Southampton Culture Trust to recruit £200k-a-year team

Southampton Culture Trust is bidding to turn its vision into a reality by assembling a team with a combined salary of more than £200,000.

The Trust is spearheading a bid to revitalise the city's approach to culture, festivals, and tourism.

One of the images that formed part of Southampton's City of Culture 2025 bid (Image: Robin Creative Media)

As part of its strategy, the charity is advertising for a commercial and marketing director who will be paid an annual salary of £68,000.

The Trust is also looking to hire a finance manager (£53,000), an operations manager (£48,000), and an executive assistant (£38,000).

Claire Whitaker, the Trust’s chief executive, said: “We are looking to build a team of people to deliver on our strategy to make Southampton one of the leading centres for culture in the UK.

“It’s crucial we have the right people on board.”

The move comes after members of the city council, which helps fund the organisation, were warned the authority could run out of money next year.

Jeremy Moulton, deputy leader of the Conservative group, said: "The Labour administration are spending an extra £400,000 per annum to support the Trust at a time when the council's chief financial officer is warning the council is close to bankruptcy."

Southampton became the first city on the south coast to reach a City of Culture final (Image: Newsquest.)

Royston Smith, Conservative MP for Southampton Itchen, warned the authority was facing "extreme financial hardship".

But the council leader, Cllr Satvir Kaur, said: "The council supports many independent organisations within our city, including Southampton’s Cultural Trust.

"They recently secured £1.57m from the Arts Council and are choosing to use some of that to create more job opportunities at a time when people are struggling to find secure employment."

Arts Council England (ACE) awarded the funding after praising Southampton's "exceptional" bid to be crowned UK City of Culture 2025.

Southampton ultimately lost out to Bradford but was the first city on the south coast to reach the final.

One of the images that formed part of Southampton's City of Culture 2025 bid (Image: Robin Creative Media)

Cllr Kaur said: "So far the city has benefited from approximately £15.2m worth of investment coming into Southampton as a direct result of bidding for UK City of Culture.

"Everyone is struggling under the current national economic crisis.

"Locally we’re focused on growing our local economy, which includes creating a destination place so more people want to visit and spend their money here as well as ensuring there are more jobs and opportunities for local people."