Position: Storyteller in Residence at Newtown Creek Alliance [freelance, part-time]
Project: ‘Heat Stories’ — a Community Storytelling Partnership Project by Melting Metropolis: Everyday Histories of Health and Heat since 1945.
Duration: May 2025 – October 2026
Application Deadline: March 15, 2025
About NCA:
Newtown Creek Alliance (NCA) is a community based non-profit with the mission to Reveal, Restore, and Revitalize Newtown Creek, a Superfund waterway that borders Brooklyn and Queens. NCA oversees a number of programs relating to environmental education, advocacy and community engagement, as well as environmental monitoring, horticulture, and volunteer opportunities. As a leading voice for the cleanup of and improved connection to the Creek, NCA works closely with a number of longstanding partners among community-based organizations, local businesses, environmental groups, and educational institutions.
About Melting Metropolis:
Melting Metropolis is an interdisciplinary project that tells the story of urban heat and health in New York, London and Paris. Based at the University of Liverpool, UK, and Queens College, New York, Melting Metropolis is a Wellcome-funded project exploring how Londoners, New Yorkers and Parisians have thought and felt about heat and its impact on their health. This project have extended the research to Bristol (UK) and Port of Spain (Trinidad and Tobago).
Are you a storyteller, story-shaper, maker, or dreamer with a passion for history and community engagement?
We are seeking a creative, socially engaged, and skilled storyteller to join us as part of the Melting Metropolis project — an exciting initiative exploring the everyday histories of health and heat in urban environments since 1945. This unique role will be working with Newtown Creek Alliance to uncover, interpret, and share stories that connect past and present experiences of urban life, climate, and well-being.
Stories can be creatively presented in any form. Whether you share stories through performance art, music, photography, film, digital media, craft, or innovative formats we haven’t imagined yet, we want to hear from you.
- Collaborate with local communities and Newtown Creek Alliance to gather stories and insights.
- Create and share compelling narratives through various mediums (written, spoken, digital, or visual storytelling).
- Host workshops or events to engage with the public and amplify local voices and stories.
- Contribute to the wider Melting Metropolis project by bringing historical and contemporary perspectives to life.
We are particularly interested in applicants who bring lesser-heard, new, or emerging voices.
- A talented storyteller with some experience (or abundant passion) in one or more storytelling mediums.
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to connect with diverse communities.
- An interest in urban history, climate, and/or public health themes.
- A connection with Newtown Creek and its surrounding neighborhoods
- Self-motivated with the ability to work independently as well as collaboratively.
Successful applicants will be expected to attend a Melting Metropolis Training course every Tuesday and Thursday in June from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. EST, 8 sessions total.
- An opportunity to be part of an innovative and meaningful project.
- A £12,000 (~$14,931) stipend to support your residency, paid in installments over the duration of the project. (Note: The exact amount of the stipend is subject to the exchange rate of British Pounds to US dollars)
- Access to resources and support from NCA and Melting Metropolis team and partner organizations.
- A platform to showcase your work and connect with the community.
To Apply, Please Submit:
1. CV (.pdf)
2. A maximum 3-minute video (.mp4 or .mov) OR a maximum 500-word written statement (.pdf) explaining why you are interested in this position and what you hope to bring to the role.
to sandy@newtowncreekalliance.org by March 15th, 2025.
This position requires in-person work in and around the Newtown Creek watershed. Applicants must have valid U.S. work authorization.
For more information about the Melting Metropolis project and this opportunity, visit www.meltingmetropolis.com.
Let’s shape the story of our cities and their relationship with urban heat together.