CHELSEA THEATRE FREELANCE THEATRE TECHNICIAN (FESTIVAL SEASON) NEEDED
JOB DESCRIPTION
A broad role encompassing theatre technician duties such as lighting and sound, and stage management for performances across the RBKC Festival at the Chelsea Theatre.
Summary of the Role
• Take responsibility for all technical areas within the theatre and events spaces
• Provide appropriate proactive and creative technical production support for the theatre performance and activities
• Work across multiple teams to support the delivery of a number of performances over the summer
Term of this Post
The initial term of this post is 12 weeks from earliest 10th June 2021 to the 31st of August 2021 to cover the month before and the full period of the RBKC Culture Festival. There will be 50-60 days of work over this period including some weekends.
Payment will be on a freelance day rate of £160.
Reporting to: The general Manager
The candidate will have no direct line management responsibility, but supervision of casual staff or volunteers may be required.
Main General Duties – Applies to all in-house performances and events
• Set up and stage manage performance / event spaces
• Set up and operate lighting, sound and multimedia equipment
• Liaise with relevant departments and individuals to ensure support is anticipated and provided
• Provide technical support to all users of the theatre and event spaces
• Assist during main festival production periods to ensure rehearsals and production meetings run smoothly
• Ensure adequate event and technical support is in place when absent
• Provide first-line maintenance support for all relevant technical equipment, machines, furniture, fixtures and fittings
• Ensure all equipment is stored safely and is accessible to others when absent
• Maintain an inventory of all equipment and materials held and used
• To ensure that all incoming performers and crew are fully aware of the fire procedure and other emergency and safety procedures
• To undertake lock-up duties as required, and act as Duty Manager if so requested by the Theatre Manager.
Health & Safety
• Ensure all health and safety requirements are met for the use of the performances spaces and produce risk assessments for all theatre / event space activities
• Regularly update and advise all users of the theatres and event spaces on the safe use of the area and equipment.
The ideal candidate will have the following:
• Experience in stage and production management
• Experience in sound and lighting design
• Up to date knowledge of lighting systems, control apparatus, equipment and its maintenance
• Up to date knowledge of digital audio and audio-visual equipment and its use in relation to live, recorded and play-back techniques
• Excellent interpersonal skills, able to communicate clearly and consistently with all theatre and event space users, especially non-technical users
• Highly organized with successful experience in meeting deadlines and managing conflicting priorities
• Experience in implementing health and safety requirements and risk assessments
• Confident in manual-handling/heavy lifting of theatre equipment, climbing ladders etc. and able to do so safely
• Where required, the ability to provide technical assistance to external users
How to apply
The application deadline for this post is the 9th June 2021.
NEW JOB OPENING AT THE CHELSEA THEATRE – FRONT OF HOUSE MANAGER NEEDED
The Chelsea Theatre is looking for an experienced Front of House Manager to initiate and lead a culture of exceptional customer service and provide stand out experiences for our community wider audiences and build customer loyalty.
The role will also be a Personal licence holder for the venue – managing our bar and café, working with the General Manager to successfully set strategic direction and delivery of our food and beverage offer delivering excellent food and drink to audiences and visitors to the building and focusing on income generation.
To apply for the post please provide a CV and Covering letter of no more than two pages of A4 and equal opportunities monitoring form.
Please state FRONT OF HOUSE MANAGER in the subject line.
Alternatively, you may post your application to:
Paul Adlam
The Chelsea Theatre
Worlds End place
The King’s Road
London
SW10 0DR
Deadline for applications is 12pm Friday 11th June.
Interviews will take place on W/C 14th June with immediate start where possible.
FRONT OF HOUSE MANAGER Job Description
The Chelsea Theatre is a community Centre and Theatre at World’s End Place off the King’s Road in Chelsea. Built in the 1960’s as part of the iconic World’s end estate the Chelsea theatre serves the local community providing entertainment, education and well-being in a wide variety of forms. With a suite of six Studios and a 130-seat theatre we plan to re-open post Covid with a full timetable of events.
The Theatre was closed in 2018 for a full re-model and re-fit and opened again to much excitement in January 2020, only to close shortly after due to Covid-19. We relaunch the theatre post Covid in late June 2021 and are one of three hubs and the designated ‘Club House’ for the Kensington & Chelsea Festival in July & August 2021.
The theatre and community centre will offer a wide variety of programming to a diverse and ever-changing audience. The role covers all our catering, including managing the Community Café team, and the theatre bar and first floor terrace. This is an opportunity for a driven, creative and entrepreneurial individual bring out the best in this unique and exciting venue.
Purpose of the role
• Lead the Front of House team and ensure the smooth running of the Front of House operation
• Responsible for recruitment, induction, development and training of new staff
• Ensure all Front of House staff have the appropriate training including: customer service and health and safety;
• Creating staff rotas and providing payroll information, ensuring that the building is appropriately staffed at all times;
• Provide excellent customer service to all visitors of the theatre;
• Deal with any issues raised by visitors;
• To be responsible for the set-up of the bar and Café (with Café team), sourcing of suppliers and equipment;
• To be responsible for the day to day smooth and efficient running of the bar and catering operations;
• To realise the potential for growth of the bar and catering at the Chelsea Theatre and ensure its financial success, developing and delivering a long-term strategic plan for its development;
• To ensure an attractive and appetising menu of food and drink for audiences and visitors to the building;
• Ensure all systems and procedures for security are followed at all times.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Bar and Catering
• To be responsible for the sourcing of all hardware and equipment not already in place.
• To be responsible for the day to day management of the bar and catering operations;
• To lead on and have responsibility for the financial operations of the bar and catering functions to ensure efficient running and maximisation of profit;
• To develop and deliver long term strategic business development of the bar and catering functions in collaboration with the General Manager and Executive Director;
• To monitor, review and refresh the food and drinks menus at the Chelsea Theatre in order to provide all visitors to the building with interesting and appetising choices;
• To lead on branding of the bar and catering offers at the Chelsea Theatre in collaboration with the General Manager;
• To set and deliver profit and loss targets;
• To be responsible for cash management including reconciliation of takings and cash banking;
• To have overall responsibility for ordering of stock and receiving deliveries and to develop relationships with existing and new suppliers;
• To be responsible for regular and accurate stock checks;
• To work closely with the Finance team on providing clear and accurate financial information including sales and purchases;
• To work with the General manager and Office Manager to provide excellent customer service to all audiences and visitors to the building;
• To ensure that the bar and kitchen equipment is regularly checked, maintained and repaired where necessary;
• To maintain high levels of cleanliness and tidiness within the kitchen and bar areas and that Food Hygiene regulations are adhered to:
• To take lead responsibility for the safety and security of the building, ensuring that systems and procedures for security are followed at all times;
• To assist the General Manager in implementing all environmentally sustainable initiatives including the waste and recycling for the organisation;
• To be trained in front of house and box office procedures in order to provide cover when necessary;
• To produce and distribute daily operational reports;
• To act as a key holder and be on the emergency call-out list.
Staff Management
• To lead our team of bar and kitchen staff, communicating effectively to ensure the motivation of these staff and the smooth running of the bar and kitchen operations;
• To be responsible for the recruitment, induction, training, development and management of all bar and kitchen staff, including customer service, access, licensing and food hygiene where appropriate;
Health and Safety and Licensing
• To be a personal license holder for the organisation in order to sell and authorise the sale of alcohol and to adhere to and enforce licensing regulations;
• To keep up to date with and implement licensing regulations;
• To ensure that the building conforms and exceeds Accessibility and Health and Safety requirements and to recognise and suggest opportunities for improvement;
• To ensure that all bar and kitchen staff have adequate and appropriate training and in Health and Safety and incident and fire evacuation procedures;
• To work with the Production Manager in developing risk assessments for the building and the productions;
• Be a qualified first aider on behalf of the organisation.
General
• Attend events, performances, previews, press and supporters’ nights and other Chelsea Theatre events as required;
• Attend weekly company, operations and bar business meetings;
• Actively deliver green policies and practices for the department;
• Adhere to, and actively contribute to, Chelsea Theatre policies, including Equalities (including diversity, access, and equal opportunities), Environmental and Health & Safety.
• To maximise income and minimise expenditure wherever possible without jeopardising the quality of the work or the reputation of the Chelsea Theatre;
• To act always in the best interest of the Chelsea Theatre;
• Carry out any other duties as may be reasonably required.
Person Specification:
Essential
• An affinity for the mission, vision and work of the Chelsea Theatre and a passion to help achieve the theatre’s success;
• Experience of managing a similar bar and catering operation including financial planning and management;
• Proven experience of managing and motivating casual staff;
• Proven ability in cash handling and stock control;
• Excellent proven customer service skills;
• A positive attitude with a high level of self-motivation and ability to work using your own initiative;
• Ability to communicate effectively with people at all levels, both internally and externally;
• An understanding of equal opportunity and cultural diversity issues in the delivery of our services;
• Excellent organisation and planning skills with proven ability to work flexibly under pressure, to prioritise and to meet deadlines and work within set budgets;
• Knowledge of Licensing, Health and Safety and Food Hygiene regulations and experience of implanting and monitoring safe working practices;
• An understanding of access and disability requirements;
• A positive and solution focused attitude towards work;
• Proven IT skills;
• Flexibility in relation to duties and working hours which will require evenings and weekends.
Desirable
• A personal license holder;
• A valid first aid at work certificate;
• Qualifications in health and safety and food hygiene;
• An interest in communities and the arts
• Attention to detail
• Time management
• Excellent customer service skills
• Problem solving
• Managing a team
• Keep calm and manage stressful situations
TERMS & CONDITIONS
Hours:40 Hours per week across at least five days
Salary:£28,000 per annum
Holidays:20 days per annum (excluding bank holidays)
Probation:Three months
Contract type:Temporary Contract of Employment (twelve months).
KENSINGTON + CHELSEA FESTIVAL
The Chelsea Theatre will be joining KENSINGTON + CHELSEA FESTIVAL (K+C Festival) 1st JULY TO 31 AUGUST 2021
Creativity and culture is at the heart of resilience and recovery from the pandemic. For 2021 we want to reconnect and re-imagine our world together, in the boldest and most imaginative ways possible.
Kensington + Chelsea Art Week will expand throughout the summer season with a festival that elevates the magic and shared experiences of public art and live performance.
K+C Festival will bring people together to celebrate, inspire, and be inspired.
We’ve been busy co-creating a diverse programme with local, national and international artists, our communities, organisations and the wealth of talent behind the scenes whose careers have been on hold for a year. The festival is inspired by the rich heritage, creativity, culture and innovation in Kensington and Chelsea and we’re welcoming all to come and explore with us.
We’re also delighted to be one of the Festival Hubs and the Festival Club House.
Not The End of the World – Arts Council England, Chelsea Theatre & West10Arts
The Chelsea Theatre in association with Arts Council England, West 10 Arts and The World’s End Estate is proud to present the first episode for a series of short films documenting the stories of the community and the people who live at one of the UK’s most iconic 1970’s inner city Tower Blocks – The World’s End Estate.
Free inclusive baking and playtime session for children aged 5-11 and their parents! Every Wednesday 4pm-5.30pm. For more information and to book your place contact gabby@londonsportstrust.org or call:02087351589
GET INVOLVED
We are looking for proposals on how best to run the Theatre Café with, and for, local people. If you have any suggestions or would like to be involved please drop me an email and we can arrange a chat to talk about your ideas + proposals.
Thanks to the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund we can continue to be #HereForCulture!
Join Our Board
Are you looking for an exciting opportunity in performance arts, if so come and join us.
In order to fulfil the full potential of the newly refurbished theatre and bring our community the best in the arts, entertainment, lifelong learning and well-being we need the support of a strong and enthusiastic board.
We are in the process of recruiting new board members and would like to hear from you! We are building a Board that understand and represents the local community.
The Board helps the staff team at the theatre in fulfilling our ambition to be: An exceptional incubation hub for the arts.
A home from home for the local community
A thriving enterprise that is financially secure and stable
A place to offer exceptional opportunity to all.
The ideal trustees will have most or all of the following features:
Strong community connection in World’s End and the Chelsea riverside area.
Strongly held views on the value of diversity in all aspects of society.
Enthusiasm for our mission
Time, energy and the desire to nurture and develop and exceptional and unique community asset.
You can find more information here:
This is the final week of the LYG Virtual Dance competition!
LYG have teamed up with Nando’s and HomeBros to bring us this Afro Beats dance challenge which includes a specially created routine with four moves to learn. Watch the video here https://youtu.be/ErNu8dvt0sA
Confirm your participation HERE to earn points for Kensington and Chelsea. There is also a chance to win a £100 Nando’s gift card for four lucky MVP winners by submitting a video of your routine as well.
You haveuntil Thursday 13th to confirm your participation for the final time!
Thanks for all your participation over the last 6 weeks, we hope you have enjoyed being a part of this virtual challenge and will get involved in future challenges!
The Great Big Art Exhibition
Date: 11 March 2021
The Great Big Art Exhibition invites people across the UK to make an artwork and display it for all to see. We want to show the world what amazing talent we have on the World’s End Estate. As residents of the estate do not have windows that can be seen from the street we are asking the community to submit work to us so we can display a selection in the windows of the Chelsea Theatre.
There is someone at the Chelsea Theatre Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm. Please feel free to drop off your art works during those hours. There will be a box outside the front door of the theatre during those hours where you can safely drop off you artworks. Alternatively you can email a copy to for us to print out and display. Email to:
The Great Big Art Exhibition website gives you details of the current themes and how to best hashtag your work to display it on social media. Please remember to use our hashtag too #thegreatbigartexhibition
Local residents meeting Santa at his Grotto in Chelsea Theatre
Our thanks go to SLOANE STANLEY not only for their generosity, but also for their patience in supporting us with every twist of the way as ideas failed and the law changed.
We must also thank Kensington and Chelsea Council for their support, very rapid responses and advice as plans changed. A simple plan of a small choir and a Grotto rapidly changed with moves into Tier 2, then Tier 3 and finally Tier 4 when, very sadly, we had to close on the Sunday to ensure Santa and everyone remained safe.
Finally, a big thank you to all the volunteers who made a great team to put on this event, be it front of house, or back stage in the Elves’ present wrapping department.
We wish you all well and a very Happy and Healthy New Year. Please keep in touch for news of more events at Chelsea Theatre.
Not The End of the World – Arts Council England, Chelsea Theatre & West10Arts
Date: 23 November 2020
This is an Arts Council England and Chelsea Theatre initiative to document the stories of the residents living and working at one of London’s most iconic housing estates. Read more..
Come and join us on this journey of discovery. Be a part of this exciting project and tell us about yourself, living in these unprecedented times and what living at The World’s End Estate means to you.
This documentary film project will give future generations an insight into your life experiences and your community.
We are looking for people to partake in a 30 to 60 minute recorded discussion with Olivier and Evening Standard Award Winning Director Javier De Frutos
The discussions will be online and conducted using the Zoom platform to record your story, all we need you to do is make yourself comfortable, log in and talk to us from the ease of your own home.
WE ALL HAVE A STORY……LET IT BE SHARED!
Please come and join us to discover something new about each other and celebrate the rich diversity of the people and community living at The World’s End Estate.
For more information, please email the project’s dedicated website: info@chelseatheatre.uk
Black History Month at Chelsea Theatre – Celebrating Our Unsung Heroes
Date: 26 October 2020
The Chelsea Theatre proudly celebrated Black History Month by organising a community project and exhibition championing the culture and achievements of local people of Black British, African and Caribbean descent who go about their daily lives working hard to help and empower our society. Read more..
Funded by a grant awarded by Kensington & Chelsea Council’s Culture Department, Unsung Black Heroes centred on photographing black unsung heroes from the Worlds End & Cremorne Estates in Chelsea. All heroes were nominated by the local community for their outstanding contribution to society.
Matt Uberoi, who organised the project and exhibition as Community Project Manager at the Chelsea Theatre, said: “Local teachers and community workers rightfully deserve their place next to important historical black figures such as Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks because their work is just as important to our community”.
Portraits of our Unsung Black Heroes were exhibited in the newly refurbished Chelsea Theatre on the Worlds End Estate between Monday 26 October and Saturday 31 October during Black History Month.
Owing to COVID-19 and lockdown restrictions, the exhibition is also displayed online through a dedicated website throughout the year to reach a wider audience. This can be found at www.unsungblackheroes.com
A Day in Your Life – Photography Competition by Alison Jackson
Date: 5 October 2020
Chelsea Theatre were delighted to exhibit the ‘A Day in Your Life’ photography competition, founded by BAFTA and award-winning artist Alison Jackson who is also a Trustee of our organisation. Read more..
The community-minded photography competition was for budding talent and aspiring photographers within the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea. The photographs look to represent how best to sum up a day in the lives of residents in these extraordinary times – from celebrating Black History Month, living with disability and supporting friends, families or local businesses during lockdown.
More information about the exhibition, including details of the winners of the competition, can be found at www.dayinyourlife.co.uk
In this photo: Background: Cllr Gerrard Hargreaves the Mayor of Kensington & Chelsea and artist Allison Jackson. Foreground: Competition winners.
Light Show at Chelsea Theatre
Date: 2 October 2020
A spectacular light show from the roof of Chelsea Theatre marked the opening of Kensington and Chelsea Art Week, a Borough wide-celebration of the diversity and heritage of Art and Culture in Kensington and Chelsea. Read more..
Councillor Gerard Hargreaves, Mayor of Kensington and Chelsea, braved the rain to watch the display of coloured lights and searchlights which highlighted the Theatre and iconic towers of the World’s End Estate designed by Eric Lyons.
With the Mayor were Cllr Emma Will, Cllr Alison Jackson, a Trustee of Chelsea Theatre, Pamela Morris-Sykes, Chair of the Trustees and fellow Trustee John Rendall.
Also present were the Director of K&C Art Week, Vestalia Chilton, and the Producer Rebecca Gremmo with Jono Kenyon whose company Beam Lighting Design created the display which continued every evening for a week.
Cllr Gerard Hargreaves, Mayor of Kensington and Chelsea
Jono Kenyon from Beam Lighting Design adjusting the search lights
The Light Show at the Chelsea Theatre
Vestalia Chilton, Director of K&C Art Week
Rebecca Gremmo, Producer of K&C Art Week, and Cllr Gerard Hargreaves, Mayor of Kensington and Chelsea
