Freelance Festival Sponsorship, Partnerships and Fundraising Consultant

Mother Tongues seeks a Freelance Festival Sponsorship, Partnerships and Fundraising Consultant

Mother Tongues is Ireland's leading non-profit organisation dedicated to celebrating multilingualism, cultural diversity and belonging through the arts. We are seeking a highly motivated, proactive and relationship-focused Freelance Festival Sponsorship, Partnerships and Fundraising Consultant to help secure financial support for the 10th anniversary of the Mother Tongues Festival in February 2027. As Ireland's leading festival celebrating multilingualism, cultural diversity and the arts, the 2027 edition marks an exciting milestone and offers a unique opportunity to build new partnerships, engage sponsors and supporters, and strengthen the festival's long-term sustainability.

About Mother Tongues Festival

Celebrating Ireland's cultural and linguistic diversity, the Mother Tongues Festival 's mission is to curate a high-quality, multilingual arts programme that brings children, families, and artists together to share stories and cultures. Positioned as a social catalyst, the festival fosters intercultural exchange, strengthens community ties, and nurtures a powerful sense of belonging.

With inclusivity at its core, MTFest showcases the work of migrant and multilingual artists, with the majority of its multidisciplinary programme presented in languages other than English.

The consultant will lead sponsorship and fundraising efforts for the 10th anniversary Mother Tongues Festival while helping strengthen Mother Tongues' long-term fundraising capacity by building relationships with partners, sponsors and supporters whose values align with our mission.

Because this is a highly focused, short-term contract running from October 2026 to February 2027, the successful candidate will focus strictly on immediate, actionable income streams: partnerships, corporate sponsorships and individual giving initiatives.

Basis : Part-time, Contract-for-Service (Freelance Retainer)

Term : October 2026 to February 2027 (5-month fixed contract)

Allocation : Indicative average of 22 to 24 hours per month, worked flexibly to meet sales and production deadlines.

Location : Remote / Hybrid (The consultant can work primarily from home, but must be based in Ireland and available for occasional online or in-person meetings in Dublin.

Compensation : A flat freelance fee of €4,000 (incl. VAT, if applicable and subject to final funding confirmation in September 2026) for the duration of the contract, paid in instalments upon receipt of a monthly invoice and progress report.

Key Responsibility

The primary goal of this consultancy is to secure financial resources and commercial partnerships to directly offset the costs of the Mother Tongues Festival 2027.

The primary goal of this consultancy is to secure sponsorship and philanthropic investment for the Festival while helping Mother Tongues to identify potential opportunities for longer-term relationships with supporters beyond the 2027 Festival.

The Consultant will work closely with the Communication and Marketing consultant and will focus strictly on the following deliverables:

• Sponsorship Development & Outreach: Identify, approach and develop relationships with potential corporate sponsors, philanthropic organisations, trusts, foundations, local businesses and values-aligned partners to secure financial support for the Mother Tongues Festival.
• Adapt existing festival sponsorship and partnership opportunities to align with the interests and priorities of prospective supporters.
• Individual Giving & Patrons Scheme: Launch and promote a "Friends of the Festival" or VIP Patron scheme to encourage small-scale, high-margin donations from individuals in the lead-up to the event.
• Prospect Pipeline & Reporting: Maintain a pipeline of prospective sponsors and donors, recording approaches, meetings and outcomes, and provide a short monthly progress update.
• Sector Experience: Minimum of 2 years of proven experience in corporate sponsorship, business/arts partnership development, or fundraising within the Irish arts, events, festivals, or non-profit sectors.
• Proven Track Record: A demonstrable history of securing corporate sponsorships, business partnerships, or fundraising within the arts in Ireland.
• Excellent Pitching and Communication: Outstanding interpersonal, negotiation, and written communication skills, with the ability to confidently present Mother Tongues' value proposition to business owners and corporate decision-makers.
• Self-Motivated: Highly organised, target-driven and capable of working within a small team as well as independently to build a prospect pipeline and close deals.
• Strong commitment to the mission and values of Mother Tongues.
• Existing network of business or corporate contacts in the Dublin/South Dublin area, particularly in Corporate Social Responsibility, retail, or community-focused sectors.
• Lived experience of bilingualism/multilingualism or working in culturally diverse environments.

Closing Date for Applications: 9th September 2026

Interviews will be carried out in September 2026. The work will start in October 2026.

Mother Tongues is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from individuals of all backgrounds and experiences. We are committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace.