Call out for Early Years Creatives: Book Babies
Inspire: Culture, Learning and Libraries
Award
Amount not published
Deadline
Closes in 1 day (24 August 2026)
Where
Not stated
East midlands
Summary
We are looking for two creative practitioners with experience of working with early years children (aged 0-3) and a passion for books and reading.
Full details
Book Babies (working title) is one strand of Inspire's Baby Steps to Reading Wellbeing programme which is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. The programme will see us working with parents and babies (aged 0-3) in libraries and Family Hubs in Ashfield and Mansfield. We are looking for two creative practitioners to design and deliver playful and creative book-based sessions in libraries and Family Hubs for parents and their babies. The sessions should nurture a love of books, stories and shared reading, through creative and interactive experiences, for both the child and parent. Sessions will take place in Kirkby-in-Ashfield Library and Mansfield Central Library, and in Family Hubs in those areas. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and planning opportunities will take place during October 2026. Our aims for Book Babies are to: nurture enjoyment and confidence of sharing books between parent and child allow parents space to explore how their baby responds to books support the creative development of our practitioners deliver excellent and inspiring book-based sessions for parents and babies that can inform how we develop our current library offer Timeline overview: CPD and planning opportunities will take place during October 2026 Session delivery will take place across two programme cycles, the first between November 2026 & March 2027, and the second between April and July 2027 Practitioners will deliver eight sessions in each programme cycle Fee available: Expected fee up to £4675 (£4,400 for 16 sessions and a £275 planning session) Attendance at CPD will be paid £250 travel allowance There is some additional budget available for materials All fees are inclusive of VAT where applicable. There is no budget for accommodation.