Payback Scheme

Open to all Open Studios artists - up to £50 for 5 hours work.

These roles play a crucial part in the festival running smoothly, and we have found that our collaborative approach works well for us and for artists. Site Festival is fundamentally community based and artist-led, and we are keen to keep testing ideas.

We find when artists work on these roles with each other and with us, they learn more about the festival structure and gain more from the experience.

Job Roles for 2025

Site Exhibition organisers - two to three artists - we usually work with 2 or 3 Open Studios Artists to organise the Exhibition, and certain practical experience is essential.

One role would be more computed based - receiving submissions online, handling spreadsheets and images, emailing artists and arranging details with the venue. You would need to be efficient and experienced with computer systems, and be able to work at SVA.

The other roles can be more exhibition focused, so experience with hanging work, curating, and working with other artists would be our priority. With all of the roles it would be ideal for everyone to be proactive with publicity and arranging the opening night as well.

You will need to be available between March and June.

Additional admin/coordination - one artist

We would appreciate some admin support, either in the SVA office or remotely:

• Coordinating the Evening Openings - such as contacting artists and arranging a timetable.

• Adding information to websites - depending on your experience, you may be able to help us with adding content to some of our sites

• Coordinating the ‘skill share’ sessions - such as contacting artists, arranging a timetable, arranging venue/space with the SVA office

• Coordinating some of the Payback Scheme roles

You would need to be available between January and March.

Distributors - between 3 and 6 artists - working directly with the coordinator, we need efficient, reliable and proactive people to take the directories and posters around the Stroud District. We need you to report back with how many you’ve been able to distribute, and would need an accurate record on the spreadsheets with information about where you’ve been.

We rely on this information for the following year, so we need people who are organised, flexible and willing to manage their own time efficiently.

Although every Open Studios artist is expected to take 50 directories and take them around the county, this distribution is a necessary addition.

As an artist, it’s a really great way to promote your own studio opening too, as you can have many conversations with potential visitors as you travel around.

You will need to be available between end of April and beginning of June.

Farmers Market team - 12 artists - we distribute directories on Saturdays in the Farmers Market leading up to Site Festival each year, and we’ve found it most effective when there is a core team of committed artists promoting their work. We would ideally like to gather 12 artists who could cover all of the Saturdays between them, and arrange the “rota” between them.

We usually have 3-4 artists available each Saturday, passing out directories between 9.30am and 1pm approximately. You will need to collect the boxes from SVA at 9.30am, along with a table and some posters, and carry it all up to the market.

You will need to be available for one or more of the Saturdays between the end of April and beginning of June.

Marketing support - one artist - working with the SVA team and the Distribution coordinator, and working to our schedule and plan. This role will be focusing on getting press releases out, coordinating some social media, and finding other proactive ways to spread the word about Site Festival. A key part of this role that we’re keen to try is to “buddy up” with other artists to show them how to use social media, so you would potentially providing support for other artists.

This role requires someone with extensive experience of marketing, preferably someone who has worked regularly with various platforms and in a range of different teams.

The timeline is likely to be March-May.

Photographer - one artist - working with Jo and working to our schedule, we regularly need specific imagery for publicity and events. A key part of this role is flexibility, experience, and an eye for making images to a specific brief.

This role requires someone with some experience of photography, preferably someone who has worked digitally for a number of years, and with a wide range of different people. Imagery that we often find challenging to find is of visitors in studio spaces, facing the camera - so if you have experience of working this way, it would be very beneficial.

The timeline is likely to be January-March.

We would love pictures of artists and visitors in studios before the end of March, so that we can use them in all our publicity. So we would expect the photographer to arrange these visits, and be proactive with getting the shots we need.

Applying for the roles

When you fill in your Open Studios Registration form, please state which role(s) you would be interested in when the question appears. We will then be in touch to check your availability and experience for the role, if necessary. 

Alternatively you can arrange a time to meet Kazz or Jo, and ask any questions you may have. Plus, if you have any access needs or requirements that you would like to let us know of please email kazz@sva.org.uk.