Interested in joining us on the Board of The AmberSide Trust to continue to safeguard and develop the unique legacy of the AmberSide Photographic and Film Collection?
We’d love to hear from you.
Central to the cultural heritage of Newcastle and the North East for decades, the AmberSide Collection reflects the landscapes and lives of the region. It is a unique classic and contemporary documentary film & photographic collection, growing from the work that has been produced, commissioned and collected by Amber Film & Photography Collective from its beginnings in 1968.
AmberSide Trust’s priority is to ensure the Collection is maintained and continues to develop, enriching and reflecting the diversity of the cultural life of the North East of England. AmberSide Trust is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation and is run by a board of trustees. It has no employees, with currently eight trustees. The Collection is managed on behalf of the Trust and shared through exhibitions, screenings and educational programmes with schools and communities, delivered by Amber Film and Photography Collective, constituted as a Community Interest Company. It is governed by a Board of Executive and Non-Executive Directors and has employees.
About the organisation:
Amber Film and Photography Collective was formed to document working class and marginalised lives and landscapes in North East England. In 1977 it opened the Side Gallery with a commitment to celebrate the best in the wider tradition of humanist documentary photography. The Side Gallery is temporarily closed until further funding can be secured to enable reopening; meanwhile the excellent region-wide educational work of AmberSide carries on.
The Collection currently includes 20,000+ photographs, 100 films and 10,000 slides. In 2011 Amber Films and Photography Collective member Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen’s photographs were inscribed in the UNESCO Memory of the World register as ‘of outstanding national value and importance to the United Kingdom’.
The AmberSide Trust was set up in 2015 to secure the Collection, support the work and safeguard the legacy of the Collective, and it shares the values of the AmberSide Collective.
Byker Revisited © Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen
About the role:
This is an exceptional opportunity for someone wanting to play a pivotal role in the strategic direction and governance of this unique resource of regional, national and international acclaim, and guide it to secure the continued development of this living collection. The new Chair will help share the message of the AmberSide Collection with businesses, communities and individuals and Trustees will support the Chair in networking and developing links and partnerships.
AmberSide Trust’s modest income is derived mostly from charitable sources and individual donors. This money supports the work of the CIC in caring for and sharing the Collection, and the Trust supports the CIC in its fundraising efforts. Until 2023 the CIC was a National Portfolio Organisation of Arts Council England. It is currently in receipt of a large grant from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation to support the education programme.
If you would like to be part of our next chapter, we would be delighted to hear from you.
The roles of Chair and Trustee are voluntary, unpaid, non-executive appointments. Time commitment is approximately equivalent to half a day per month for a Trustee, and 2/3 days per month for the Chair.
Trustees ensure the Charitable Incorporated Organisation is run effectively and meets its charitable objectives; they also monitor finances, risks and compliance with legislation and ensure that reports and accounts are prepared for the Charity Commission.
All Trustees are expected to attend occasional AmberSide events and participate in working groups as needed, and to develop and/or maintain excellent relationships with a range of key partners, funders and stakeholders.
We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and with a range of skills and we will provide the appointed persons with the necessary training and support to fulfil their role effectively.
How to Apply:
Please send an A4 sheet outlining why you would like to be part of the AmberSide Trust, plus a CV, and what you could contribute to the Chair, or the Trustee, role.
Deadline: Monday 31st July, 2023
Interviews will be held in September 2023.
Email to: Judy Cowgill judy.m.cowgill@gmail.com
Jennifer Hinves jennifer@jenniferhinves.com
