Trustee

We are seeking up to four Trustees - including a Chair and Treasurer - to work with the existing board and Executive Team to steer the strategic direction of the charity.

Read the full recruitment pack here

Deadline to apply: Monday 10 June 2024

Who is Forma?

Forma is a leading national contemporary arts organisation, charity (1152156) and an Arts Council England funded National Portfolio Organisation based in London.

Established in 2001, Forma has carved out a reputation as an artist-driven organisation that embraces risk taking, experimentation and collaboration.

Forma champions ideas and artists that are currently underrepresented in the sector. Through a discursive process, we nurture artists’ creative vision and grow their ambition in order to develop large-scale interdisciplinary projects that are career defining and lead to major opportunities around the world. We offer commissioning, fundraising and production expertise, and we present projects in partnership with cultural institutions across the UK and internationally. We pride ourselves on being an organisation that artists and cultural organisations want to work with. In short, Forma is where ideas become art.

Our team works from FormaHQ, a RIBA award winning cultural hub located in Bermondsey that includes affordable artist studios, an event space, a residency space, our bookshop & café (Presse Books) and above, the much celebrated Peveril Gardens.

What does a Trustee do?

As a charity, Forma is overseen by Board members who act as Trustees of the organisation. Board members play a vital and important role in steering the organisation towards the successful delivery of its mission.

Being a Forma board member will give you the opportunity to work closely with the team behind an organisation that is punching above its weight. We want Trustees to embrace our values and keep up with our programme and creative community, welcoming you to our regular public and private events such as; exhibition openings, screenings, talks and performances.

In your role as a Forma Trustee you will be supporting complex productions and career defining exhibitions from artists and creative producers that pose fundamental questions of our social and political life. You will help us assess and navigate new business opportunities to secure increased revenue. You will advocate for Forma amongst your network and champion the talent of our creative community to attract new partnerships, funding and investment.

This is an exciting stage of exploration and growth for the organisation, joining now will mean you will be able to make your mark on Forma well into the future.

Trustees are appointed for a term of 3 years (with option to renew) and are expected to commit 8-12 hours per month.

What kind of skills and experience are we looking for?

A recent skills audit has highlighted areas of knowledge and expertise that would broaden our outlook and be beneficial to our aims:

1) Accounts & Legal

• - An accountant or senior manager with experience of accounting (for charities or creative production) who is willing to act as our Treasurer.
• - A lawyer who can advise on issues such as IP, contracting or charitable law.

2) Innovation & Growth

• - A business leader with an entrepreneurial approach who can help navigate new opportunities and increase revenue.

3) Relationship Building

• - Someone with a relevant personal and professional network who can support us in developing relationships with major donors, investors, brands and strategic partnerships.
• - A senior executive with experience of local authorities, GLA and government agencies.

4) Brand Building

• - A brand strategist who can guide Forma on positioning, communications, audience development and PR.

How can you find out more?

Read the full recruitment pack here

How can you apply?

Apply please fill in the Google form here: https://forms.gle/YC1omsdobdUSj7C38

Alternatively email Forma’s Artistic Director, Chris Rawcliffe at cr@forma.org.uk with TRUSTEE RECRUITMENT in the subject matter.

Please provide a CV and a one-page cover letter which will give us an insight into your experience, why you want to join Forma and how you think you can contribute to our vision. Alternative formats such as sound and video files are accepted.

Forma strives to be an organisation that is reflective of the diverse contemporary society we serve. We are keen to hear from candidates who are currently underrepresented in the sector due to the experience of barriers linked to ethnicity, class, disability, gender and sexuality

If you’re thinking of applying and would like to gauge if this is the right fit for you, we would encourage you to get in touch with Chris directly on cr@forma.org.uk for an introduction to the charity and role.