Consultant Digital Arts Expert

JOB DETAILS

Type of contract : Consultant Contract

Level : Level 2 - Middle

Hiring Unit : Culture Sector (CLT)

Duty Station : Islamabad

Work location : Remote

Duration of contract : 3 months

Hiring open to : External candidates

Application deadline (Midnight UTC+5 Time) : 21/08/2026

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

UNESCO, through the Korea Funds-in-Trust (KFIT), is implementing the third phase of the Digital Creativity Lab project (2025–2027). This initiative supports cultural and creative industries (CCIs) in their digital transformation, in line with the UNESCO 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

In Pakistan, the project “Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs) and Digital Transformation in Pakistan” is coordinated by the UNESCO Office in Islamabad (Culture Unit). It aims to:

• Establish an enabling policy environment for CCIs in the digital age;
• Strengthen the digital skills and capacities of creative professionals;
• Raise awareness of the 2005 Convention and its role in the digital environment.

Pakistan’s cultural and creative sector is vibrant and economically significant. Copyright-based industries contribute an estimated PKR 136 billion to GDP, and approximately 15% of the national workforce is employed in creative sectors, with youth (ages 15–24) comprising nearly a third. Events such as the Lahore Digital Arts Festival, Coke Studio, and the Lahore Literary Festival highlight the country’s rich creative landscape.

Despite this, many creative professionals, particularly visual and digital artists, lack the technical and entrepreneurial skills needed to thrive in the digital marketplace. UNESCO is therefore seeking to recruit a national consultant to design and deliver a targeted digital skills workshop focused on Digital Arts Literacy and Entrepreneurship for Creative Professionals in Arts.

PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The assignment aims to build practical, accessible digital skills among Creative Professionals in Arts and creative entrepreneurs in Pakistan. It addresses the most pressing gaps identified in the sector: limited familiarity with digital production tools, low awareness of online platforms for showcasing and distributing work, and weak capacity for digital self-promotion.

The workshop is to be designed as hands-on and accessible to participants at varying levels of digital literacy, recognizing the diverse starting points of creative professionals across Pakistan. Upon completion, participants will be able to:

• Understand the basic digital visual arts production workflow, from concept and sketching to final digital rendering and export;
• Use at least one accessible digital art or design tool to create, edit and finalize a digital artwork;
• Understand how online platforms work and how to use them to showcase, share and monetize digital artwork;
• Take first steps in building a digital presence and brand as a visual artist or creative professional;
• Gain basic awareness of copyright, intellectual property rights, and the ethical use of digital and AI tools in visual arts creation.

DUTIES/TASKS AND EXPECTED OUTPUT

The consultant will design and deliver a two-module digital arts workshop, and will accomplish the following tasks:

• Design the full workshop curriculum and training materials, in coordination with UNESCO, structured around two core modules delivered over a minimum of two (2) full days:
  • Module 1 – Digital Visual Arts Production (Day 1): introduction to digital art and design tools (basic and advanced platforms such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator or Procreate); digital illustration and composition techniques; basic editing and effects; exporting and preparing artwork for digital release or print.
  • Module 2 – Getting Your Art Online: Distribution, Branding and the Digital Creative Business (Day 2), including: (A) an overview of the Pakistani and global digital visual arts landscape and how to showcase and sell artwork online, with an introduction to copyright and intellectual property for visual artists; (B) social media basics, content creation tips, and free e-commerce/direct-to-fan tools; and (C) a brief, accessible introduction to the use of AI tools in visual arts and the related ethical questions, including UNESCO’s perspective on protecting diverse cultural expressions in the digital environment.
• Mobilize qualified trainers and resource persons with expertise in digital arts production, distribution and branding, and organize a mentorship/peer-exchange session connecting at least three (3) established digital arts professionals with emerging artists;

Long Description

• Ensure inclusive outreach and recruitment of approximately 15–20 participants — emerging and established digital arts professionals, visual arts entrepreneurs, illustrators/designers and digital content creators, youth and women active in Pakistan’s digital arts and creative industries, and representatives from arts schools, arts councils and cultural institutions — ensuring a minimum of 30% women and 50% youth (under 35 years of age), and at least one participant from each of Pakistan’s provinces and territories (Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Islamabad Capital Territory);
• Coordinate all logistics for the workshop: venue, equipment, participant registration, travel, accommodation and subsistence for participants travelling from outside the workshop location, in coordination with UNESCO, and, whenever possible, organize the workshop in conjunction with, or alongside, a relevant national cultural event, conducted primarily in Urdu and/or English;
• Deliver the workshop over a minimum of two (2) full days in a hands-on, interactive format, prioritizing the participation of youth, women and marginalized creators, and produce all training materials (slides, toolkits, resource guides) in Urdu and/or English;
• Collect participant data (disaggregated by sex and age), administer pre- and post-training assessments, and ensure visibility of the UNESCO-KFIT project in all materials and communications, using the official logos of UNESCO and the Republic of Korea Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism;
• Submit a final report to UNESCO within two weeks of the workshop’s conclusion, including recommendations for follow-up actions and scale-up.

DELIVERABLES

The consultant shall provide UNESCO with the following key deliverables:

Reporting

The consultant will work under the overall authority of the Head of the UNESCO Office in Islamabad and the direct supervision of the National Professional Officer, in collaboration with the International Expert in Culture and Heritage. UNESCO will review and approve the workshop curriculum, trainer/mentor profiles, participant selection and all deliverables before finalization.

DURATION OF CONTRACT

The contract duration is approximately three (3) months, from September to November/December 2026, starting from contract signing.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

Master’s degree in Digital Arts, or in a field related to Cultural and Creative Industries.

WORK EXPERIENCE

At least five (5) years of proven experience in the Digital Arts, digital production, or digital skills training for creative professionals.

Long Description

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

-Excellent communication, analytical, report-writing skills and database packages.

-Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, Teams, Outlook, PowerPoint).

-Ability to take initiative and establish priorities, with capacity to work efficiently under pressure.

-Comfortable with working in a multicultural workplace, ability to work in a team to achieve shared objectives.

LANGUAGES

Fluency in English and Urdu.

Desirable requirements:

Professional Experience

Proven experience of collaboration with international organisations in the field of culture.

Experience in gender-sensitive and inclusive approaches to outreach, facilitation and participant support.

Skills and Competencies

Excellent facilitation and adult-education/non-formal training skills.

Application Process

UNESCO invites qualified individual consultants to submit their applications through the UNESCO Careers Website.

• Applicants should submit:

1. Curriculum Vitae

2. A brief technical proposal outlining the approach and methodology for the assignment in line with the terms of reference

3. A competitive lumpsum fee for the assignment quoted in PKR.

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information, by the above deadline.

To apply, please visit the UNESCO Careers website. No modifications can be made to the application once submitted.

The process may include pre-recorded video interviews and/or written assessments, interviews with a Panel, as well as reference checks. In addition, candidates may be requested to provide additional information which may be pertinent to the position’s qualifications.

Please note that all candidates, whether selected or not, will be informed of the outcome of their application in due course.

Short-listed candidates may also be added to Talent Pools; subject to their consent (i.e. Data Privacy Statement).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• UNESCO recalls that paramount consideration in the appointment of personnel shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, technical competence and integrity.
• UNESCO applies a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of harassment.
• lndividuals from minority groups and indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.
• All applications will be treated with the highest level of confidentiality.
• UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the hiring process.