Education and community intern

Closing date for applications: Sunday 30th August at 11.59pm

Salary: London Living Wage

Location: London, hybrid

Start date: 5th October 2026

Duration: 6 months

Working hours: 35 hours per week

Interviews: 16th September

Launch your career in theatre and the arts by gaining hands-on experience supporting creative programmes that inspire creativity, connect communities and give people of all ages the opportunity to experience and create theatre.

The Old Vic is an independent, not-for-profit producing theatre based in London and a creative powerhouse for entertainment and education. Its mission is to invigorate, inspire and open doors through world-class theatre for all, with a purpose to enable anyone to experience, make and benefit from theatre.

The education and community team designs and delivers a wide range of free programmes targeting people of all backgrounds. The three strands of work, schools, community and emerging theatre professionals, promote creativity, employability, professional development and wellbeing for over 9,000 people annually. The programmes focus on engaging communities who are underrepresented in the theatre industry or who have limited access to it.

This six-month internship offers the opportunity to gain experience in education and community work and the wider performing arts industry. As part of the team, the education and community intern will support the delivery of primary and family programmes, working alongside experienced colleagues to develop an understanding of learning and participatory arts programmes. The intern will gain experience across the full project lifecycle, from planning and marketing through to delivery and evaluation, while having opportunities to shadow work across the wider organisation.

The education and community intern will support three key programmes, learning to deliver the full life cycle of projects:

• 12 Choirs - An intergenerational programme connecting community groups with primary schools to form 12 choirs.
• Half-term Family Workshops - Engaging children aged 4–7 and their parents, carers, and guardians in a range of creative activities, including drama workshops, interactive storytelling, and arts and crafts.
• Primary Theatre Explorers - Fostering early engagement in the arts among Key Stage One students. This new programme will consist of interactive storytelling performances, theatre tours, in-school creative workshops, plus a final celebration held at The Old Vic showcasing the pupils’ work.

If you're looking to gain experience in an established world-class theatre and begin your career in the arts, this could be the role for you.

Key activities

The intern will attend workshops, training sessions and events across a range of education and community programmes, to gain a broad understanding of the team's work. Key activities will include:

• Providing administrative support
• Preparing and creating project resources
• Observing and supporting workshops, rehearsals, concerts, theatre events, facilitator training sessions, teacher events and evaluation activities both at the theatre and offsite in schools and community venues
• Supporting with evaluation data entry and evaluation reporting
• Supporting marketing and outreach activities for all projects
• Liaising with community group leaders, schools, practitioners and stakeholders across all three projects
• Visiting primary schools and community groups to support with programme delivery and to assist facilitating teams
• Shadowing and supporting activities across the wider Education and Community team, including the schools, community and emerging theatre professional strands

What you will gain

During the internship, the education and community intern will gain valuable experience in project delivery and develop a range of transferable skills within a professional theatre and community engagement environment. They will:

• Develop facilitation skills by supporting and observing facilitator training sessions, workshop preparation and project delivery
• Observe and learn how to lead warm-ups, icebreakers and manage student groups during workshops
• Gain insight into the operations of a working theatre and the role of an education and community team within a world-renowned theatre
• Be invited to attend The Old Vic’s events, including Press Nights, workshops and networking opportunities, providing insight into the wider theatre industry
• Learn how to manage and deliver projects for different target audiences, including how to liaise and negotiate with a range of stakeholders
• Develop key transferable skills including time management, prioritisation, multitasking and working to deadlines, while gaining practical office experience in areas such as as administration, copywriting and data entry
• Strengthen teamwork and communication skills by working collaboratively with colleagues, participating in meetings and gaining an understanding of professional workplace practices and etiquette
• Build confidence, adaptability and resilience by contributing ideas, solving problems and developing the ability to work effectively in a dynamic environment

What we're looking for

• An interest in theatre, the arts and creative learning
• An interest in working with young people and community engagement
• A passion for theatre and making creative opportunities accessible to a wide range of audiences
• Some experience working with young people, communities or within the arts is beneficial (this may include voluntary experience and does not need to be formal professional experience)
• An interest in developing skills in office administration and project support
• Some experience using Microsoft Office or a willingness to learn
• A positive attitude towards learning, collaboration and trying new things
• Strong organisation, communication and teamwork skills, with a willingness to contribute to a busy and creative environment
• An up-to-date DBS certificate, or a willingness to undergo a DBS check

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 open to Black, Asian and ethnically diverse candidates.

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.