Job Title: Programmer, Full Time Contract
Salary: From £34,000 per annum dependent on experience
Location: London, with relocation to Edinburgh over August
Company Profile: Underbelly is a UK based live entertainment company. Our festivals and events division produces a number of events annually, including Underbelly at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Nevill Holt Festival, Underbelly Festival in London, Christmas in Leicester Square and, West End Live in Trafalgar Square on behalf of the Society of London Theatre and Westminster City Council.
Through Underbelly Productions we also produce and promote live shows for UK and international touring.
In 2026, Underbelly programmed over 250 different productions across multiple genres and sold 1.7 million tickets to its festival events and productions.
Job Summary:
Underbelly are seeking an experienced, organised and motivated Programmer to join the Programming team who bear responsibility for the programming of shows across all Underbelly Festivals and venues. Working closely with the programming team, you will assist to ensure the smooth running of each Festival. This will includescouting and finding suitable shows, managing the administration of registration and on-sale processes, offers and scheduling, company documentation and pre-show checklists. You will also assist on the ground at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, helping to coordinate the logistics for our co-productions.
The Programmer is a key part of the Programming team, supporting theimplementation of all aspects of the Underbelly operation. You will work alongside the Head of Programming, another Programmer and a Programme Administrator. The Programming team are the first port of call for all visiting companies and artists and are responsible for the journey from initial conversations to fully realised festival seasons. Communication is key, as you will liaise with companies, artists, agents, producers, venues, external stakeholders, technical, marketing, box office and operational teams.
The right candidate will have experience in programming in an arts environment and will demonstrate superb administrative skills. They will be extremely organised, have excellent communication skills and a keen eye for detail. They will be a proactive problem-solver with the ability to work independently as well as under pressure. They will also be confident in working to strict deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Reports to: Head of Programming
Responsibilities include:
• Working collaboratively and creatively with the programming team in the curation and planning of performances across all spaces for Underbelly at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
• Representing the programming team at our festivals, theatre and events and being a central point of contact for artists and producers and promoters.
• Creating show budgets, negotiating deals, drafting contracts and negotiating terms with artists, promoters, agents and other external stakeholders.
• Developing and sustaining relationships with artists, companies, agents and producers and seeking to develop new relationships with emerging artists.
• Demonstrating a good understanding of the technical capabilities within our venues when programming artists and liaising with the technical department in order to realise the technical needs of each visiting show.
• Analysing ticketing data and audience visiting patterns in order to feed into the overall programme curation and structure.
• Working to continually develop and improve Underbelly’s accessibility
and inclusivity across all venues and events.
• Maintaining a good knowledge of a wide range of performing arts, including comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and family shows.
• Travelling nationally and internationally to see shows and meet potential collaborators.
• Working collaboratively with other Underbelly departments and building an in depth understanding of the important part each department plays in the realisation of every Underbelly event.
Coordinating
• Managing the festival timelines and administrative processes that are requiredfor each Underbelly event throughout the year.
• Coordinating the administrative processes of box office reconciliations, working closely with the finance team and processing settlements and invoices.
• Working with the relevant internal Underbelly teams to ensure venues are being updated and used to the best of their capabilities and suggesting changes they will enhance the experience for the artist or visitor.
• Managing the application process for companies wishing to perform at Underbelly’s Festivals. Assisting in reading and evaluating applications and attending shows to assess for potential future programming.
• Managing the administration of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe registration process for all performances confirmed as part of Underbelly’s programme.
• Coordinating the proofing of the Underbelly Mini-Guide, calendars and show materials as well as other required marketing materials.
• Working closely with the Marketing and Box Office teams to ensure that shows go on sale accurately and efficiently.
• Working and exhibiting a good knowledge of databases including Edfringeware, Eventotron, Red 61, and Triple Seat.
Person Specification
Essential
- Minimum of 3 years in a live events or media role.
- Passionate about live events and the cultural industries with an enthusiasticinterest in a wide range of contemporary performing arts.
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
- Good existing relationships with promoters and producers.
- Experience of programming large spaces of 400+ seats with commercially viable work.
- Excellent time-management and organizational skills.
- Experience of working with artists.
- Experience of visiting or working at Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
- Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to think on your feet.
- Experience of working with many different teams in a busy environment.
- Competent across IT and software, including a strong working knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word, Dropbox, Google Drive and a willingness to learn other software programmes.
- Experience of proofing documents and cross-checking information across documents and spreadsheets.
- Experience of devising and managing budgets, and confidence in negotiating deals with artists, producers and agents.
- Experience of working on financial documents, including Excel formulae and Mail Merges.
- Experience in managing financial payouts and settlements.
- Ability to work across different projects and prioritise tasks effectively.
- Willingness to travel and work away from home for periods of time.
Desirable
- Relevant experience in events, artistic or festival programming or production.
- Relevant experience of working with Box Office systems like Red 61 and VIA.
- Knowledge and experiences of the database system, Eventotron, and/or experience of working with Edfringeware.
- Experience in theatrical and festival production logistics and planning.
- Specialist expertise in the national and international, theatre, musical theatre or circus industries.
- Experience of making shows more accessible and knowledge of the importance of accessibility.
Terms and Conditions
• Salary: From £34,000 per annum dependent on experience
• The job will be based in our London office in Farringdon, with relocation to our Edinburgh venues for 6 weeks over July and August (travel and accommodation for Edinburgh will be provided)
• Some evening and weekend work will be required
• Some on-site working will be required during festivals
• Some working from home days will be possible
• Holiday entitlement is 20 days per annum, plus statutory holidays (pro rata).
• This is a full-time, fixed term contract position with a 6 month probationary period.
Underbelly is committed to reducing its environmental impacts in its everyday operations. We are also committed to maintaining the open-access policy of Underbelly. We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all sectors of the community. We expect employees to support these commitments and to assist in their realisation.