We’re recruiting!
If you have a passion for the arts and a keen interest in the music and legacy of Sir Edward Elgar, then we’d love to hear from you.
The Elgar Festival in Worcester is seeking new Trustees to join its Board and help to power the organisation forward into an exciting future. The Board of Trustees meets 4-6 times a year and meetings alternate between in-person in Worcester and online.
The Board will shortlist and appoint new Trustees based on expertise and experience, ensuring a balanced and relevant membership to take the festival forward. Expressions of interest will be reviewed on an ongoing basis with a view to appointing new candidates and commencement of duties in February 2024 ahead of the festival in late May 2024.
We are looking for individuals with a passion for live music and a willingness to invest time and effort in supporting the festival to grow and continue to be a beacon of excellence, both in Worcestershire and on the national and international stage.
We warmly welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and all sectors of society. In particular we would like to meet candidates with skills, connections and lived experience in the following areas:
- Fundraising including links with local networks, trusts and high-net-worth individuals, and/or experience of capital campaigns
- Financial/legal expertise
- A keen interest in the sustainability and successful delivery of the festival who will advocate for its impact both in Worcestershire and nationally.
- A real understanding of the challenges facing the arts, with pro-active and operational experience in a similar setting
The Elgar Festival carries full trustee insurance and therefore there is no financial risk to members of the board.
To apply, please send your CV and a covering letter detailing your interest and experience to: chair@elgarfestival.org
Closing date for applications is Friday 12 January 2024
About the Role
The role of the Board is to provide financial and strategic oversight for the charity in line with our charitable objectives and as required by law. The legal responsibilities of being a trustee include:
• Ensuring the charity is carrying out its legal purpose for the public benefit
•Comply with the charity’s legal document and the law
• Act in the charity’s best interests
• Manage the charity’s resources responsibly
• Act with reasonable care and skill
• Ensure the charity is accountable. Trustees must agree to being listed as a trustee on the Charity Commission website.
In addition to the statutory duties, each trustee should use any specific skills, knowledge or experience they have to help the board of trustees reach sound decisions. This may involve scrutinising board papers, leading discussions, focusing on key issues, providing advice and guidance on new initiatives, or other issues in which the trustee has special expertise.
Trustees are expected to be able to commit around 8 hours a month to the role of trustee with regular working group meetings and quarterly board meetings.
Reasonable travel expenses for meetings will be paid for any trustees appointed from outside Worcestershire.
About the Festival
The Elgar Festival is for Everyone! As a celebration of Worcester’s most famous musical son set in his hometown and surrounding areas, and with a legacy of music to stir the soul and inspire every heart, Elgar is for YOU! Our developing range of events are for people of all ages, interests, and lifestyles … come along and join the festival fun!
Held annually during the weekend closest to Elgar’s birthday (2 June 1857), the festival combines symphonic and string orchestra concerts by the festival’s orchestra-in-residence, the English Symphony Orchestra, with chamber concerts, choral concerts, recitals, masterclasses, gigs, a young composers’ competition, exhibitions and talks.
Venues for the festival include Worcester Cathedral, Huntingdon Concert Hall, Henry Sandon Hall, The Royal Porcelain Works, Malvern Theatre, Elgar’s Birthplace at The Firs, Worcester Guildhall and the Elgar School of Music. The festival brings together the full gamut of leading musical and educational organisations across Worcestershire with a starry array of internationally renowned guest artists, led by artistic director and principal conductor of ESO, Kenneth Woods