Freelance Audio Associate ( 2,000 Fixed Fee). Application Deadline: 30th September 2026 at 5:00 PM

Fee: £2,000 fixed freelance commission
Guaranteed working commitment: 70 hours in total between October and December 2026.
The hours cover workshop recording, oral-history capture, audio editing, file and backup preparation, rehearsals, technical testing, management and hygiene of the 44-unit wireless headset system, and technical delivery of six public audio-theatre walks across 18-20 December 2026.

Contract Period: October 2026 to February 2027

Mancunianity Flows: Walking the First Modern City is an Arts Council England-funded participatory audio-theatre project working with older residents from Manchester and Salford to create an immersive public walking experience exploring memory, belonging, storytelling and the River Irwell.

We are seeking an experienced Audio Associate to join the creative team and lead all aspects of project audio production.

Working alongside the Lead Artist/Producer and Actor-Musician, you will support participants through story recording sessions, capture oral histories and creative material, edit participant-generated content and prepare audio assets for public performance.

You will be responsible for creating reliable and accessible playback systems for six public audio-theatre walks taking place between 18 and 20 December 2026. Audiences will experience participant stories through a wireless headset system, making audio quality central to the success of the project.

The role combines technical expertise with creativity, collaboration and sensitivity when working with community participants. We are keen to hear from sound artists, podcast producers, audio documentarians, audio theatre practitioners and creative producers with experience of storytelling-based work.

Mancunianity Flows places older residents at the centre of cultural production and seeks to create a lasting legacy through a public audio archive, printed publication and educational resources.