Design trainee

Closing date: 26th May 2024 at 11.59pm

Salary: £25,500

Hours: Full-time

Duration: 12 months

Location: Islington, London

Start date: 1st August 2024
 

Get hands-on training in puppet construction, set design, and more with this 12-month traineeship!

Little Angel Theatre (LAT), a haven for creativity and imagination, has been captivating young minds since 1961 through the enchanting art of puppetry. With a steadfast commitment to artistic innovation, LAT produces captivating in-house shows that tour nationally, and welcomes puppetry companies from across the UK to its stages during the Children’s Puppetry Festival. 

At the heart of LAT’s mission lies the desire to make the magic of puppetry accessible to every child in the UK, regardless of background or circumstances. Puppet makers are employed within many different organisations and settings across the creative and cultural industries including film, screen and community arts settings. 

The theatre is excited to offer a 12-month traineeship opportunity for an individual to join their team as a Design Trainee. Throughout the traineeship, the trainee will undergo a comprehensive training programme covering fundamental puppet construction techniques and set design. They will gain essential skills for further training in drama school or higher education, as well as for pursuing a career in puppetry. The traineeship will culminate with the trainee's professional debut as part of the Children's Puppetry Festival where you'll be able to gain industry insights, and network with visiting companies.

Key activities

• Constructing puppets from a variety of materials for live and digital productions with an in-house designer
• Making sets and props from a variety of materials for live and digital productions with an in-house designer
• Ensuring that all sets, puppets and props adhere to Health & Safety standards required
• Conserving sets and puppets from previous productions to ensure they are preserved safely for future use
• Exhibiting puppets in locations around the theatre and leading on puppet window displays in local shops
• Creating a full-length age-appropriate show for the Children’s Festival
• Assisting with building puppets for commission

By the end of the traineeship, you will know how to:

• Make puppets
• Manage a budget
• Work on commissions 
• Set design for puppetry 
• Work with a variety of materials
• Present work and pitch to funders
• Collaborate effectively with a creative team
• Work safely in a workshop environment
• Be prepared for working freelance

You will also receive training around Health & Safety, Safeguarding and practical workshop skills for your continuing professional development.

What we're looking for

• An enthusiastic and committed individual
• A passion for theatre, especially for puppetry and working with children
• Have an understanding of working in 3 Dimensions in art

To apply

• Log in to your Creative Access account or register today to apply for this opportunity
• Upload your CV and cover letter as one document (applications without a tailored cover letter will not be accepted)
• Once submitted, you can no longer amend your application, so proof-read carefully
• Do not contact the company directly
• Please email any queries about this role to Creative Access at this address: recruit@creativeaccess.org.uk

This opportunity is only open to Black, Asian, and ethnically diverse individuals, who are under-represented in the creative industries.

The successful candidate for this opportunity will also participate in a Creative Access support programme that sits alongside workplace training. This includes a programme of induction training, monthly masterclasses, wellbeing support, buddying / mentoring and more.

This role is part-funded by the Mo Siewcharran Memorial Fund which supports internships for young talent from ethnicities that are under-represented in the theatre, publishing and music industries.