Access & Participation Project Lead

Application Deadline: 31 December 2025

Department: Engagement

Employment Type: Fixed Term - Full Time

Location: London

Compensation: From GBP 37,500

Description

Joining English National Ballet, you will find a community of artists, musicians, theatre and costume craftspeople, creatives, business and administration professionals, all working together to achieve a common goal: to open up the possibilities of ballet, to move more people in more ways. We are a multi-skilled, multi-cultural, open and inclusive organisation and we place a high value on diversity and diversity of thought in our teams.

About the role

English National Ballet is seeking an Access & Participation Project Lead to champion, plan and deliver a range of inclusive and accessible projects end to end from concept and partnership building to delivery, evaluation and celebration within the project Illuminations and its portfolio.

This is an exciting opportunity to open up ballet to be a more inclusive space for children and young people with different needs to flourish, and to work in a range of contexts including SEND and mainstream schools with SEND provision, Family Hubs, theatres and care and community settings.

This is a fixed-term position for two years.

Whilst this is a full-time position, we are open to the role being part-time or completed as a job share.Your main responsibilities as Access & Participation Project Lead will include:

• Be responsible and accountable for the planning and delivery of a range of inclusive and access projects within the project Illuminations and its portfolio.
• Research, develop and nurture partnerships with SEND specialist schools and schools with SEND embedded into mainstream curriculum, Family Hubs, inclusive networks and arts organisations delivering best practice.
• Create opportunities for collaboration to provide the best outcomes for SEND children and young people, families and carers primarily at locations in the Beneficial Area - John Lyon's Charity local authority areas.
• Support the development of emerging talent and underrepresented young artists in the inclusive dance space through mentoring, workshops, development projects and talent exchanges and create industry pathways for young artists to fulfil their potential and gain recognition for their achievements.
• Advocate for inclusive dance practice across the organisation and contribute to wider strategic planning as appropriate.
• Deliver the project Illuminations and all agreed project targets and effectively measure their success.
• Support the vision and strategy of the project as a member of ENB's Engagement team.
• Seek opportunities for collaborations for greater learning in designing effective SEND creative programmes to extend the boundaries of the project Illuminations.

Key Selection Criteria

• Experience in planning, developing, and delivering high quality SEND inclusive creative dance/arts provision with schools and families. (Sensory, physical, cognitive and learning, social, emotional and mental health).
• Background in ballet and contemporary dance and excellent knowledge and expertise in access and inclusive dance practice.
• Experience in developing talent progression pathways for young people with different needs, achieving high artistic standards and a culture for inclusive practice in dance.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage budgets, assess and plan resourcing needs and lead times for all elements of project delivery.
• Ability to research and use creative insight to create meaningful and impactful inclusive dance projects.
• Good people skills with proven track record of developing positive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders and partner organisations.