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Tatton Park in Knutsford, Cheshire is one of the North West's most successful heritage visitor attractions with nearly 800,000 visitors a year. Help us care for our special places...

Cultural Project Manager - Freelance Brief

June 2025 to November 2026

 

Cheshire East Council’s Cultural Economy Team seeks to appoint a freelance Cultural Project Manager to work support delivery of a major art programme at Tatton Park in 2026.

 

You will be:

• experienced in successfully project managing cultural programmes (art, heritage, archives and events) within a public sector context to deliver outcomes
• an advocate for fine art and XR media, able to communicate this to a wide range of people, including those with little or no previous experience or skills in this area
• able to work analytically to identify feasible options, appraise these within the current landscape of funding and priorities, and communicate clear decisions
• committed to raising aspirations for how art and XR media can engage visitors, participants and audiences

 

 

Project Overview

Canaletto: The Italian Connection ~ from Venice to Tatton tells the story of Samuel Egerton who lived at Tatton Park and worked as an apprentice to the art-dealer Joseph Smith in Venice.  Many people have not unlocked the story behind this and the two Canaletto paintings, and this project will take audiences on a new journey in the story of Tatton Park at this time, including correspondence, paintings, prints and drawings.

 

This will be achieved by the display of unseen exhibits, digitisation of collections and curatorial information, an XR immersive experience and (subject to funding) a large sculptural artwork presented on the Mere and within the Parkland.

 

Alongside this a comprehensive school offer and community outreach activity programme will enable us to enhance access to and interpretation of the collections we hold and provide opportunities to develop digital skills and knowledge. It will make a long-term difference to Tatton Park’s schools / community offer with a focus on art and local history.

 

The Role

The Project Manager role involves working across the teams at Tatton Park and Cheshire East Council in partnership with Abandon Normal Devices (AND) who are delivering work with two arts organisations. It will support the engagement of schools and communities, identifying potential grants and fundraising for the programme, and oversee the delivery of all elements across the programme.

The programme is well developed with funding at different stages for each of the elements. The outcomes of these funding applications will shape the focus of this role, and an experienced cultural project manager is needed to take this forward to meet the outcomes of the project.

 

Deliverables

• Overall coordination, scheduling and monitoring to ensure the project is on track to time / budget, meeting milestones and outputs, and problem solving as needed across the Tatton Park teams and partners
• Lead regular partner meetings to monitor delivery against targets and timescales and attend Tatton Park meetings to ensure the Canaletto project is embedded in delivery plans across site. Ensure all stakeholders are informed through structured communications, and identify risks and mitigation for the project
• Research relevant grants to fundraise for education and collections programmes and the Mere / Parkland artwork
• Oversee data collection mechanisms set up across Tatton Park and partners and analysis to include surveys, comment books, online monitoring, capturing engagement numbers and footfall, and the impact of attracting local audiences through ticketing, documentation activities through photography / film to feed into audience development and education / community programmes moving forward
• Track levels of interest through marketing and audience development activity including social media and press coverage, working with the partner marketing leads
• Support Tatton Park, Cheshire East Council and AND plus the artists with engaging local schools / colleges and community groups with the programme / activity
• Reporting for ACE and other funders subject to successful applications – complete activity report forms / final reports to support Tatton Park
• Evaluation design (Failspace model), data collection and short case studies for a primary school, high school, college and community group, and final report

 

Timescale

It is expected that demand between May 2025 and November 2026 (final reporting) will flex across the activity, but it is anticipated 2 days a week will be an average requirement. Canaletto: The Italian Connection ~ from Venice to Tatton will be open from 28^th March – 31^st October 2026.

 

Fee

The total fee for this work will be £24,000. This will be split pro rata across 2025 and 2026

 

Apply

To apply please send

• A statement of the skills, knowledge and interests you bring to this role and your approach to the work (maximum 2 sides of A4). This will include a suggested breakdown of your available time commitment (it is recognised that this will be indicative at this stage)
• Examples of previous, relevant work
• CV including contact details of two referees (both in a professional context)

 

Please submit your proposal to Helen Paton – Cultural Economy Manager Helen.paton@cheshireeast.gov.uk.

 

Deadline:  Friday 18^th July 12pm midday