Citrus Arts, the Pontypridd-based arts and creative skills charity, is on the hunt for young people looking for a new challenge or a career in the arts to join its free, technical art skills training scheme.
Run from its headquarters in Hopkinstown, Pontypridd, the free course is open to people aged from 18 to 30 and will be led by some of the leading outdoor arts and circus tutors in Wales.
Running across February and March, the course will help the young people kickstart careers in arts, and participating trainees will receive a £300 per week training stipend.
The course curriculum includes lanterns, lighting and fire, circus rigging and counterweighting, as well as festival infrastructure and production. They will also learn lots of other skills that can be used in the field of outdoor events and beyond.
Beth House, Executive Director at Citrus Arts, said: “The past few years we have had so many amazing young people come through our doors and get a real-life introduction to a career in the arts – many of whom have gone on to get jobs in the field.
“No experience in the arts is needed, but what we do expect is enthusiasm, a willingness to learn and genuine interest in learning about how festivals, arts installations and outdoor events are put together.”
Beth added: “In the past few years we have worked with arts organisations such as the Wye Valley River Festival, From the Fields – who devise and run Christmas at Bute Park, as well as the world-renowned Green Man festival.
“Feedback from last year’s course cohort was really positive, and we can’t wait to welcome new recruits through the doors in the coming months.”
Citrus Arts is keen to work with young people who may be disaffected with normal training opportunities and never considered the arts as a potential career. The training courses help the trainees discover hidden creative talents, help them see the creative arts as a career opportunity and introduce them to potential employers.
One of last year’s course participants, said of their experience:
“I have never worked in this kind of field before, live events and outdoor festivals are completely new to me, in fact I’ve never even been to a festival. It was amazing for me to see how I work in an event like this, how skills come together and are transferred across to different settings. It has given a new and exciting direction for me.”
“I have never worked in this kind of field before, live events and outdoor festivals are completely new to me, in fact I’ve never even been to a festival. It was amazing for me to see how I work in an event like this, how skills come together and are transferred across to different settings. It has given a new and exciting direction for me.”
