Narture CIC is seeking socially engaged creative practitioners to join our Culture Collective team in Ayr, delivering a year-long programme of community-led arts activity between September 2026 and September 2027.

Funded by the Scottish Government through Creative Scotland, Culture Collective is a national programme supporting artists and communities to work together through participatory creative practice. Narture's project is a process-led enquiry into what Ayr needs to thrive creatively, exploring the connections between creativity, community, place and wellbeing.

Practitioners will work alongside local residents through creative conversations, workshops, interviews and public events, helping communities shape activity that reflects their ideas, experiences and aspirations. Rather than delivering a predetermined programme, artists will facilitate collaborative processes that evolve through participation.

The project is centred around The Auld Toy Shop, a much-loved former toy shop in Ayr that has stood empty for over twelve years. Reimagined as a welcoming community arts space, it will host workshops, exhibitions, events and creative activities exploring one simple question:

What does Ayr need to thrive creatively?

Alongside The Auld Toy Shop, artists may also work within CREATE, Narture's risograph print studio and darkroom, and across our wider creative spaces.

We welcome applications from practitioners across all disciplines, including visual arts, graphics/design, film, performance, music, writing, theatre, dance, illustration, design, food practice and interdisciplinary work.


Key Themes

We are particularly interested in creative practices exploring:

PLAY → imagination, creativity, curiosity

PLACE → memories, identity, belonging

FOOD → connection, stories, sharing

LEARNING → skills, confidence, opportunity

HOPE → regeneration, future-making, possibility

CARE → wellbeing, relationships, community


We are committed to increasing access to cultural participation and particularly welcome projects engaging people who face barriers to taking part, including low-income households, isolated older adults, carers, people experiencing health inequalities, people in recovery, young people outside mainstream education, neurodivergent residents and those who do not currently feel represented within Ayr's cultural life.


What We Offer

Practitioners will receive:

Artist fees: in line with Scottish Artists Union recommended rates
Sessional rate of £296.80 per day (£148.40 half day), with longer engagements paid pro rata according to experience

Facilities

Materials budget: (would be determined - appropriate to your project)

Travel support budget

Dedicated project coordination and support from an experienced socially engaged arts team: induction, training and mentorship 

Community outreach and participant recruitment

Continued Professional Development opportunities for artist team: bespoke training programme developed by professional educators 

Creativity community: opportunity to connect, collaborate and share ideas

Local travel: access to an e-cargo bike for sustainable travel and materials transport 


We recognise that artists work in different ways and are offering opportunities across a range of timescales to support practitioners with existing freelance or part-time commitments.


Who We're Looking For:

This opportunity is open to practitioners from all creative disciplines with experience or a strong interest in participatory and socially engaged practice.  Successful applicants will be effective collaborators, adaptable and committed to working alongside communities to co-design meaningful creative experiences.

Applicants should be self-employed, hold Public Liability Insurance and be willing to complete a PVG/Enhanced Disclosure through Narture CIC. Applications from across Scotland are welcome, with a modest travel budget available where appropriate.

Project timeline:

September 2026 – September 2027 (flexible start dates available).
This is an Open Call. The deadline for submissions is: Tuesday 1st September 2026 at 5pm. 

Access:

Narture CIC actively welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds, identities and lived experiences.

We have a dedicated Access Budget. If you require this application in an alternative format or would like to discuss access requirements, please get in touch with our project co-ordinator at rebecca@narture.co.uk. We are happy to support applicants to make the process as accessible as possible.

Applicants must be aged 18 or over.

Please note that Narture CIC will not share your personal details with any third parties. Your data will be used for the purposes of recruiting practitioners for Narture Culture Collective and to invite successful applicants for interviews.