More manifestation, less manifesto
Promises are powerful formulations reflecting genuine intentions. But, Richard Watts argues, they must be accompanied by concrete…
Posts
Mission should inform everything
Being purpose driven and mission driven through the pandemic set Farnham Maltings up for success long into the future, just when t…
Can you afford to work in the arts anymore?
As NPO applications are being crafted, budgets written and forecasts made, Keith Jeffrey asks: How big a pay rise are you going to…
Where are the red lines on ethical fundraising?
In recent years, as climate change has intensified, so has controversy around fossil fuel funding. Chris Garrard says we must lear…
Learning to breathe
The winner of the Women in Social Enterprise Award, Yvonne Farquharson, reflects on setting up her own company creating arts progr…
New year resolutions to transform the sector
It’s that time of year when we reflect on the last 12 months and hatch plans for the next. Laura Twemlow shares details of a…
A hard time to be a leader
After a hugely successful eight years at the helm at Mountview, its two directors are handing over the reins. Here, Sarah Preece r…
A new wave of leaders
A new Office for Leadership Transition is advocating for more diversified models of cultural leadership. Sandeep Mahal shares the…
Stories of racism at the Barbican ‘ring true’, Gompertz says
Stories of institutional racism at the Barbican Centre "ring true to me", Will Gompertz has said. The Interim Manag…
Governance beyond the ‘great and the good’
Our sector is supported by trustees and directors who, through their passion and skills, have stepped up to support organisations…
When boards go bad: how to take inclusive action
Over the past year, Amanda Parker has been privy to several board-level conflicts that she describes as nightmarish. Boards, she a…
Where are the young people on arts boards?
Ten years ago, while most 21-year-olds were exploring their freedom, Toks Dada was spending his evenings and weekends reading comp…
Questioning assumptions underlying governance
Boards in the cultural sector often focus on improving the delivery of a conventional model, but as Anisa Morridadi argues, both t…
On board
One of the oddities of sitting on a board or being a trustee of a cultural institution is that there are no rules for how to do it…
Arts companies struggle to recruit as vacancies surge
Organisations are finding themselves in bidding wars over a shrinking pool of quality candidates. Is this the start of a tale…
We need to talk about race
A reluctance to share opinions openly is a significant block to achieving racial equity. But as Kevin Osborne argues, without unde…
Curatorial scheme to tackle social mobility in visual arts
The pilot programme will “challenge accepted barriers” in one of the sector’s least inclusive professions.
Is DCMS any longer fit for purpose?
While the appointment of Nadine Dorries to lead DCMS has been greeted with widespread dismay by the cultural sector, Robert Hewiso…
A curatorial career driving culture-led regeneration
Ten years after Turner Contemporary opened its doors to the public, its Director Victoria Pomery OBE is stepping down. Here sh…
Nadine Dorries reads from the same script
The new Culture Secretary's pro-Brexit stance and history of controversy have the left-leaning arts sector worried.
Tie funding to compliance with employment law, MPs say
The sector and its funders must adopt measurable diversity targets or risk losing "an entire generation of talent".
Open letter ‘stands in solidarity’ with Frankcom
An open letter to the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) board says it "stands in solidarity" with its ex-…
What do we mean by a systemic conversation?
Building on Culture Reset, Richard Watts shares a range of new initiatives aimed at supporting the cultural sector to change and d…
A golden thread running through a creative career
Whether in policy development, advocacy or nurturing talent, Executive Director of Clore Leadership Hilary Carty’s career is…
