First for Freedom Festival with launch of Accelerate internship programme

Freedom Festival Arts Trust has launched a new talent development initiative which will give University of Hull undergraduates an invaluable opportunity to gain on-the-job experience working as part of the team that delivers Hull’s annual Freedom Festival. 

 The Accelerate initiative is a first for Freedom Festival Arts Trust as it continues to nurture and support local and regional creative talent sets through the development of local students.  

The aim of Accelerate is to build knowledge, aspiration, ambition and critical skills, giving participants the opportunity to develop valuable transferable skills in readiness for a career in the arts or wider industry sectors. 

Jenny Howard-Coombes, Executive Director at Freedom Festival Arts Trust, explained: “We’re looking to inspire and be inspired by the next generation of cultural and business leaders who wish to enhance their academic learning with first hand practical experience as they help to deliver Hull’s 11^th Freedom Festival.”  

Jenny added: “Our partnership with the University of Hull continues to go from strength to strength. Our relationship is underpinned by a shared commitment to exploring issues pertaining to human rights, nurturing talent, reducing barriers to the arts and education and driving innovation.  Accelerate provides a vital opportunity to enrich the student experience whilst also responding to strengthening the arts sector here in Hull by building and passing on the knowledge and learning to the future custodians of the arts sector or business leaders, because what business doesn’t need creative thinkers. 

By creating a world-class festival and gaining a global reputation, the aim of Freedom Festival is to not only make sure that Hull stays firmly on the map but that it and its students can go on to do even greater things.” 

The Accelerate programme will host four paid internships (recruited from the University of Hull) between July and September with each intern focusing on a particular area of the business.

Training will be provided by Freedom Festival Arts Trust and will focus on core transferable skills from producing and project management to evaluation and technical skills. The interns will be exposed to all areas of the Festival including working with Freedom Festival volunteers and the festival’s creative leadership.  

Participating students will benefit from extensive networking opportunities throughout their internship, culminating in an opportunity to meet with sector leaders, producers and artists at the annual professional symposium which forms part of the Freedom Festival 2018 programme.

 Glenn Burgess, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Hull, said: “The partnership with Freedom Festival is very important to the University of Hull. Our students are at the heart of what we do and we are putting their experience and opportunities at the centre of our cultural and creative partnerships. The partnership with Freedom Festival provides our students with unique opportunities to gain work experience within an award-winning live festival context, enabling them to enhance their academic learning with practical experience and giving them the right skill set for the first steps in their career.”

 Freedom Festival 2018 will take place from 31 August to 2 September 2018.