Little Legends, Big Worlds | Artist Facilitator Applications (Paid Opportunity)

Little Legends, Big Worlds will work with three classes from local schools, with one class participating from each school. The project is designed for Key Stage 2 (Years 3–6, ages 7–11) and early Key Stage 3 (Year 7, ages 11–12), and is suitable for both mainstream and SEND schools.

Each class will take part in three artist-led workshops during the Spring Term 2027. Across nine workshops in total, pupils will explore myths and legends from their own cultural backgrounds, experiment with different creative approaches and develop artwork inspired by the stories that matter to them.

The project will combine individual creativity with collective making. Each pupil will have the opportunity to create their own artwork and contribute to a collaborative piece that will be displayed in MAC's Community Gallery. The finished artwork could showcase a variety of art forms, such as drawing and illustration, craft and creative writing.

The workshops will encourage pupils to develop their artistic practice, storytelling, teamwork and confidence, while exploring diverse cultures and working with a professional artist.

The project is free for participating schools. All pupils will be invited to MAC for a celebration event, where they can share their work and experience the exhibition together.

An important part of Little Legends, Big Worlds is giving young people the opportunity to share their ideas and perspectives with a wider audience.

From each participating class, four to five pupils will be selected to become Young Gallery Guides during the Japan season. Working in partnership with MAC's Learning & Participation team, the artist-facilitator will help prepare these pupils for their role, supporting them to build confidence, develop communication skills and find their own ways of engaging visitors with art.

At key points during the summer season, the Young Gallery Guides will take part in activity days at MAC. They will share their favourite artworks from Japan: Myths to Manga, lead informal gallery tours and help deliver hands-on creative activities for visitors.

These sessions will offer visitors a chance to experience the exhibition through the eyes of young people, encouraging conversation, curiosity and fresh perspectives. They will also give pupils the opportunity to build on the creative work they have developed through Little Legends, Big Worlds and become active participants in MAC's wider gallery programme.

MAC is particularly keen to ensure that the Young Gallery Guides reflect the diversity of Birmingham's communities. We hope to involve young people from a local SEND school, supporting our commitment to inclusion and ensuring a range of voices and experiences are represented in the gallery.

The successful artist-facilitator will work with MAC's Learning & Participation team and the participating schools to deliver both strands of the project - the workshop delivery and the Young Gallery Guides. 

Responsibilities will include:

• Planning and delivering three 4-hour creative workshops with each of the three participating classes, resulting in nine school workshops in total.
• Developing engaging, age-appropriate and inclusive activities inspired by myths, legends, cultural heritage and storytelling.
• Supporting pupils to create individual artworks and contribute to a collaborative artwork for exhibition in MAC's Community Gallery.
• Encouraging pupils to share their ideas, stories and perspectives, ensuring their voices remain central to the creative process.
• Working with MAC's Learning & Participation team to prepare four to five selected pupils from each class to become Young Gallery Guides.
• Supporting the selected pupils to develop ideas and confidence for sharing artworks with visitors, leading informal gallery tours and delivering hands-on creative activities at MAC during the school half-term and summer holidays.
• Working collaboratively with MAC staff and school representatives to ensure the project is accessible, inclusive and rewarding for all participants.

Workshop Delivery Schedule 

One workshop per school (three schools) to be delivered within a monthly timeframe. Exact delivery dates will be agreed with the successful candidate and schools.

• Workshop 1 | January 2027 | 10am - 2pm | Held at school
• Workshop 2 | February 2027 | 10am - 2pm | Held at school
• Workshop 3 | March 2027 | 10am - 2pm | Held at school 

The Final Artwork will be delivered to MAC on the week commencing Mon 30 March 2027. Installation of the Final Artwork will take place at MAC mid-April 2027. 

The exhibition will run from Sat 17 April - Mon 30 August 2027 and a celebration event will take place in May 2027 at MAC.

Young Gallery Guides Activity Days 

These sessions will take place during the May half-term and summer holidays, with three activity days planned for each school: nine days in total.

• May half-term: Week commencing Mon 31 May - Sun 6 June 2027, at MAC
• Summer holidays:  Thu 22 July - Sun 15 Aug 2027, at MAC

The dates and arrangements for the Young Gallery Guides activity days will be agreed with the successful artist, MAC's Learning & Participation team and participating schools.

There are a number of ways the project will be celebrated and showcased across 2027. These include:

●    Participating schools will be invited to a local celebration event at MAC to share their work with other Birmingham schools.
●    The Exhibition will open alongside the main Japan: Myths to Manga until August.
●    Work will be returned to schools after the exhibition ends.

A select number of students will also be chosen to be Young Gallery Guides for the exhibition.

The total fee available is £5,000, covering Little Legends, Big Worlds workshop delivery and the Young Gallery Guides.

Project related travel costs up to a maximum of £200 will be covered. 

• Experience in facilitating creative workshops for schools and young people.
• Experience in creative workshop leadership skills.
• Experience of planning and preparing creative workshops.  
• Experience working with groups with additional needs and groups of mixed ability
• Passion for supporting young people’s voices and creative practice
• Existing or emerging creative practice in a range of artforms.
• The ability to travel around Birmingham to selected schools

We are particularly keen to hear from artists working in a range of visual arts including illustration, mixed media, painting and drawing, visual poetry and collage, and artists from diverse backgrounds. 

To apply for this role please submit:

•  your CV with a covering letter, max 1 side of A4, explaining how you would approach delivery of the project and the creative practice students will be exploring.  

OR

• A video (no longer than 3 minutes) detailing your experience, how you meet the person criteria and how you would approach delivery of the project and the creative practice students will be exploring.

Applications should be submitted FAO David Poole to learning@macbirmingham.co.uk by the deadline, Sun 22nd November 2026, 11:59pm.

We want the diversity of our team to reflect the diversity of our communities and are particularly keen to hear from artist-facilitators from global majority backgrounds.

If you require any of this information in another format or have any access requirements to complete your application, please get in touch at personnel@macbirmingham.co.uk.
 

Interviews will take place on the week commencing Mon 30 November 2026. Artists will be selected by Fri 4 December 2026.