Historic Character

**Would you like to share the history of the Black Country?**

**Historic Character**

**£9.74 per hour**

**Casual**

Black Country Living Museum is looking for **Historic Characters** to engage, inform and entertain our visitors, bringing the history of the Black Country, dating back to the 1900s and beyond, to life.

Through its historic buildings, storytelling and live demonstrations, Black Country Living Museum proudly shares the story of how the people of this important region lived and worked from the mid-19th century up until the 1930s. We are currently embarking on our largest expansion since opening in 1978, which will extend our storytelling period into the 1940s, 50s and 60s. The development adds a new historic town and industrial quarter, reflecting life in the pivotal period between the 40s-60s and the impact these decades had in shaping the landscape of the Black Country as we know it today. As such, we are looking to expand the stories that we tell of the communities that lived and worked here during this time, as well as of those who migrated to the region during the 50s and 60s who joined those communities (in particular from the Caribbean and South Asia).

**Our historic character team are key in telling these stories to our visitors, and we are keen to hear from applicants who are enthusiastic about helping us to tell important stories from this time period.**

**About us**

Throughout our 44-year history, Black Country Living Museum’s aim has always been clear: _Inspiring _**_your _**_discovery of the Black Country_. We ensure that the revolutionary story of the Black Country’s industrial landscape - the first ever of its kind in the UK - is celebrated by generations.

With our bostin’ seasonal, themed and high profile events, as well as being regularly used for TV and Film locations, BCLM is one of Europe’s most successful open-air museums.

Based in the heart of the Black Country’s regeneration zone, we are within good commutable distance from many of the surrounding counties.

**About the role**

In the role of a Historic Character, using a mix of first and third person costumed interpretation, you will engage visitors through interactive living history, storytelling, demonstrations, workshops and family activities. Our histories are performed both within our period buildings and outdoors across our historic grounds.

Other duties include:

- Portraying a wide range of Historic Characters, bringing to life stories from the Black Country’s history
- Leading and supporting school groups and activity workshops
- Delivering exceptional customer service and high quality, entertaining and authentic visitor engagement
- Ensuring high standards in collections care (i.e. security, cleaning, presentation of workspace) and personal presentation are maintained

Due to the nature of the role and in line with the Museum's core opening times and events programme, your willingness to work on weekdays, weekends and some evenings will be essential.

**About you**

If you have experience of living history interpretation or equivalent dramatic performance experience and an ability to adapt your presentation style to suit a range of audiences, we would love to hear from you.

Equally we would be delighted to hear from those with little or no experience, but who have lively and engaging communications skills, ideally from a customer services/public speaking background and critically an enthusiasm for the Black Country.

**Begin your Black Country Journey**

**Closing date: 5 March 2023**

Interviews are expected to take place on or around w/c 20th March 2023.

As we say in the Black Country, tara-a-bit