Click for more info:
About Us
We’re known as the Handmade Parade to our friends. We are an arts organisation based in West Yorkshire, that specialises in producing spectacular community-focused parades and events, making wonderful artwork: installations, puppets, lanterns, costumes, and parade structures, and running creative workshops. We produce our own signature events in our home valley; Hebden Bridge Handmade Parade – a daytime parade with a very strong narrative and we’ve connected with over 1.5 million people, delighting & surprising audiences, teaching new creative skills and using the arts to connect communities.
Our team has worked with numerous other arts organisations around the UK, including Walk the Plank, Cirque Bijou & Global Grooves. Our work is regularly profiled in national press including The Guardian, The Times and The Yorkshire Post. In recent years we’ve been commissioned by Halifax BID, Colne BID and local authorities in Renfrewshire, Manchester, Calderdale, Tameside and Barnsley.
”Thank you for another wonderful day of colour, community spirit, vibrancy, joy, rhythm, delight and gorgeousness’ – Audience member 2019
Staffing Structure
Alongside our excellent Board, Handmade Productions consists of a small dedicated team:
Director & Creative Producer – Clare Danon
Senior Project Manager – Fran Sierevogel
Finance and Admin officer – Clare Parker
Admin and Project Co-ordinator – Ru Brooks
Board recruitment information
Board membership is an active role, and you will be called upon both during Board meetings and at other times to support the rest of the Board and the senior management and delivery team.
We are looking to diversify the Board and will offer support and training in this role. Individuals from underrepresented communities and young people aged 18-25 are particularly encouraged to apply.
In the run up to the Hebden Bridge Summer Parade in June, it will be a good time to see our work and meet other board members. We’ll be hosting 2 open sessions in our Hebden Bridge workshop where you can meet the board, some artists and learn more about our company and how we work.
We are interested to hear from local business owners, or people who work for local authorities as well as artistic and creative leaders to bring valuable skills to our dynamic team of directors.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Role: Director
The chance to work with a committed group of Directors, talented artists, creative placements, enthusiastic volunteers, and like minded organisations allows the Board to make a solid contribution to the cultural landscape of the towns and villages both locally in Calderdale and across the UK.
There will be an expectation that you will contribute your skills, expertise, and knowledge as required. Board members will be asked to attend quarterly meetings which take place face to face, on weekdays from 6.30pm.
Some of the skills, experience, and life factors we are looking for include:
Person Specification:
- A belief that inclusivity & diversity is at the heart of everything an arts company does
- Passion for outdoor arts
- Understanding of, or willingness to learn, the roles and duties of a board of directors for a non profit organisation
- Availability & time capacity to attend all scheduled Board meetings
- Willingness and availability to represent the company at events when possible
- Willingness to take an active role in understanding and interrogating company finances
- Willingness to contribute to strategy
- No previous Board experience required
Skill and experiences that would enrich the board
- Fundraising (experience, knowledge and understanding of arts funding structures)
- Evaluation (experience in evaluation frameworks and activities, in and outside the arts)
- People of different cultural backgrounds and/or those who experience systemic racism and/or marginalisation (e.g. South Asian, African, Caribbean or mixed heritage)
- People who identify as D/deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent
- People who identify as LGBTQIA+
Responsibilities:
- Ensure that the organisation is carrying out its purposes for the public benefit
- To comply with the organisation’s governing document(s) and the law
- To bring an external perspective to planning & strategy (expertise, knowledge & skills)
- To understand, assess and take strategic risks
- To carry out legal obligations
- To act as an ambassador for the organisation
- To ensure fundraising is seen as a priority and contribute as appropriate
Legal Role: Directors are also legally responsible for the company and must ensure that they:
- Act in the organisations best interests
- Manage resources responsibly
- Act with reasonable care and skill
- Ensure that the organisation is accountable
- Managing people (this could be experience in HR, or leading teams both in and out of the arts sector)
You will be registered with Companies House as a Director of the Company.
Advocacy:
- To positively promote the organisation and its work at events and personal networks.
- To use your influence to develop and broker new relationships, partnerships, and potential supporters of Handmade Productions
Next Steps
We do hope that you have found all the information you need to fully consider joining our board. The next stage is for you to get in touch to register your interest. When you do, we would love you to consider these three questions:
- Who are you?
- Why does the role interest you?
- What relevant skills or experience do you have that you would bring to the board?
We would expect no more than a couple of sentences for each question. You can provide links to existing work/CV or social media profiles if that helps to introduce yourself and give us a sense of your past work and experience.
You can send these answers over by email to: hello@handmadeproductions.org.uk
Or if you prefer to record a video or audio file, or send your answers to these questions in any other format then let us know.
The deadline for getting in touch is Monday 30th June 2025.
Once you’ve got in touch, we will acknowledge receipt of all submissions and contact each applicant.
Following this we’ll organise a short informal chat – 30 mins on video conferencing software at a time to suit all parties. These will take place in early May 2025. This will be with a member of the existing board and/or staff team to hear a little more about what is involved, discuss the current priorities of the board and the role in more detail. If we feel like it’s the right fit for both parties, then we’ll invite you to the next board meeting.
If you have any questions about joining our board, or need any additional information please contact clare@handmadeproductions.org.uk
About Us
We’re known as the Handmade Parade to our friends. We are an arts organisation based in West Yorkshire, that specialises in producing spectacular community-focused parades and events, making wonderful artwork: installations, puppets, lanterns, costumes, and parade structures, and running creative workshops. We produce our own signature events in our home valley; Hebden Bridge Handmade Parade – a daytime parade with a very strong narrative and we’ve connected with over 1.5 million people, delighting & surprising audiences, teaching new creative skills and using the arts to connect communities.
Our team has worked with numerous other arts organisations around the UK, including Walk the Plank, Cirque Bijou & Global Grooves. Our work is regularly profiled in national press including The Guardian, The Times and The Yorkshire Post. In recent years we’ve been commissioned by Halifax BID, Colne BID and local authorities in Renfrewshire, Manchester, Calderdale, Tameside and Barnsley.
”Thank you for another wonderful day of colour, community spirit, vibrancy, joy, rhythm, delight and gorgeousness’ – Audience member 2019
Staffing Structure
Alongside our excellent Board, Handmade Productions consists of a small dedicated team:
Director & Creative Producer – Clare Danon
Senior Project Manager – Fran Sierevogel
Finance and Admin officer – Clare Parker
Admin and Project Co-ordinator – Ru Brooks
Board recruitment information
Board membership is an active role, and you will be called upon both during Board meetings and at other times to support the rest of the Board and the senior management and delivery team.
We are looking to diversify the Board and will offer support and training in this role. Individuals from underrepresented communities and young people aged 18-25 are particularly encouraged to apply.
In the run up to the Hebden Bridge Summer Parade in June, it will be a good time to see our work and meet other board members. We’ll be hosting 2 open sessions in our Hebden Bridge workshop where you can meet the board, some artists and learn more about our company and how we work.
We are interested to hear from local business owners, or people who work for local authorities as well as artistic and creative leaders to bring valuable skills to our dynamic team of directors.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Role: Chair & Director
We are looking for someone to take on the role of chair person for our board of directors. This is a vital role and we are keen to find the right person.
In essence, the role of the chairperson is to:
- Lead the board of trustees
- Ensure smooth running of board meetings
- Promote good governance among the board of directors
- Provide supervision and support to the executive team
- Act as a figurehead or spokesperson where required
Ideally you will have experience in a senior organisational leadership role and be able to bring the knowledge and experience you’ve gained through your work to the chairperson role.
Some of the skills, experience, and life factors we are looking for include:
Person Specification:
- A belief that inclusivity & diversity is at the heart of everything an arts company does
- Passion for outdoor arts
- Understanding of, or willingness to learn, the roles and duties of a board of directors for a non profit organisation
- Availability & time capacity to attend all scheduled Board meetings
- Willingness and availability to represent the company at events when possible
- Willingness to take an active role in understanding and interrogating company finances
- Willingness to contribute to strategy
- No previous Board experience required
Skill and experiences that would enrich the board
- Fundraising (experience, knowledge and understanding of arts funding structures)
- Evaluation (experience in evaluation frameworks and activities, in and outside the arts)
- People of different cultural backgrounds and/or those who experience systemic racism and/or marginalisation (e.g. South Asian, African, Caribbean or mixed heritage)
- People who identify as D/deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent
- People who identify as LGBTQIA+
Responsibilities:
- Ensure that the organisation is carrying out its purposes for the public benefit
- To comply with the organisation’s governing document(s) and the law
- To bring an external perspective to planning & strategy (expertise, knowledge & skills)
- To understand, assess and take strategic risks
- To carry out legal obligations
- To act as an ambassador for the organisation
- To ensure fundraising is seen as a priority and contribute as appropriate
Legal Role: Directors are also legally responsible for the company and must ensure that they:
- Act in the organisations best interests
- Manage resources responsibly
- Act with reasonable care and skill
- Ensure that the organisation is accountable
- Managing people (this could be experience in HR, or leading teams both in and out of the arts sector)
You will be registered with Companies House as a Director of the Company.
Advocacy:
- To positively promote the organisation and its work at events and personal networks.
- To use your influence to develop and broker new relationships, partnerships, and potential supporters of Handmade Productions
Next Steps
We do hope that you have found all the information you need to fully consider joining our board. The next stage is for you to get in touch to register your interest. When you do, we would love you to consider these three questions:
- Who are you?
- Why does the role interest you?
- What relevant skills or experience do you have that you would bring to the board?
We would expect no more than a couple of sentences for each question. You can provide links to existing work/CV or social media profiles if that helps to introduce yourself and give us a sense of your past work and experience.
You can send these answers over by email to: hello@handmadeproductions.org.uk
Or if you prefer to record a video or audio file, or send your answers to these questions in any other format then let us know.
The deadline for getting in touch is Monday 30th June 2025.
Once you’ve got in touch, we will acknowledge receipt of all submissions and contact each applicant.
Following this we’ll organise a short informal chat – 30 mins on video conferencing software at a time to suit all parties. These will take place in early May 2025. This will be with a member of the existing board and/or staff team to hear a little more about what is involved, discuss the current priorities of the board and the role in more detail. If we feel like it’s the right fit for both parties, then we’ll invite you to the next board meeting.
If you have any questions about joining our board, or need any additional information please contact clare@handmadeproductions.org.uk
Hebden Bridge Summer Parade 2025
INTERSHIP FOR CALDERDALE BASED ARTIST
PAID OPPORTUNITY
ARE YOU A FINAL YEAR STUDENT OR EARLY-MID CAREER ARTIST LIVING IN THE CALDERDALE AREA?
DO YOU WANT TO WORK AS A COMMUNITY ARTIST, LEARN & DEVELOP YOUR SKILLS IN PARADE COMMUNITY ARTS?
WE HAVE AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY FOR A CREATIVE INDIVIDUAL LIVING IN CALDERDALE TO WORK WITH ONE OF THE UK LEADING ARTS ORGANISATIONS HANDMADE PRODUCTIONS CIC.
WHAT YOU’LL DO:
- To fulfil this role, you will be required to commit to 120 hrs/15 days of working with Handmade Productions artists (times and locations tbc).
- You will assist our lead artists in the designing, prepping and delivery of community workshops, to create headdresses, costumes, and props.
- Supply additional creative finishing support on new BIG makes/puppets.
- Work as crew during the parade in Hebden Bridge on Sunday 22nd June and support post parade tidy.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:
- You will be an integral part of parade preparations and activities, which will provide an exclusive insight into the community and outdoor arts sector. Focusing on costume, props and parade art making techniques.
- You’ll learn approaches and techniques in the making of costumes, props, puppets, and running community workshops.
- You’ll see what’s needed to deliver a successful parade event before, during and afterwards.
- Learn best practices and skills for working in a community arts setting.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
There is one position available to an applicant living in Calderdale.
This is a paid opportunity.
Pay: 21yrs and over – £12.21/hour 18-20yrs – £10/hour
8 hours per day
Plus reasonable travel expenses.
Term: 4 weeks from 26th May 2025 until 24th June 2025
Dates: 15 days in total on various dates (tbc) for meetings and prep which will be during the week, plus some weekend days too.
Sunday 22nd June is Hebden Bridge Summer Parade event day which you will need to be available to work.
Location: Handmade Productions CIC workshop, Hebden Bridge, HX7 8LN.
APPLICATION PROCESS: You can apply in one of two ways:
- Send your expression of interest including details of your skills, art form, and experience in no more than 2 sides of A4. Photos of your work are welcome.
- Submit a link to your video application via email, the video should be maximum 5 minutes and sent as a link (do not send a video file, as we will not receive it).
Please only apply if you live in Calderdale (the funding we have is only for Calderdale applicants) and send all applications to fran@handmadeproductions.org.uk by 5pm on Monday 28th April 2025.
You’ll be contacted by Friday 2nd May 2025 if we decide to offer you the position.
