Community Heritage Researcher

Hackney Empire is about to embark on the Development Phase of a project, The Heart of Hackney, made possible by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players.

Hackney Empire seeks a Community Heritage Researcher to work closely with the wider project team and young participants to identify and document the contributions of former artists, audiences, and community participants to the 125-year history of Hackney Empire.

The role involves collecting oral histories, supporting archive research, and advising on the historical content to inform the exhibition and storytelling on site at Hackney Empire, in the local neighbourhood and across the London Borough of Hackney.

The researcher will engage with archives, private collectors, and cultural institutions to identify materials and stories that illuminate Hackney Empire’s role as a platform for underrepresented artists and communities.

This role is sought in conjunction with a Cultural Heritage Researcher in a mirrored job description. We are open to proposals from candidates who are interested in combining both these roles.

To find out more about the role, please download our Recruitment Pack (PDF) here, download our Recruitment Pack (Large print Word document) here, or via the links below.

To apply: Please send your CV and a covering letter (no more than one sides of A4) setting out your interest in the role, how you meet the person specification and examples of similar projects you have worked on previously. Applications should be sent to creative.futures@hackneyempire.co.uk including in the subject line reference HECOHR by 10am on Mon 26 Jan 2026.

Please also send us a completed equal opportunities monitoring form, which you can download below, with your application. This form is for statistical purposes only and will not be used in the assessment of your application.

If you need any of our recruitment documents in a different format, please email creative.futures@hackneyempire.co.uk or call 020 8985 2424 and we will send them over to you.