DanceSyndrome has an exciting opportunity to join our team in Lancashire.
This is an exciting time to be joining DanceSyndrome where inclusivity, equality and equity create a vibrant energised connected ‘family’. We aim to maximise our impact on a big scale. We have bold ambitions to deliver an outstanding, collaborative, and high-quality programme of co-produced and co-delivered inclusive dance across the North-West, to develop a pathway of opportunities for people with learning disabilities from early years to adulthood and to develop a best practice social replication model.
At DanceSyndrome, we change mindsets about leaders with learning disabilities through a bold model of co-produced dance. Our direct impact creates hope for the future by growing confidence, building experience and providing creative opportunities in a pioneering way.
The charity was founded by Jen Blackwell, who has Down’s syndrome, because she found it difficult to find opportunities in community dance that were accessible to people with learning disabilities.
DanceSyndrome’s ethos is that disability should never be a barrier to following your dreams. All DanceSyndrome sessions are disability led, with people with learning disabilities taking visible Dance Leader roles to inspire people to see what can be achieved when we all become more inclusive.
Over the last four years, the charity has experienced an exponential increase in demand, both regionally and nationally, so we are looking to grow our team to help us to achieve our ambitious plans.
Our Strategic Approach
This is a really exciting time for our charity. We are working towards our strategy: Vision 2030 with three key strands:
The Opportunity:
We are looking for a Freelance Fundraiser with experience of successfully securing Grant & Trust funding in the Arts sector. DanceSyndrome is a current Arts Council England ‘National Portfolio Organisation, and we are looking to secure additional match-funding to support the development of our ambitious Artist Development Programme which champions emerging Artists with learning disabilities.
This role is ideal for an outstanding individual who is self-sufficient with a proven track record of identifying a wide range of suitable Grants & Trusts across the Arts sector, and who can write clear, compelling and creative funding applications which stand out from the crowd.
We are looking for someone who is highly skilled in researching Arts Funders and aligning funding criteria with DanceSyndrome’s work. We are interested in multi-year funding where possible and attracting new large-scale Funders to support how we go deeper into our work and impact.
We have ambitious plans for the next two years, so we are keen to recruit someone who already has a strong understanding of the Arts sector and Access for people with learning disabilities.
Download the full Job Description and Person Specification here.
Equal Opportunities:
The DanceSyndrome family is filled with passionate and motivated people who are committed to creating a world where everyone can thrive and fulfil their potential.
Inclusion, diversity and equity are at the heart of our organisation. We are keen to hear from applicants of diverse cultures, perspectives and lived experiences. You do not need specific experience of working previously with people with learning disabilities, we are looking for people who believe in what we do and want to support DanceSyndrome to grow its impact and to help create a fairer, more inclusive and equitable society for everyone.
To Express An Interest In Applying:
To apply for this opportunity, please send a CV and covering letter stating why the role interests you to the Managing Director, Julie Nicholson at julie@dancesyndrome.co.uk with “Job Application” as the email subject.
If you would like an informal chat about the role, Julie can be contacted by phone on 07887 931510.
We are very happy to accommodate any requests for reasonable adjustments. Please let Julie know as part of your application.
Please apply before 5pm on Tuesday 30th June.
There will be a two-stage formal application process with interviews conducted online. Stage one interviews will take place on Monday 6th and Tuesday 7th July 2026. Stage two interview dates TBC.
