Engagement Associate (Wales in Venice in Wales)

Supported by The Colwinston Trust

Location: Oriel Davies Gallery, Newtown, Powys (with potential travel to Venice and other locations across Wales). The successful candidate will be required to regularly attend meetings Newtown, but it will also be possible to work from home.

Salary: £17,640 (140 days at £126 per day over 18 months (flexible to suit the needs of the project))

Contract Type: Fixed-term Freelance (aligned with Biennale timeline November 2025-February 2027)

Reports to: Wales in Venice Curator (Steffan Jones-Hughes) and Project Director (Catherine Spring, Oriel Myrddin, Carmarthen)

Hours: As required – covering weekends, evenings, holidays. Flexible to meet the needs of the project.

Background and Vision

Oriel Davies Gallery and Oriel Myrddin in Carmarthen are vibrant contemporary art spaces. We are dedicated to providing our local communities and wider audiences with access to the best

modern and contemporary visual art from Wales and the wider world. Through our exhibitions and education programmes, projects and activities, we are committed to encouraging enjoyment, understanding, learning and participation in the visual arts.

Oriel Davies, in partnership with Oriel Myrddin, are presenting Wales in Venice, the Welsh exhibition, a collateral event, at the at the 61st International Art Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia in 2026. Based in Caernarfon, Manon Awst’s sculptures and site-specific artworks are woven with ecological narratives, which focus in particular on the tension between human and more-than-human structures. The way materials transform locations and communities is at the forefront of her creative research. A writer, convenor, and collaborative practitioner, Dylan Huw’s work spans publishing and curatorial projects, essays and art criticism, and long-term collaborations with artists. It is guided by

interdisciplinary, translingual and site-responsive methodologies, approaching writing and research as “time-based media.” Rooted in Welsh traditions of ‘liveness’ including cynghanedd and site-specific performance, the collaboration promises to invite audiences into a dynamic, evolving space of artistic exchange, while embodying the principles of sustainability, inclusivity, and cultural democracy. This activity is vital, since Venice does not mean that much to a large proportion of the Welsh audience. By working with Oriel Myrddin, the artists’ base at Stiwdio Cadnant in Caernarfon, and bog sites in Ynys Môn, Ceredigion, Bannau Brycheiniog, and Swansea, we are able to reach audiences across Wales.

The project allows us to reach new audiences including ecologists, scientists, community groups, writers groups, Welsh language groups, children and young people, in addition to our usual arts audiences.

We are particularly good at connecting with new audiences, including new residents seeking sanctuary, people with a wide range of sensory differences, and members of the LGBTQ community. Our work reaches out to all, making it both accessible and exciting to people who might not ordinarily be interested in contemporary art.

The Public Engagement Associate will support the team in the development, production, and delivery of the Wales in Venice in Wales 2026 associated programme. This role is ideal for someone passionate about contemporary visual arts, with strong organisational skills and a collaborative mindset. The Public Programme Assistant will play a central role in delivering the ambitious SOWND programme across Wales and Venice. This role supports artists, partner organisations, venues, and communities, ensuring that all elements—creative, logistical, and administrative—are delivered to the highest standard. The Assistant will oversee scheduling, event delivery, documentation, audience development, communications, and evaluation.

Indicative Project Timeline: ‘Wales in Venice in Wales / UK’

Planning & Coordination (Nov – Jan 2025)

• Confirm venues and partners: Oriel Davies, Oriel Myrddin, Stiwdio Cadnant
• Develop programme framework and themes for public gatherings
• Outreach to artists, speakers, communities, and collaborators
• Marketing and communications plan (local + pre-Venice positioning)

Delivery of Public Gatherings (Feb – Mar 2026)

• Host events at each venue
• Engage communities in dialogue, workshops, and presentations
• Collect audience feedback and reflections
• Ensure technical documentation support

Documentation & Content Development (Ongoing, finalised by Mar 2026)

• Curate event recordings, transcripts, and visual documentation
• Translate community input into creative/curatorial material
• Draft narratives, visuals, and interpretive content

Preparation for Wales in Venice (Mar – Apr 2026)

• Finalise edited documentation
• Integrate Welsh public gathering outcomes
• Prepare communication assets

Delivery & Legacy (Apr – May 2026)

• Launch Venice installation
• Share documentation publicly
• Evaluate process and impact
• Feed learnings into future programmes

Venice in Wales/UK (Nov 2026 – Mar 2027)

• Reflection & Dissemination
• Re-Presentation of Venice in Wales
• Archiving & Knowledge Exchange
• Sustaining Networks & Partnerships
• Embedding Legacy for the Future

Key Responsibilities:

• Coordinate public gatherings and events across Wales.
• Act as liaison between artists, venues, and communities.
• Manage logistics, communications, and documentation.
• Support audience development and outreach.
• Oversee evaluation and reporting processes.

Person Specification

Essential

• Strong interest in contemporary visual arts and curatorial practice.
• Excellent organisational and communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively and independently.
• Experience in arts administration or curatorial support (internships or entry-level roles welcome).
• Attention to detail and ability to manage multiple tasks.

Desirable

• Familiarity with Wales’s visual arts sector.
• Experience working on international exhibitions or projects.
• Understanding of Equalities Diversity and Inclusion, and sustainability in curatorial practice.
• Welsh Language skills
• Italian Language skills
• Understanding of ecological, environmental, sustainability issues, concerns and contemporary thinking.
• Understanding of Welsh culture

Application Process

• Please send a CV / Bio and a short covering letter outlining your interest and suitability for the role to steffan@orieldavies.org and catherine.spring@orielmyrddin.com with “Curatorial Associate” in the subject line. We will accept application as a 5 minute video. Please send a link to an online storage account such as Google Drive, DropBox, or similar. This is not essential.
• Deadline: 10 January 2026
  Interviews: Please give availability for interview 14 and 22 January in your application.
  Contract term: Please note that we are looking for the role to start as soon as possible.

Please complete the Equalities and Diversity form by using the Role at Oriel Davies as “other”