Open call for Children’s History and Creative Facilitators for young people

This is an Open Call for (a) Children’s History Workshop facilitators and (b) artists and creative facilitators with experience of working with children and young people to join Dublin City Council Culture Company’s Panel of Artists and Creative Facilitators.

Closing date for submissions is Wednesday 9 April 2025.

About this open call:

Dublin City Council Culture Company runs cultural initiatives and buildings across the city with, and for, the people of Dublin. We create ways for people in Dublin to see and make culture together, based on their stories, wishes and experiences.

We are now seeking submissions to add to our panel of artists and creative facilitators that we can call upon for the provision of services to include workshop facilitation and as may arise until August 2026.

Dublin City Council Culture Company is seeking submissions by open call and direct invitation to appoint a panel of suppliers that we can call upon for the provision of creative engagement services based on the needs of the Culture Company and its many and varied programmes.

We are looking for creative and collaborative individuals who share in our belief of connecting people and communities through culture and conversation. We would like to hear from anyone who can demonstrate the necessary interest, skills, knowledge or experience as per the requirements detailed below. We encourage submissions from individuals from varied and diverse backgrounds and experience.

Timeline

• Open call issued: Wednesday 12 March 2025
• Deadline for submission: Wednesday 9 April 2025
• Interviews: Week of 21 April 2025
• Confirmation of appointment to Panel: Friday 2 May 2025

About the project work:

For this open call we are seeking children’s history workshop facilitators, artists and creative facilitators with the potential to deliver project work such as a series of workshops, once-off workshops or longer co-created projects with children and young people.

1. Children’s History Workshop Facilitators:

Children’s History Workshop Facilitators develop and deliver workshops and activities for children and young people of all ages, which encourage access to history, using innovative, creative and inspiring methods of engagement. These include regular workshops at Richmond Barracks, Dublin 8, as part of the Culture Connects programme and offsite in schools across the city.

2. Artists and Creative Facilitators:

Artists and creative facilitators deliver a range of activities such as try-out sessions and once-off workshops. Together with artists in residence, this work helps to activate Richmond Barracks as an important local cultural resource with strong links to other local assets and groups.

For this open call we are looking for artists and facilitators with experience of working with Early Years, children, and/or young people (teens and 16-25s) across all areas of culture and creativity and any artform.

More about the project work

• Children’s history workshop facilitators, artists and creative facilitators working on our Culture Connects programme at Richmond Barracks will be asked to:
• Engage positively with the different stakeholders and partners to our projects and to Dublin City Council Culture Company.
• Provide updates and reporting from these projects as directed as per templates and guidelines provided.
• Work in line with best practice and Dublin City Council Culture Company Child Protection, Data Protection, and Health and Safety policies and ensure compliance with all financial, contractual, legal procedures.
• Be willing to work flexibly (some activities and workshops that take place at evenings and weekends)

Key Criteria:

The ideal persons for this panel must have:

• Experience devising and delivering accessible and engaging workshops for children and young people
• Excellent knowledge of Irish and local history and a proven track record in historical research OR excellent knowledge and experience in your area of creative or cultural practice
• An interest in cultural participation and an understanding of the work of Dublin City Council Culture Company and its ambitions.
• Excellent communication skills, interpersonal skills, active listening and an understanding of how to work using a people-first approach.
• Be organised and reliable - can work independently and to deadlines.

Submission Requirements:

Submissions are now invited from applicants who meet these published requirements:

1. A cover letter (no more than one A4 page), which should explain your motivation to be involved in the work of Dublin City Council Culture Company
2. A biographical statement (no more than one A4 page) which outlines your specific skills, knowledge and experience relevant to the project requirements. To do this, please review the key criteria for our evaluation listed above.
3. A CV and link to online portfolio and/or examples of previous relevant work.

How to apply:

Completed submissions should be sent by email only to opencall@dublincitycouncilculturecompany.ie with “Facilitator Panel (children and young people)” in the subject line.

Queries can also be addressed by email to that email address. Submissions received after the closing date will not be accepted.

The closing date for this open call is Wednesday 9 April 2025.

The required material supplied in your submission will be reviewed against the criteria sent out in this notice.

Dublin City Council Culture Company reserves the right to short-list submissions for interview. If interviews take place they will be held on 22 or 23 April 2025. All applicants will be notified of the status of their submission at this time. It will not be possible to provide submission process feedback to unsuccessful applicants.

Panel appointments will be communicated no later than Friday 2 May 2025.

How the panel will operate:

• Appointment to the Panel will be confirmed by a letter of invitation to the successful applicants. This appointment letter does not constitute an offer or commitment to enter into a service contract, and no contractual rights shall exist until a formal written Contract for Services has been executed by the Culture Company for the relevant project.
• Appointment to the panel is until August 2026, with the option to extend until August 2027 if desired by the Company.
• Project offers will follow as they arise and will be based on the skills, experience, and artform(s) outlined during submission. Project offers may include residencies or short term projects such as a series of workshops.
• Project offers will include a complete written brief, time commitment and fee offer relevant to that project.
• Panellists have the right to accept or decline project offers as they arise.
• If a panellist is contracted to a project, this will be via a Contract for Service.
• No contract will be issued without proof of tax clearance, and/or VAT registration number where applicable.
• Contracted panellists will not be expected to work exclusively for the Culture Company.
• Garda vetting is mandatory for successful applicants via the Culture Company, and you must be cleared by the National Vetting Bureau before the work can commence.
  

 

Other notes:

Dublin City Council Culture Company is committed to developing policies and practices ensuring that accessibility, Universal Design and reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities are taken into account when providing services for Dublin’s citizens, communities, cultural organisations, businesses, and Dublin City Council itself.

Please note that both the museum at 14 Henrietta Street and Richmond Barracks are Part M access compliant, and the offices of Dublin City Council Culture Company in both have limited physical access. Reasonable accommodation of access requirements will be made for successful applicants. Interviews will take place in an accessible location.

In line with developing business needs, the Culture Company reserves the right to invite additional providers of artist and creative facilitator services throughout the duration of the panel.