Opportunities at IOU Creation Centre
Current opportunities at the IOU Creation Centre and the IOU Hostel, Hebden Bridge
Find our latest opportunities to work with IOU Creation Centre and the IOU Hostel.
IOU at 50 Artist in Residence
Applications Now Open.
IOU invites applications from interdisciplinary artists working in any medium for a unique 6-month live-in artist residency in the creative heart of the South Pennines, UK.
This fully funded residency provides:
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Space and time to develop your creative practice and ideas that respond to the IOU at 50 archive
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An opportunity to make an artwork or production presented as part of IOU’s celebration of IOU at 50 in 2026
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Access to IOU’s Creation Centre studios and workshops
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Creative mentorship
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£3,000 production budget to develop a new commission
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Live-in private accommodation, rent and bill free at IOU’s vegetarian Hostel, Hebden Bridge
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Additional paid work to become embedded in the IOU Hostel experience
Artists will be invited to respond to the IOU Archive — a 50-year collection of experimental art, engineering, performance, and technology — creating a new work that reinterprets the archive and connects IOU’s heritage to the future of interdisciplinary practice.
Open to UK and international artists at all career stages.
REGISTER HERE for our webinar – meet the team and find out more about the commission and life at the IOU Hostel
About IOU
For 50 years, IOU has created original artworks that fuse performance, visual art, engineering, and digital technology.
From kinetic installations and immersive environments to outdoor spectacles and digital works, IOU’s practice is rooted in experimentation, collaboration, and imagination.
Based at Dean Clough Mills, Halifax, the IOU Creation Centre supports artists to take creative risks, connect communities, and explore the relationship between art, place, and innovation.
Why Hebden Bridge
Nestled in the dramatic South Pennine hills, Hebden Bridge is one of the UK’s most creative small towns — known for its independent spirit, artistic community, and wild landscapes.
The IOU Hostel sits on the edge of woodland trails and rivers, offering artists peace, inspiration, and connection to nature — while being just 40 minutes from Manchester and Leeds.
What the Residency Offers
- 6-month live-in residency at IOU Hostel, Hebden Bridge
- Private, self-contained room with kitchenette (vegetarian), shower, and workspace
- Shared kitchen, dining and laundry facilities (vegetarian only)
- Access to gardens, woodland trails, and desk space for creative reflection
- Free on-site parking and easy access to local transport
- Studio, gallery, and workshop access at IOU Creation Centre, Halifax
- Pre-bookable use of tools, rehearsal, and making spaces
- Mentorship and guidance from IOU’s creative and technical team
- Professional development support, including production planning and fundraising
- Support in applying for match funding (e.g. Arts Council England) if desired
- Paid role: up to 10 hours per week supporting hostel operations/events (Real Living Wage)
- £3,000 production budget to develop your project
- Flexible working patterns to accommodate your creative process
- Live full-time at the hostel for the duration of the residency (exceptions for agreed breaks)
- Develop a new artwork that responds to the IOU Archive and ethos
- Deliver one creative skills workshop at IOU Creation Centre
- Support IOU Hostel operations (up to 10 hours/week, paid
- Present your completed project publicly in September 2026
Who Can Apply:
- Open to artists who are working in any discipline (visual, performance, sound, digital, installation, etc.)
- UK-based or international, at any career stage
- Interested in experimenting with art, engineering, technology, or environment
- Able to live and work in the UK for the residency period
- Comfortable engaging with local communities
- Organised, adaptable, and open to collaborative processes
We especially welcome applications from artists underrepresented in the arts, including those from different ethnicities, low socio-economic backgrounds, disabled and neurodiverse artists, and LGBTQ+ creatives.
What You’ll Receive:
- Space and time to develop a creative project for IOU at 50 archive
- £3,000 production budget
- Access to studio, tools, and mentorship at IOU Creation Centre
- Live in private accommodation, rent and bill free
- Paid part-time role supporting hostel operations
- Public platform to share your work as part of IOU’s anniversary programme
Please note:
Travel to/from the residency is not funded
The IOU Hostel is fully vegetarian
How to Apply
Download the Job Description HERE
Apply using the Application Form HERE
If you have access requirements or wish to apply in another format, please contact lydia.murray@ioutheatre.org
REGISTER HERE for our webinar – meet the team and find out more about the commission and life at the IOU Hostel
Timeline
- 20 Oct – 16 Nov: Call for submissions open
- Mon 17 Nov (10am): Deadline for submissions
- W/C 17 Nov: Shortlisting
- W/C 1 Dec: Interviews
- Jan – March 2026: Additional fundraising support
- April – Sept 2026: Residency period (exact dates agreed with selected artist)
Join IOU’s Board of Trustees
Shape the Future of Experimental Arts
Would you like to play a key role in shaping the next 50 years of IOU and its Creation Centre, strengthening our position as the North’s leading hub for Art, Engineering, and Technology?
We are looking for new Trustees to join our Board and help guide our vision, advocate for our work, and champion IOU’s future. We welcome applications year-round to keep our leadership fresh, relevant, and responsive to the evolving arts landscape.
Who We’re Looking For
If you are passionate about contemporary art, committed to IOU’s mission, vision, and values, and have skills in finance, contemporary art, business development, advocacy, or accessibility, we’d love to hear from you.
Current Trustee Opportunities
We are specifically seeking a Treasurer with financial expertise to:
- Oversee the charity’s finances
- Ensure proper financial processes and procedures are in place.
- Report to the Board of Trustees on IOU’s financial health.
- Chair the Finance Committee
IOU’s Creation Centre is a space for innovative arts production, fabrication, installation and performance. To help us maintain and develop this unique resource, we are seeking a trustee with expertise in technical, production, and/or building management to:
- Provide insight into venue operations, production logistics, and technical requirements.
- Support infrastructure planning and maintenance of our Creation Centre.
- Help IOU stay at the forefront of environmental, technical and digital innovation in the arts.
We are keen to hear from younger, emerging, and mid-career artists with experience in multi-disciplinary or interdisciplinary contemporary arts, freelancing, and artist residencies, ensuring IOU remains artist-led and artist-focused.
We are also particularly interested in working with artists who have expertise in engineering and technology, helping us push the boundaries of experimental arts and innovation.
To support IOU’s long-term sustainability, we are also looking for trustees with commercial expertise who can help us diversify our income, develop business partnerships, and advocate for IOU at the highest levels.
We strongly encourage applications from individuals with lived experience and/or expertise in disability and accessibility, to help ensure that IOU continues to embed inclusivity at every level of our work.
To Apply
Please send a brief expression of interest and CV to
Joanne Wain, CEO, at Joanne.wain@ioutheatre.org.
If you’d like an informal chat before applying, feel free to email.
We warmly welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and all sectors of society.
IOU Labs Artist Development Programme: Space. Tools. Time. Advice
STTA is IOU’s artistic development programme for individuals or groups practising any discipline who are interested in IOU’s approach to making. It is designed to help realise projects that are in development by providing support in the form of studio space, IOU staff time, workshop tools and advice from IOU arts professionals or a combination of all four.
Applications for STTA are open all year around to any artist or organisation who requires project support. Your idea can be at an early stage when we may be able to advise you on next steps or more developed, perhaps having some development funding attached to your project that is for working with IOU on the STTA programme.
Previous Roles and Opportunities
IOU at 50 Project Manager
IOU is seeking an experienced and organised Project Manager to lead IOU at 50, a major National Lottery Heritage Fund project celebrating fifty years of experimental art and performance.
This full-time fixed-term role will oversee all aspects of the project’s delivery – from artist commissions and oral history collection, to community engagement, archive development, and a public exhibition. Based at the IOU Creation Centre in Halifax, you’ll be working at the heart of a unique creative organisation with a radical legacy and forward-thinking vision.
We’re looking for someone who can confidently manage complex heritage and cultural programmes, with strong communication skills and a collaborative, inclusive approach. You will be comfortable working across artistic, archival, and community-facing strands – and bring experience of:
- Managing heritage, arts, and public engagement projects
- Working with, and developing, archive collections and/or oral history
- Coordinating multiple partners and stakeholders
- Delivering accessible, high-quality cultural outcomes
Join us as we build a living legacy from IOU’s extraordinary past – and shape a creative future rooted in community, experimentation and innovation.
IOU Hostel Manager
We are seeking a dynamic and driven Hostel Manager, with an event, sales and marketing focus, to lead the daily operations and long-term growth of our 14-bedroom hostel in the heart of creative Hebden Bridge.
This is a hands-on, people-facing role with a focus on sales, operations, events, marketing, and finance. The successful candidate will manage a small team and oversee all aspects of the hostel’s operations, from guest experience and digital booking systems to business development and creative programming.
We’re looking for someone with:
- Experience in hospitality, creative tourism or venue management
- Strong digital marketing and sales skills (social media, SEO, promotions)
- Knowledge of online booking platforms (e.g. Beds24 or similar)
- A flair for developing events and partnerships in the arts or community sector
- Financial confidence, with experience handling budgets and income tracking
This is a brilliant opportunity to join IOU’s growing team and help shape the future of a creative, community-rooted space that blends hospitality and the arts.
IOU Hostel Assistant Duty Manager
IOU is looking for a reliable, friendly and practical person to join our team at IOU Hostel – a welcoming, creative 14-bedroom hostel in Hebden Bridge.
This part-time role (12 hours/week) is ideal for someone with experience in hospitality, cleaning, or Airbnb/hostel operations.
You’ll be responsible for high cleaning standards, helping with guest queries, and supporting the daily running of the hostel, including events, artist residencies and group bookings.