What do you get when you cross the art of spoken word with a beautiful building that dates back centuries? A riddler in residence, obviously. Yes, it might sound like something out of an eerie children’s tale but it is exactly what Exeter Cathedral is looking for.
The cathedral has just announced that it is searching for a writer, poet, storyteller, spoken-word artist or lyricist to take up a two-month residency as a ‘riddler’ to contribute to its new cultural programme, funded by the National Lottery.
At £220 per day plus a budget for resources, it’s not a bad gig. According to the job description, the part-time role will involve delivering creative workshops to local schools and community groups and creating a portfolio of work inspired by the centuries-old building.
Applicants have to demonstrate experience of creating projects with community groups but otherwise the cathedral is open to people across a range of backgrounds. Between 2023 and 2025, there will be a total of four riddlers, each tackling a different theme. The theme of this first one is nature and the environment.
The name of the residency is inspired by ‘The Exeter Book’, a collection of Old English poems and riddles housed in the building. The chosen riddler will spend a lot of time hanging out with the building’s librarian and archivist in order to get creative juices flowing and find inspiration for the final body of work.
The residency will run from March to June this year. It is part of Exeter Cathedral’s wider plans to improve infrastructure and bringing its rich history to life. Aspiring riddlers can apply here and have to detail their previous experience and how they would approach the creative brief. Hurry, though, as applications close tomorrow.
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