Arts Workers
Would you like to be paid to run arts workshops? We offer free training in how to run arts workshops to students who have any kind of creative skill.
What is an arts worker?
Arts workers are Loughborough University students who can be booked to run arts workshops for students and staff. Arts workers have some kind of creative skill that they can teach to others. This could be in a craft like crochet, embroidery, pottery, painting, weaving, macrame, origami or printing. It could also cover skills from other art forms like creative writing, music and performing arts. If you want to find out if your skill is relevant then please email LU Arts@lboro.ac.uk in advance of applying.
To become an arts worker, students must complete a free online training course in how to run arts workshops. This covers how to plan your workshop, health and safety considerations and working with different groups of people.
Arts workshops always have a limited capacity; we suggest a maximum capacity of 12 or 15, depending on the nature of the workshop.
How much will I be paid?
We pay arts workers at Grade 6, spinal point 27, which is currently £21.68 per hour (as of Jan 2026). Your planning and preparation time will be paid for as well as the time delivering the workshop. As a guide, the minimum payment for a 2 hour workshop is currently £81.30. We will share our detailed payment structure with you once you have completed our training.
LU Arts will provide the materials, up to a maximum cost of £10 per person.
Who can apply?
This opportunity is open to all undergraduate and postgraduate (taught and research) students, including Loughborough London students.
You don’t need to be a Creative Arts student to apply; this is open to students involved in any art form in your spare time.
We are committed to inclusivity and representing the student community we serve. We welcome applications from students of all backgrounds.
To be eligible to apply to be a new arts worker for 2025-26, you should expect your studies at Loughborough to continue until:
- the end of September 2026 (for postgraduate students); or
- June 2027 (for undergraduate students).
This is to ensure that there is enough time for you to put your training into practise while you are still at the University.
How do I apply?
Application is via a simple online form. It is helpful if you can upload images of your work as part of your application.
Deadline for 2025-26 applications: Monday 23 February, 10pm
Training will take place before the end of the spring term 2026. Training will be online and is likely to be split into two 2 hour sessions.
If you have any questions in advance of completing your form, please email LUArts@lboro.ac.uk.
Accessibility
We want this opportunity to be accessible to all students. We welcome applications in different formats e.g. audio, large print, if this is more appropriate for you. If you would like to discuss any accessibility issues in advance of applying or to discuss how the opportunity can be made inclusive for you, then please email LUArts@lboro.ac.uk or call 01509 222948.
What happens next?
After the closing date, we will review your application and contact you with details of the online training. You should expect to hear from us by Friday 6 March 2026.
Once you have completed the training, we will ask you to submit your workshop proposal. You can submit up to three proposals using a template, which we will provide. We will then invite you to a short and informal one-on-one session (online or in person) to discuss your proposal(s). If we are happy with your proposal(s), then we will add you to our arts worker database. We will then contact you with details of any potential arts workshop bookings.
Please note that we cannot guarantee work for our arts workers. We will do our best to book as many arts workers as possible, but it is subject to demand for workshops.