Working across three museum sites, the Interpreter will:  

• Combine collections research already undertaken locally  
• Work alongside the three Young Curators groups (one at each site) to make 
  sure their work, ideas and perspectives are central to the exhibition content and 
  presentation.    
• Shape and refine exhibition content and interpretation, in conjunction with 
  partner staff and young curators' groups  
• Develop a coherent, shared narrative that connects the distinct geographies, 
  collections, and young peoples’ groups  
• Ensure that sustainability is an integral part of the narrative and purpose of the 
  exhibition. 

The resulting core exhibition will tour across all three partner venues.   

The core exhibition will be supported by local content specific to each venue and young 
people’s groups and creative commissions by locally based heritage craft artists. 

Communities of Making is a partnership project, part of Going Places, an Art Fund programme made possible with generous support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Julia Rausing Trust.  

The programme is running over 5 years, from 2025 to 2030.  

Communities of Making explores the evolution of making traditions—including textiles, basketry and metalwork—through museum collections, contemporary practice, and the development of young curators groups.

The project will:  

• Highlight endangered and evolving craft practices  
• Support co-curation with young people  
• Connect local stories to wider shared themes across the UK  
• Provide training and development opportunities for young people  
• Ensure legacy of project outputs and systems within and across each partner 
  organisation and delivery teams  

The first exhibition will launch in May 2027, touring across:  

• Inverness Museum & Art Gallery  
• Carmarthenshire Museum(s)  
• Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum 

Research

• Bring together the existing research undertaken by local researchers / project staff at each partner museum  
• Work with identified longlists of objects from each collection  
• Draw connections across geographies, identifying shared themes, differences, and narratives  
• Provide an external, critical perspective on collections and their interpretation  

Content Development and Editorial Role  

• Develop the core exhibition narrative, ensuring clarity, cohesion, and accessibility  
• Draft interpretive text (labels, panels, and key messaging) as part of an Interpretation brief, in collaboration with the project team and young curators 
• Ensure consistency in tone, style, and voice across all sites  
• Develop the exhibition title and thematic framing  

Co-curation and Engagement  

• Work with three Young Curators groups (one at each site)  
• Incorporate youth perspectives into object selection, themes, and interpretation  
• Make sure that curation of objects and exhibitions are young people led   
• Support partners to reflect local community priorities and stories within the exhibition

Object and Content Selection  

• Support selection of a core group of exhibition objects, expected to include:
  • 3–5 objects per partner (approx. 9–15 total)  
  • This selection will be supported by 1 creative commission per site and contributions from Young Curators at each venue  
  • Advise on additional interpretive content, such as film and digital media  

Exhibition Development  

• Prepare the exhibition design brief in consultation with young curators and project team  
• Inform and contribute to the development of the artist commissions briefs  
• Ensure balance between:   
  
  • A shared core exhibition narrative  
  • Venue-specific interpretation and local emphasis  

Strategic Contribution  

• Identify emerging themes or future opportunities beyond the initial exhibition  
• Contribute insights to support long-term collaborative working and programming 

The Interpreter will work closely with:  

• Local Researchers (Inverness and Lisburn)  
• Collections Manager (Carmarthenshire)  
• Curatorial and project teams across all three partners  
• Young Curators groups  
• Exhibition designers  

Ciaran Toal, Head of Collections, Irish Linen Centre and Lisburn Museum, will be the lead contact throughout the period, with support provided by the project coordinator (based at Carmarthenshire Museums) and wider project team.  

The Interpreter will deliver:  

• An Interpretation Plan for the touring exhibition; to include recommendations for:   
  
  • Object selection  
  • Interpretive approaches  
  • Film/digital content  

Once signed off, to follow with  

• Draft interpretive content (labels, panel text, key messages) and work with project team members for contributions and edits  
• Create exhibition design and commissioning briefs (to include detail on design and layout) and work alongside designers and project team to implement exhibition design.  

• Sept 2026 – Project induction and introduction to collections  
• Sept - December 2026 – Research and development  
• From Sept 2026 – Engagement with Young Curators groups  

Ideally, we anticipate that site visits for the Interpreter to each partner museum should coincide with young curators' sessions, which are usually held on Saturdays, but we recognise that connection with the Young Curators may need to take place online.   

This scheduling challenge should be addressed in your response to the brief as part of your methodology approach.   

• December 2026 – Object list confirmed  
• End of January 2027 – Interpretation Plan shared with project team for sign off  
• February to March 2027 – Exhibition development and content finalisation  
• March 2027 – May 2027 – Exhibition preparation and build 
• May 2027 – Exhibition launch 

Fee: £15,000 (inclusive of travel and subsistence)  

• Expectation that this fee includes 1 site visit to each partner location as a minimum (3 visits in total) 
• All expenses to be agreed in advance with the project team 

• Regular progress updates to the project leads  
• Contribution to project documentation (including blogs, reports, and evaluation) 

Essential  

• Experience developing interpretive content or exhibitions  
• Strong research skills within museum, heritage, or craft contexts  
• Proven ability in writing and copy editing for public audiences  
• Ability to synthesise complex information into clear, engaging narratives  
• Experience of collaborative or co-curation approaches  
• Strong organisational skills and ability to meet deadlines  

Desirable  

• Experience working across multiple sites or partnerships  
• Knowledge of craft traditions, heritage making or social history  
• Experience working with young people or community groups  
• Understanding of UK museum sector practice 

Please submit a 1. covering letter and 2. CV (including 2 contact details for references) and include 3. your proposed approach. This should include details on your:  

• methodology   
• timeline for proposed site visits and number of online sessions,   
• budget breakdown  
• suitability and experience (paying attention to the essential and desirable requirements)  

All 3 documents should be no longer than 2 pages each to emmarobinson@carmarthenshire.gov.uk Network Coordinator by Thursday 6 August midday.  

Please contact Dr Ciaran Toal, Keeper of Collections, Irish Linen Centre and Lisburn Musuem, if you would like an informal conversation about the role. ciaran.toal@lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk  /  02892 447669 / 07816 078706.  

We expect the interviews to take place between 17 – 28 August  

Please let us know if there are any issues with availability across these dates.  

Anticipated start date – September 2026