Director of Audiences

About the role

The Director of Audiences role is a new role at Freelands Foundation, and the successful candidate will be first in post. They will be joining us at a time of growth and opportunity, as we start planning for a major building refurbishment to re-open as a "centre for visual art education" with the needs of our audiences embedded into our plans and designs. All this while still delivering programmes and awarding grants that create positive change across our sector, including our flagship £1.5m Freelands Awards and our expanding Freelands Studio Fellowships with UK universities.

We are really excited to have created this role to bring in significant Audiences expertise, to build on the great work we have been doing so far in digital, marketing and communications and lead a change from providing a service function into an audience-led, purpose-driven department. As the first in post, our new Director of Audiences role will be instrumental in bringing in new skills and expertise, and ensuring that our mission to champion art education reaches, engages and influences diverse audiences from artists and educators, to policy and decision makers, and the wider public.

The Director of Audiences will lead on developing a cohesive and effective audiences strategy, using all the tools available to ensure our audiences are identified and served in ways that meet our strategic objectives and align with our values. They will bring expert knowledge of current communications, marketing and digital practice, including cross-platform content strategy, digital development, tech and analytics, media relations and marketing. They will apply an inspiring and supportive management style when leading their team, and a collaborative and values-led approach when taking up their role alongside colleagues in the organisational leadership team.

This opportunity is perfect for someone with substantial experience at a senior level leading an audiences department, or audience-led communications, marketing and development functions, within arts, culture or education sectors. The ideal candidate will thrive in an environment that balances deadline-driven projects with thoughtful and bold sector interventions. They will be great at supporting all of us to build networks that lead to changes in policy and practice that put art education where we think it deserves to be. Above all, they will be passionate about what we do and why we do it, and relish the opportunity to inspire others to join us.

For more information and to apply for the role, please visit our careers page:

Closing date: 12pm (noon) 30 June 2026