Would you like to develop your science performance skills?
Over the next year, would you like to meet and work with key contacts across the industry, and have access to new opportunities to perform? All with the help of the creator of Bright Club and Science Showoff, and one of the UK’s most popular science comedians?
From September 2016-August 2017 Steve Cross will work closely with up to 12 science communicators to help them become a mutually-supportive group of elite science performers. Steve has previously helped kick-start the scicomm careers of people like Hannah Fry, Suze Kundu and Sophie Scott, so you know he’s got the skills.
WHAT YOU GET
- To perform at lots of Science Showoff gigs and other fun things Steve organises or takes part in
- Access to opportunities and development no-one else can get
- Masterclasses from some of the top science performers
- To appear on new podcasts and videos
- Promotion via the Science Showoff website, YouTube channel and social media feeds
- Lots of photos, video and audio of you performing to share with potential bookers
- Help writing and improving science shows and comedy from Steve and his contacts
- Recommendations to science organisations as a performer
- Introductions to Steve’s contacts
- A community of like-minded people to support you and work with you
- No reasonable favour will be refused
WHAT’S EXPECTED FROM YOU
- To help the rest of the group and offer them opportunities you come across
- To take part in more than 10 activities during the year
- To give as much help as you get
- To stay involved for the whole year
WHO YOU ARE
You’re a formal or informal science communicator interested in public performance. You might be a professional scientist, but equally you might be someone from any walk of life who’s performed at a Science Showoff or similar gig, like a poet, dancer, writer, teacher, comedian, videomaker, designer or anything else at all.
This is the first year the Talent Factory has happened so Steve is seeking to develop and provide opportunities for people who have already contributed to events like Showoff and Steve’s other event programmes, or who Steve has at least spoken to and sparked ideas with. So if you have already taken part in these events – we really want to work with you on this programme!
WHERE IS IT?
The projects and opportunities will be largely in London and the South-East because that’s where Steve is based, but applications will be considered from people based anywhere in the UK or Europe There isn’t a travel budget that comes with this, so if you’d like to take part and live outside London, do have a plan for how you’ll get here regularly.
HOW DO I APPLY?
Just send a CV (two pages maximum) and up to 500 words about why you want to take part, and what you could offer to the other performers in your cohort, to factory@scienceshowoff.org by the 30th July. We’ll make decisions by mid-August and get back to you.
HOW CAN I FIND OUT MORE?
Email factory@scienceshowoff.org, tweet @steve_x or come to the London Scicomm Social on July 20th for a chat about it.
WHY IS STEVE DOING THIS?
“When I used to work for a university one of the most satisfying parts of the job was helping scientists and communicators develop over time, and I spent seven years working with people who went on to become some of the UK’s most interesting science communicators. As a freelance comedian and producer I miss this, so I thought I’d create a different way to help people in a more intensive way. Plus I’m a Wellcome Trust Engagement Fellow and thought it would be really fun to share the benefits of that with a wider group of people.”
#BrumSciComm 