The Cyfarthfa Foundation is seeking a Freelance Exhibition Organiser / Curator.
Background
Cyfarthfa Castle at Merthyr Tydfil is a Grade I listed building built in two parts: the original castle in 1825 and, almost a century later, school buildings built for Cyfarthfa High School following the transfer of ownership from the Crawshay family to the Council. Since the school left the building in 2014, this part has lain empty. In 1910 the castle was developed into the Cyfarthfa Castle Museum & Art Gallery and to this day houses historic artefacts linked to Merthyr Tydfil’s past - ranging from a distinctive art collection to the world’s first steam whistle. The Museum and Art Gallery – and its 160-acre park - are open to the public throughout the year and visitors can enjoy a yearly programme of walks, talks, workshops and exhibitions or explore the Museum which is a testament to the spirit of the working man, Merthyr's spirit and the story which makes Merthyr so important in history for Wales and Britain and the wider world.
In 2020 ‘The Cyfarthfa Plan’ was unveiled. This presented a high-level strategic 20-year vision for the Cyfarthfa and the surrounding area. The key priority of the Cyfarthfa Foundation is to now take the ideas presented in the Cyfarthfa Plan and champion the development of a detailed and fundable initial project.
In 2025, Cyfarthfa Castle will be celebrating its bicentenary. Alongside other partners including Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, the Foundation is organising a number of celebratory events to highlight its history and heritage, its national and international importance as once the greatest centre of iron-making in the world, and the multi-faceted history of the people and community that made it.
In January 2025, The Cyfarthfa Foundation will host a small-scale, self-contained exhibition in the centre of the Yellow Gallery in Cyfarthfa Museum and Art Gallery. This exhibition will sit alongside the Museum and Art Gallery’s existing collection. It will also need to complement the museum’s other extensive collaborations with artists, schools and communities that are being shared throughout the year including those in celebration of the bicentenary.
The aim of the exhibition is to is to reflect on the inspirational role of the people of Cyfarthfa and Merthyr Tydfil and its impact on Wales and beyond; to highlight the national importance of the future of Cyfarthfa Park & Castle and the work being undertaken to champion its development and restoration.
The Role
The successful applicant will work with the Foundation team to bring together the exhibition.
This includes;
- Engage with the community to collate content
- Curation of content to allow attendees to explore importance of the future development of Cyfarthfa and the work that is being done to restore it, making use of VR footage of the site we have available
- Lead on narrative of the exhibition and creation of written content
- Planning physical layout and managing budget
- Work with Foundation team on any build or other execution requirements ensuring high quality presentation, in line with Cyfarthfa Castle Museum and Art Gallery’s exhibition policy. This should include something that can remain in the museum foyer after the exhibition.
- Support installation of the exhibition
- Work closely with the Museum & Art Gallery whilst creating and delivery of the exhibition
- Assisting with a launch event
We are interested in applicants who are able to work from October 2024 through to January 2025.
Applications should have a proven track record of working on high quality exhibition development, production or project management with good budget management, team working, planning and organisational skills.
Fee: £5,000 (inc VAT). The successful applicant will be responsible for their own Tax and NI contributions. Additional budget is available for production.
The successful applicant will be responsible for managing their own workload and schedule to meet key deadlines. We anticipate a requirement of the equivalent of 20 days work at £250 per day.
To apply please send a CV along with a covering letter specifying your skills and experience for the role to info@cyfarthfafoundation.wales by Sunday 20 October 2024. If other formats suit you better, you can submit a video or audio file.
For an informal discussion about the opportunity, please contact Gemma Durham, Director of Brand and Engagement, at gdurham@cyfarthfafoundation.wales