Closing date for applications: Wednesday 9 September, 23:59 (BST) 

Interviews: Week beginning 28 September 2026   

Role in place: Late October 2026 

£12,000 (60 days during the period from October 2026 to April 2027) 

QUAD and FORMAT International Photography Festival are seeking an experienced and ambitious Festival Programme Co-Ordinator to join the team on a fixed-term, freelance contract from October 2026 to April 2027. The Festival Programme Co-Ordinator will play a key role in the planning and delivery of FORMAT27, the UK’s largest biennale festival of photography and related media, taking place across Derby from 11 March to 11 April 2027. 

Working closely with the FORMAT/QUAD team and project partners, the primary focus of the role will be the planning, co-ordination and delivery of the Festival launch weekend, the flagship moment of FORMAT27. Bringing together exhibitions, artist events, talks, public programmes, the FORMAT Photobook Market and International Portfolio Review, the launch weekend is the largest and busiest period of the festival and will welcome artists, delegates, partners and audiences from across the UK and internationally. 

Alongside the delivery of the launch weekend, the Festival Programme Co-Ordinator will support the wider festival programme, working collaboratively with artists, partners, venues, volunteers and suppliers to ensure the successful delivery of events and an excellent experience for audiences and participants. The postholder will also contribute to project administration, reporting and evaluation. 

The Festival Programme Co-Ordinator will work closely with the FORMAT/QUAD Programme Team, including the QUAD CEO, QUAD/FORMAT Producer and QUAD/FORMAT Curator, alongside the QUAD Finance, Marketing, Technical and Operations teams, volunteers, interns and a wide range of festival partners. The successful applicant will be an organised and proactive project co-ordinator, with excellent communication skills, experience of delivering cultural events, and the ability to manage multiple priorities within a fast-paced festival environment. 

About FORMAT 

FORMAT International Photography Festival is the UK’s largest biennale festival of photography and related media, and a leading international platform for supporting the development, production and presentation of ambitious new work by artists in the UK and internationally that includes exhibitions, publicly sited commissions, talks, workshops, residencies, and the FORMAT International Portfolio Review. FORMAT is based at QUAD, where it is an integral year on year offer to local, regional and international audiences. www.formatfestival.com  

About QUAD 

QUAD is an international centre for engagement in contemporary art and film, based in Derby. QUAD is a charity focused on intercultural dialogue through supporting diverse audiences to engage, develop skills and contribute to contemporary culture.  www.derbyquad.co.uk  

To apply please send the following to [email protected] with ‘ FORMAT Festival Programme Co-Ordinator’ in the subject line. 

Closing date for applications: Wednesday 9 September, 23:59 (BST) 

DOWNLOAD: Job Description & Person Specification

DOWNLOAD: Equal Opportunities

Access Requirements 
We support and provide adjustments for people with disabilities – if you have a disability and need help with the application process or would prefer to send your application in an alternative format (such as filmed application, or audio only) please contact Niamh Treacy (FORMAT Producer) at [email protected].