoc basis and an expenses budget is available to cover travel costs. In Montrose there will be desk space available with ANGUSalive and it is expected that you will also at times work from home or a studio. There is budget available to contribute to studio costs.

Contract and notice period

This is a fixed-term contract for the period of 7 July 2025 to 30 May 2027. A probationary period of three months will apply, following successful completion of which the full contract will be confirmed. The notice period is two months for both employer and employee.

Secondments

Culture for Climate Scotland is willing to consider a secondment for this role where this will embed climate change knowledge and work within the cultural sector.

Equipment

Culture for Climate Scotland provides a laptop for all staff but you may wish to use your own if it better supports your creative practice. A mobile phone will be provided if required. Additional equipment will be provided in line with Culture for Climate Scotland’s policies if needed to support a healthy workstation.

Staff benefits

Culture for Climate Scotland offers annual salary increments, a salary sacrifice scheme for bicycles and IT equipment, confidential access to mental health counselling and a WFH heating & lighting allowance.

The role: job description and person specification

Job description

Main purpose of job

• The role is imagined for an experienced individual artist or cultural practitioner, working in any discipline, using their creative skills to contribute to large-scale social change through experimental collaborative methods.
• As a project artist, you will play a leading role in co-designing creative activities with residents and local organisations to enable them to work with the project partners to understand the local impacts of climate change, collectively plan for a climate-ready future and create an innovative and imaginative plan. The approach to this activity has deliberately not been fully defined yet, and we will work with you to find the approach that makes the best use of your skills.
• You will work as a member of the project steering group to determine the overall approach to the project, identify emerging opportunities and work with decisionmakers to apply learning from the project.
• This is not a residency; the creation of the artist’s own artistic work is not expected and no time is allowed for it.

Responsibilities

• 60% – Applying creative skills and practices to support a wide variety of participants in developing an innovative and imaginative just transition plan (September 2025-March 2027). The exact scope of these is open to discussion. Activities should be accessible and reach a wide cross section of different people living and working in Montrose.
• 15% – Contributing to project planning and decisions (July 2025-June 2027). Attending regular meetings to make decisions about project planning and activities and share updates. Participating in occasional longer workshops. Working with co-organisers to plan activity.
• 10% – Research and development (July 2025-December 2025). Building an understanding of the local context and your role as an artist within it and identifying fruitful ways of influencing change. Meetings and interviews with Culture for Climate Scotland and other team members, local arts organisations and venues, local community organisations, online research, or other activities as appropriate. Undergoing training if relevant.
• 10% – Sharing your experiences on the project (September 2025-June 2027). Using public facing channels to share your experience as an artist on the project. Creating blog posts and articles, a video diary, podcast episodes or other methods as appropriate, to be featured on the Culture for Climate Scotland website and shared online by other team members. Taking part in linking events with artists working on other similar projects and a mini conference in May 2027.
• 5% – Contributing to project evaluation and legacy planning (July 2025-June 2027). Helping to define the project’s approach to evaluation. Integrating evaluation into project activities. Helping to interpret evaluation findings and plan for how these should inform the legacy of the project.

Equality, diversity & inclusion (EDI) and sustainability: Within all the above work, and along with all trustees and team, ensure that Culture for Climate Scotland’s EDI Action Plan and Sustainability Policy are considered and applied to all the above areas of work.

Person specification

Essential characteristics

1. Experience of successfully working collaboratively with diverse groups and in non-arts contexts. Working with different types of organisations and audiences, including community and volunteer organisations and audiences from varied demographics.
2. A dynamic creative practice that offers skills relevant to outreach, engagement and participation.
3. Imaginative and independent thinking. This is important for contributing to the overall approach of the project and identifying the best approaches to take. We’re interested in creative ideas that go beyond traditional methods.
4. Experience of socially engaged or community arts. Previous socially engaged or participatory work with communities and/or co-creation of artistic work with communities.
5. Knowledge of and/or interest in climate change and climate justice. In particular, awareness of how to make these relevant on a local level.
6. Communication skills. An ability to effectively communicate complex issues in relatable and engaging ways.
7. Knowledge of and a proven commitment to equalities, diversity and inclusion, particularly in community contexts.

Desirable characteristics

1. Knowledge of the local context in Montrose. This might include lived experience, knowledge of local issues or links with relevant organisations and communities.

How to apply

The application process is as follows:

1. Applications must be made using the form on this page unless you have difficulty accessing or using the website (see Accessibility below). Applications can be submitted in writing or by sharing a link to an online sound or video recording.
2. Please study the job description and person specification closely and ensure that you demonstrate clearly in the application form how your skills and experience meet them. If you have any questions about the role, you can contact one of our staff using the details listed in Accessibility below.
3. Complete the online application form and the separate anonymous online Equality Monitoring Survey by 9am on Monday 2 June.
   NB – If you are submitting a video or sound recording, the most straightforward approach is to record your responses to the questions in the same order as the written application. You may wish to create chapters or bookmarks in your video that refer to each question or you can simply state the question before you begin your response. The important thing is to make it clear when you have finished responding to one question and are about to begin responding to the next one so that your application can be assessed fairly. You can enter the link for your recording in the relevant section of the application form.
4. Confirm on the application form that you have completed the Equality Monitoring Survey. The survey is anonymous and the information provided will not affect your application in any way.

Once you submit your application via the online form you will receive an automated acknowledgement of receipt (please contact us if you don’t get this).

Anticipated schedule

Application deadline: 9am, Monday 2 June

Invitation to interview: Issued to those on the shortlist by 6 June via email

Interviews: In person on 10 June at a central location in Montrose

Offer: Around 23 June

Successful candidate commences: 7 July or as soon as possible thereafter

Feedback: Offered to all applicants via email following successful appointment, from around 23 June

Accessibility, equalities and data protection

We want to increase the diversity of our team so that people with a range of views and experiences contribute to our thinking. Before we pass your application to our recruitment panel, we will remove your personal data to help them avoid conscious or unconscious bias during the shortlisting process. Please be aware that it is not possible to completely anonymise video or audio applications.

Accessibility

Applications will only be accepted via the application form on our website, but we are happy to make alternative arrangements if you have any problems in using the site (for example, if you are experiencing digital exclusion or have specific accessibility requirements). If we can help you with this please write to [email protected] or phone +44 (0)131 243 2760 to seek assistance in good time before the closing date of Monday 2 June. Your interactions with us on accessibility will remain confidential and will not be shared with the recruitment panel.

Equalities

Culture for Climate Scotland promotes a diverse and inclusive working environment. We welcome applications from everyone with suitable skills and experience and we will make reasonable adjustments where necessary to enable people with particular needs or requirements to work with us. Please read our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Policy and Safe working statement for more information on this and please remember to complete our Equality Monitoring Survey.

Data protection

We will only use the personal data you provide in your application for the purpose of completing this recruitment process. All records created during the course of this process will be permanently deleted once the appointee is under contract. For more information on how we handle your data, take a look at our Information Security & Data Protection Policy.

Application form

The application form is no longer available as the deadline for applications has passed. For reference, you can read the application questions below:

1. Describe your dynamic creative practice. (200 words)
2. Demonstrate your experience of socially engaged or community arts with diverse groups and in non-arts contexts. (200 words)
3. Demonstrate your interest in and commitment to climate change and climate justice. (150 words)
4. Demonstrate your knowledge of and proven commitment to equalities, diversity and inclusion. (150 words)
5. Demonstrate your organisational skills. (150 words)
6. Demonstrate your knowledge of the local context in Montrose. (150 words)

Link to Equality Monitoring Survey (opens in a new tab)