Wordsworth Trust
- Job Title: Designer (Freelance)
-
Salary: Under £10K
(pro-rata) - Hours:
Part time - Artform: Museums
- Role: Creative
- Contract: Temporary
- Closing date: Mon, 13 Apr 2026
-
Location:
North West
Job Summary
Job Description
We are seeking a designer for our upcoming exhibition: ‘Ghost Story: Into the Gothic Imagination’.
This exhibition will take place in the special exhibition gallery in our museum, and will feature treasures from our Designated collection of books, manuscripts and art.
In 1816, ‘the year without a summer’, Mary Shelley and Percy Bysshe Shelley, Lord Byron, John Polidori and Claire Clairmont met at a house on the shores of Lake Geneva. They shared Gothic stories, and Byron challenged the group to a
competition: everyone should write a ghost story, and then they would select a winner. he ideas generated over the following days and weeks eventually became Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, John Polidori’s The Vampyre, and Byron’s A Fragment. The exhibition takes the Ghost Story Competition as the epicentre of a seismic shake – up in the literary landscape, exploring the wild and wonderful Gothic literature that came before it and the enduring influence of the Gothic today.
We imagine a space that feels:
Inspired by Gothic literature of the 18th/19th century, specifically those objects on display in the exhibition.
Haunting and beautiful
Mysterious and imaginative
Which could include :
Classic themes of Gothic literature of this time: ruined castles, crumbling abbeys, woodland walks by moonlight, women in white dresses, haunting music.
Atmospheric lighting and shadow: moonlight, storms, candlelight
Rich, dark colour palettes with incorporation of texture and textiles
Pop-culture references and links with the gothic genre today
The gallery size is 10m by 4m, with one entrance, one fire exit and no windows. 3- 4 showcases will display objects from our collection, which will form a key part of the experience. We will also display original artworks on the walls. For further information, please see the design brief.
Job Requirements
We welcome creative responses that interpret our exhibition’s theme in imaginative ways. All interpretation text and collections – related images will be provided by the curatorial team.
We are looking for a designer who will:
Work within our budget and timeline to develop a creative, cost-effective design for a small – scale exhibition, making effective use of the existing gallery space to create an immersive, enjoyable and inclusive exhibition experience for our visitors.
Work collaboratively with our curatorial team to create the overall exhibition visual concept, taking into account spatial layout and visitor flow, including: colour palette, typography and graphic style, integrating our brand guidelines as appropriate.
Create designs that are creative and imaginative, whilst also practical, durable, and easy to install .
Oversee production of materials, such as interpretation panels and wall graphics. Prepare print ready files for agreed items.
How to Apply
We would like to get a sense of your style and how you would approach this brief. We do not expect developed designs at this stage. You are welcome to get in touch before submitting a proposal if you’d like to ask any questions.
Please include:
• A short introduction to you with examples of your work
• An outline of your creative approach, including visuals : please feel free to use words, mood board, images – whatever best helps you share your vision with us and gives us a sense of what you might imagine.
An estimated fee breakdown that demonstrates how you would use the budget.
Availability for the project timeline.
Contact details for two referees.
Deadline for proposals: Monday 13 April, 9:00am (BST)
Please send your proposal by email to Melissa Mitchell, Curator at [email protected]
- Contact name: Melissa Mitchell
- Contact email: [email protected]
Apply now
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