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Us & Them Project Curator, Freewheelers Theatre & Media Ltd.

  •  London
  •  Under £10K
  •  Part time
  •  Closes October 13, 2025
  •  Karl Newman
  •  ceo@freewheelerstheatre.co.uk
  • #Museums

Description

Job Summary

Freewheelers, a vibrant company of disabled artists and an ACE NPO, seeks a freelance curator for Us and Them, a NLHF-funded disability history project. Co-create and deliver an imaginative, accessible touring/online exhibition with our members & partners.

Job Description

Freewheelers Theatre and Media Company - a diverse and creative company of disabled artists, and an Arts Council England NPO - is seeking a freelance curator to collaborate on Us and Them, a major new disability history project funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The curator will work closely with our disabled company members and project partners to create and deliver a high-quality, accessible touring exhibition. The exhibition will open at The Horton, Epsom (Sept-Oct 2026) and then tour to King's College London's Curiosity Cabinet gallery on The Strand (six months), with an online version hosted by Freewheelers.

The exhibition will bring together film, oral histories, tintype (Wet Plate Collodion) portraits, and historic records from Surrey's mental health hospitals (1850s-1920s), reframing perceptions of disability past and present. It must be fully accessible intellectually, physically, and sensorially - including BSL, braille, and audio description.

We're looking for someone who:

  • Has significant experience curating imaginative and accessible exhibitions.
  • Enjoys co-creating with community participants, particularly disabled and/or vulnerable groups.
  • Can bring together arts and heritage content into compelling, multi-layered storytelling.
  • Has strong project management skills, able to deliver on time and budget.
  • Is confident in collaborating with multiple partners.

Responsibilities include:

  • Co-creating the exhibition narrative with Freewheelers' members and partners.
  • Writing exhibition text and shaping design/flow.
  • Ensuring accessibility is embedded throughout.
  • Overseeing installation at both venues and adapting the show for different spaces.
  • Supporting a public programme of talks, workshops, and events.

This is a consultancy/freelance contract with a fixed fee (to be agreed), inclusive of VAT and expenses. Some in-person work in Surrey and London is required.

Job Requirements

We are seeking an experienced curator with a strong track record of delivering imaginative, high-quality exhibitions. You should have:

  • Significant experience co-curating with community groups, particularly disabled and/or vulnerable people.
  • Strong skills in developing exhibition narratives, interpretation, and accessible design.
  • Ability to collaborate effectively with multiple partners and stakeholders.
  • Proven project management experience - delivering on time, on budget, and to a high standard.
  • Knowledge of both arts and heritage content (visual arts and history).
  • Commitment to accessibility, inclusion, and co-production.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  • Flexibility to adapt exhibitions for different venues and audiences.
  • Willingness to attend in-person meetings in Surrey and London as required.

Knowledge of disability history is desirable but not essential.

Job Responsibilities

The Freelance Curator will co-create and deliver the Us and Them exhibition with Freewheelers' members and partners. Responsibilities include:

  • Developing exhibition themes and narratives with disabled participants.
  • Writing accessible exhibition text and shaping design/flow.
  • Ensuring intellectual, physical and sensory accessibility (including BSL, braille, audio description).
  • Overseeing installation at The Horton (Epsom) and King's College London, adapting the show for each space.
  • Coordinating designers, contractors and suppliers to achieve high quality and value for money.
  • Embedding co-production, ensuring disabled voices are central throughout.
  • Supporting the creation of interactive and multi-sensory elements to engage diverse audiences.
  • Assisting with public programme planning and events.
  • Managing budgets, schedules and compliance (including copyright).
  • Attending project meetings and contributing to evaluation.

Useful Links

How to Apply

Please send us a concise document setting out:

1. Summary of your relevant experience
2. Examples of other exhibitions you have developed specifying your role, the budget etc.
3. How you would approach the project and the methodology you would apply
4. How you would approach working with the Freewheeler participants and project partners
5. Summary biographies of all the people involved in the work and a CV of any lead people
6. Your fee proposal, broken down so we can assess value for money. Please state whether expenses and/or VAT will be added

Please send this via email to [email protected]

If you have any questions about this role, please send them to us on the email address above and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Deadline for submission of proposals: 13 October 2025

Interviews will be held online on Tuesday 4 November 2025

We look forward to hearing from you!

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