Recruitment at Mortal Fools
Scroll to the bottom of the page to read more about what it is like to work at Mortal Fools.
Outside of recruitment windows, we are always interested in connecting with North-East-based theatre & drama practitioners, youth workers, and professional artists - to widen our network, to exchange best practice, and to link up with folx who are passionate about co-creation and children and young people.
We love connecting with folx who are passionate about high quality creative opportunities for children and young people - and who want to use their skills to unlock the potential in others, and have an impact on the lives of young people and communities. If that's you - we encourage you to reach out to our team and say hello! Drop us an email via admin@mortalfools.org.uk and let's connect digitally.
If you'd like to be notified about future recruitment or volunteering opportunities, you can sign up to our mailing list here.
Outside of recruitment windows, we are always interested in connecting with North-East-based theatre & drama practitioners, youth workers, and professional artists - to widen our network, to exchange best practice, and to link up with folx who are passionate about co-creation and children and young people.
We love connecting with folx who are passionate about high quality creative opportunities for children and young people - and who want to use their skills to unlock the potential in others, and have an impact on the lives of young people and communities. If that's you - we encourage you to reach out to our team and say hello! Drop us an email via admin@mortalfools.org.uk and let's connect digitally.
If you'd like to be notified about future recruitment or volunteering opportunities, you can sign up to our mailing list here.
Current opportunities with Mortal Fools
We are recruiting into our casual pool of theatre & drama practitioners!
We are looking for a skilled and enthusiastic sessional theatre & drama practitioner to join our casual pool, who wants to specialise in the type of work Mortal Fools does and are passionate about high quality creative opportunities for children and young people.
Our sessional practitioners support the artistic delivery and facilitation of our young people’s programmes.
Get in touch with helen@mortalfools.org.uk to find out more.
We are recruiting into our casual pool of theatre & drama practitioners!
We are looking for a skilled and enthusiastic sessional theatre & drama practitioner to join our casual pool, who wants to specialise in the type of work Mortal Fools does and are passionate about high quality creative opportunities for children and young people.
Our sessional practitioners support the artistic delivery and facilitation of our young people’s programmes.
Get in touch with helen@mortalfools.org.uk to find out more.
We are recruiting Trustees to join our Mortal Fools Board
We are recruiting Trustees over the next 12 months on a rolling basis. If you’re interested in Trusteeship at Mortal Fools, please get in touch to request more information.
The time commitment can vary – but at Mortal Fools, Trusteeship equates to approx. 36 hours a year.
We’re looking for people to join Mortal Fools Board who believe deeply in the importance of the work we do; Folks who want to invest their time into supporting children and young people by enabling the continued growth of the organisation. And who want to bring their skills, ideas, energy, and experience to enhance Mortal Fools via committed, connected and bold governance.
We are interested in hearing from experienced professionals and individuals who are passionate about the performing arts as a tool for social change - and are committed to supporting the lives of children and young people in Northumberland and the wider North East.
We are looking for transferable professional skills and knowledge, leadership qualities and experience, lived experience in particular areas, and a passion for children and young people, their needs, and interests. We are especially keen to hear from professionals from the education sector, legal sector, and folks with experience of HR/people management, capital project delivery, fundraising, corporate sponsorship and giving.
Prior Trustee experience is not required - just the desire to utilise your knowledge and experience, both professional and personal, to support our ongoing organisational development and resilience.
For more information feel free to drop Rachel an email at Rachel.Horton@mortalfools.org.uk, or give us a call on 0191 580 1250.
The time commitment can vary – but at Mortal Fools, Trusteeship equates to approx. 36 hours a year.
We’re looking for people to join Mortal Fools Board who believe deeply in the importance of the work we do; Folks who want to invest their time into supporting children and young people by enabling the continued growth of the organisation. And who want to bring their skills, ideas, energy, and experience to enhance Mortal Fools via committed, connected and bold governance.
We are interested in hearing from experienced professionals and individuals who are passionate about the performing arts as a tool for social change - and are committed to supporting the lives of children and young people in Northumberland and the wider North East.
We are looking for transferable professional skills and knowledge, leadership qualities and experience, lived experience in particular areas, and a passion for children and young people, their needs, and interests. We are especially keen to hear from professionals from the education sector, legal sector, and folks with experience of HR/people management, capital project delivery, fundraising, corporate sponsorship and giving.
Prior Trustee experience is not required - just the desire to utilise your knowledge and experience, both professional and personal, to support our ongoing organisational development and resilience.
For more information feel free to drop Rachel an email at Rachel.Horton@mortalfools.org.uk, or give us a call on 0191 580 1250.
Mortal Fools are a really exciting, collaborative organisation who think outside the box, and are always seeking to do things in a different way. It is very refreshing!
- YMCA Northumberland Lead Youth Worker
Opportunities at Mortal Fools
We engage folks in a variety of ways:
Employed Permanent Contracts
The core Mortal Fools Team are all on part-time and full-time permanent contracts, working across multiple projects in our portfolio. They also lead on or support (depending on role) organisational functioning and business development.
Employed Fixed Term Contracts
We provide fixed term contracts in different ways, depending on the needs of the project/s and the duration the person wishes to commit to:
Freelance Contracts
Many of our Mortal Fools Associate Artists are freelance – we often work with freelancers when our projects have a creative need, or if we need additional resource, capacity or expertise. These opportunities are ad hoc, short term and small scale.
The core Mortal Fools Team are all on part-time and full-time permanent contracts, working across multiple projects in our portfolio. They also lead on or support (depending on role) organisational functioning and business development.
Employed Fixed Term Contracts
We provide fixed term contracts in different ways, depending on the needs of the project/s and the duration the person wishes to commit to:
- 1 project for 1 term (e.g. 6 hours per week for 14 weeks)
- Longer project duration for 2 terms (e.g. 6 hours per week for 28 weeks)
- 1 year across several projects (e.g. 2 days per week for a year)
Freelance Contracts
Many of our Mortal Fools Associate Artists are freelance – we often work with freelancers when our projects have a creative need, or if we need additional resource, capacity or expertise. These opportunities are ad hoc, short term and small scale.
Working at Mortal Fools
The best way to understand what it's like working with Mortal Fools
is to hear from Team Mortal Fools in their own words!
is to hear from Team Mortal Fools in their own words!
Working for Mortal Fools is an exhilarating learning process. They never stop and get comfortable. They support their team to grow and develop, with them, with every project. They are always looking for ways to progress, to move forward and actively respond to what’s happening around them.
- Mortal Fools Staff Member
Across the #FluxTour2023 devising process, I have seen creativity flourish in all sorts of ways and in working alongside these young people as a freelance associate artist, my own creative practice has been inspired, challenged, and pushed in new explorative directions.
- Mortal Fools Freelance Associate Artist
As a sessional worker, I love being part of the Mortal Fools team and having a strong group of practitioners and creatives to work with. I get to work with a broad range of young people, creating new and exciting work, as well as having the flexibility to work on other creative projects with other companies.
- Mortal Fools Staff Member
I feel uplifted and passionate every time I come to work with Mortal Fools. Everyone is respected and held in such high regard with one another; each and every member of the company is an essential part of the Mortal Fools jigsaw.
- Mortal Fools Staff Member
You can meet our team digitally on our team page here. You can also read this blog post by practitioner Scott, about what it’s like working at Mortal Fools.
Mortal Fools as an Employer
Mortal Fools is an award-winning, person-centric, socially-engaged employer. We are committed to treating our people well so they thrive, and to actively enabling social good and pursuing equity through activism. We are always striving to be and do better – we are continuously learning and evolving as a company.
We want everyone who works with us to feel that they belong at Mortal Fools, and that their efforts and skills are valued. We enable our staff to authentically be themselves in a thoughtful workplace, and we value differences.
We want everyone who works with us to feel that they belong at Mortal Fools, and that their efforts and skills are valued. We enable our staff to authentically be themselves in a thoughtful workplace, and we value differences.
Staff Benefits:
- Competitive salary rates – one of the highest in the North East creative sector, reviewed regularly.
- Well-above-statutory holiday allowance, including bank and public holidays.
- Above-statutory employer pension contribution of 4%, with employee contribution of 4%.
- Office equipment allowance.
- Wellbeing support including access to a wellbeing allowance.
- Flexible and hybrid working opportunities.
- Office shut down weeks – an opportunity to collectively pause.
- Active social calendar including theatre go-sees and outdoor walks.
The Organisation:
- All staff are given access to our Mortal Fools Employee Handbook, which outlines our policies and procedures. This outlines what to do, where to go, and who to turn to in a wide range of circumstances.
- There are opportunities to be seen, heard, and to contribute at all levels of the organisation.
- We are active in our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion work. We have worked hard at building an inclusive culture that values differences, and various lived experiences are represented in our organisation. You can read about our inclusion and activism work here.
- We are a living wage employer.
- We have been awarded The Good Work Pledge Advanced Level by North of Tyne, in recognition of our active investment in our people, our practices, policies, and our commitment to being a “good business”.
- We are active in our Environmental, Social, and Governance work. We are a socially conscious organisation, working hard to be better, and a member of the North East Institute Of Business Ethics.
Professional Development:
Staff members and associate artists are supported in their development through:
We believe that when it comes to job roles, it’s not helpful to try to fit people into boxes. We want all our staff members to feel that their individual needs, interests, and development goals are being met, whilst also ensuring the purpose of their role benefits the company and its growth.
Whilst we are clear with our job roles and expectations, all of our roles vary and evolve over time, based on:
All jobs at Mortal Fools inevitably adapt and develop over time, as we get to know folks better and enable them to step into their full personal potential.
- One-to-one feedback and mentoring.
- Peer-to-peer support.
- A collaborative environment where folks can bring ideas, enthusiasm and talents to fruition.
- The chance to work with a cross-sector network of national partners, expand professional networks and experience.
- Training by external providers to meet personal development goals.
- A safe, supportive, inclusive, and fun company culture.
- Opportunities to help shape the growth and development plans of the wider company at Team Development Days and Company Development Weeks.
We believe that when it comes to job roles, it’s not helpful to try to fit people into boxes. We want all our staff members to feel that their individual needs, interests, and development goals are being met, whilst also ensuring the purpose of their role benefits the company and its growth.
Whilst we are clear with our job roles and expectations, all of our roles vary and evolve over time, based on:
- Existing skills and experience of a staff member.
- Progression routes available and the aspirations and ambitions an individual.
- Demands and the needs of the business as we grow.
- The project workloads and evolution.
- Confidence and capability in areas of work as employment progresses.
All jobs at Mortal Fools inevitably adapt and develop over time, as we get to know folks better and enable them to step into their full personal potential.
Get to know Mortal Fools' work
The best way to get to know the types of projects our team contribute to and support, is by experiencing our work.
- Download our impact report to see what we got up to across 2021/22.
- Read this blog post by practitioner Scott, about what it is like working at Mortal Fools.
- Read about our values.
- Digitally meet our team and practitioners.
- Watch Sparked - an educational and practice-sharing video series about working in co-creation with children and young people.
- Watch The Bigger Picture- Across 6 poignant and purposeful film shorts, you’re invited to see the world through Mortal Fools Youth Theatre’s eyes, and feel what it’s like to grow up today.
- Watch FLUX Digital- 12 unique young voices come together on film, to explore what it means to question your identity in a world that feels determined to put you in a box.
- Listen to When The World Is Loud - an audio theatre experience to help you drown out the noise of the modern world.
You can also download our impact report here to see what we got up to across 2021/22, and read about our values here.
