katelarsenkeys

New review of The RITP

Huge thanks to Nikita Vanderbyl and Professional Historians Australia for this extraordinary review of The Relationship is the Project.

And another thing: Meta’s Grand Theft AusLit

Like many others, we were dismayed to learn that mega-corporation Meta has stolen the work of thousands of Australian creators to train the Large Language Model for its flagship AI, Llama 3, without permission, license or compensation – including both editions of The Relationship is the Project.

And another thing: receiving and responding to harm

When boards and orgs don’t provide the accountability each other needs, it may fall on us to do so.

And another thing: the merit of merit

I’m spending February with my family on Gabrielino-Tongva-Kitz Lands just outside Los Angeles – which feels like a very different place since the last time I was here.

With everything going on, it seemed like an opportune moment to reflect on the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and the alleged merit of merit-based board and staff recruitment and quotas.

Westerly reviews Public. Open. Space.

Huge thanks to Ellie Fisher, whose review of Public. Open. Space. was published by Westerly Magazine this week.

And another thing: succession planning

I’m starting the new year with a lesson from the corporate world about leadership succession planning (yet another thing the arts, cultural and for-purpose sector is notoriously bad at).

My 2024 writing year

Community-engaged practice, for-purpose governance, along with arts and human rights advocacy were the key themes of my 2024 writing year.

Why (nearly) everything you thought you knew about boards and governance is wrong*

In October 2024, I was part of the line-up for TEDxCastlemaine with my provocation on why (nearly) everything you thought you knew about boards and governance is wrong.

My 2024 reading year

Reading is never a competition. As a proud book nerd and reading evangelist, I’m passionate that whatever, however and however much you read is wonderful, valuable and valid.

But if neither the size nor style of our reading lists really matter, why do I still set annual estimates for myself that I track, analyse and report against – including the 198 books I read in 2024?

And another thing: our cultural workforce crisis

For those living (or leaving) the national cultural workforce crisis currently being experienced – deeply and distinctively – across Australia’s arts, cultural and for-purpose organisations and sectors, the language of ‘crisis’ isn’t hyperbole, nor something that’s up for debate.

But the last few weeks have reminded me that there are some gaps in this understanding – unfortunately (though not unsurprisingly) from some of the people with the most power to affect change, including board members who aren’t meeting either their fiduciary duties or their duty of care.