About Us

Serendipity – Institute for Black Arts and Heritage, Leicester.  Serendipity’s mission is to centre perspectives from the African and African Caribbean Diaspora, embedded as part of cultural experiences for all.  Serendipity’s programmes include the flagship dance festival, Let’s Dance International Frontiers, Black History Month Leicester and the Annual Windrush Day Lecture. Serendipity have established a legacy; hosting a growing living archive documenting Black arts, heritage and culture, publishing the voices of Black arts practitioners and community activists, nurturing artists to create high quality new work and mentoring young people.

Collections Archivist

The Collections Archivist will be responsible for the day to day management of Serendipity’s growing archive overseeing the process of acquisition, management and maintenance of physical and digital materials that have historical and cultural significance and leading Serendipity towards relevant industry accreditations.

Working closely with the CEO and Artistic Director, Heritage Manager and Digital Media Technician, the post will be responsible for creating a strategy for the cataloguing of collections, key parts of the Serendipity archive.  This includes the ingesting of collections, documenting current heritage projects and co-ordinating the production  of new digital content to widen our education, learning and engagement remit.

Hours: 37.5 hours per week.

Contract: Initially six-months probationary.  Fixed term until March 2026.

Salary: £23,690

Start date: July – August 2023

Deadline to apply: 30 June 2023, 5:00pm

Collections Archivist Job Description

Digital Media Technician

The Digital Media Technician will play a central role in the development and delivery of Unearthed: Forgotten Histories and support the digital archive, educational, volunteer work, cultural programming and documentation and user access.  Providing digitisation and editing services ensuring that all work is carried out to the relevant technical standards and provide digital content for preservation, display and engagement purposed and or specific projects.

You will work closely with the Heritage Manager and Collections Archivist to establish and maintain rigorous and robust approaches to digital archiving and preservation and advise on specifications, quality control and verification processes to meet agreed quality standards and deadlines, assisting in leading Serendipity towards relevant industry accreditation.

The role will involve providing technical support with exhibitions, commissions and educational resources, AV installations and maintenance.

Working with digital media formats or audio-visual technologies and equipment, you will be able to recognise and diagnose technical problems, understand the potential issues and challenges of digital preservation and access requirements.  By providing regular and disciplined media management for central and local storage you will ensure that digital media is well managed, available and secure.

Hours: 37.5 hours per week.

Contract: Initially six-months probationary.  Fixed terms until March 2026.

Salary: £23,690 Per annum.

Start date: July-August 2023

Deadline to apply: 30 June 2023, 5:00pm

Digital Media Technician Job Description

 

To apply, please send us your CV outlining your skills and experience and a written statement and/or an audio/video presentation stating how you meet the person specification for the position of Digital Media Technician.

Your application should be sent to opportunities@serendipity-uk.com, with the words ‘Collections Archivist’ or ‘Digital Media Technician’ followed by your name in the subject heading.  The deadline for applications is 5.00pm on 30 June 2023.

Let’s Dance International Frontiers

Launching each year on 29 April, to celebrate International Dance Day, LDIF brings diversity to the forefront in dance with a festival showcasing new work from local emerging talent to internationally acclaimed companies.  The programme includes a national conference, films, masterclasses, site-specific projects, emerging artists platforms and performances. LDIF+ is our year-round programme of continued professional development offering quality training in diverse dance techniques from around the world.

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Black History Month

Serendipity, on behalf of Leicester City Council, coordinates Black History Month in the city each October. Trailblazing artists and activists from the African and African Caribbean Diaspora take centre stage in a programme featuring film, theatre, dance, lectures and exhibitions. Serendipity’s initiative BHM Live supports and highlights the work of emerging Black artists.  Year round Serendipity coordinates events for International Women’s Day, Windrush Day and BlackChat, a discussion series.

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Unearthed: Forgotten Histories

Unearthed: Forgotten Histories, supported by the Heritage Fund and National Lottery players, seeks to make a structural difference to the recording, documentation and sharing of Black history and heritage in the UK, and to give back hidden histories for everyone to share.  Currently in the development phase, Serendipity will create a digital living archive that encompasses the history of the African and African Caribbean communities across this region, amplify the historical picture and tell stories from a different perspective.

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Black Digital Dance Revolution

Black Dance Digital Revolution is a nationally significant project supported by Arts Council England working with regional partners; Serendipity (Leicester), Northern School of Contemporary Dance (Leeds), Dance City (Newcastle), Dance Umbrella (London) and beyond.  Drawing on the dance heritage of these four cities to develop a programme of digital and physical work including dance films, workshops and artist led residencies.

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Serendipity Connect

Our Membership Scheme brings together artists, practitioners, enthusiasts and industry professionals to create an international community of creatives.  Serendipity Connect allows members to build and strengthen connections through discussions, experiences and exclusive events, as well as offering professional development, research and networking opportunities.

Find out how to join our creative community

 

Publications

Serendipity’s publications are an archive, preserving the legacy of Black arts and heritage.  Many of the publications document history and codified techniques in dance from the African and African Caribbean Diaspora. providing resource for those interested in Black dance.  Many of Serendipity’s titles are also available as eBooks and audiobooks.  Launched in 2020, BlackInk is an annual magazine focusing on arts, heritage and cultural politics bringing physical and digital interfaces together.

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