Governance – Page 3 – LARSEN

The statements we make

As artists, cultural workers and arts organisations, ours is the business of statement-making.

I was reminded of this recently by the work of Portuguese artist Tiago Casanova, whose installation Every wall is a Statement is currently part of the A liberdade e só a Liberdade exhibition (‘Freedom and only freedom’) at The Art and Culture Center of the Eugénio de Almeida Foundation in Évora.

I was also reminded, less pleasantly, by recent rushed and fumbled public statements made by Australian arts and cultural organisations in response to local and global issues or events like last year’s Voice Referendum (or the need for voice, treaty and truth more broadly) and the ongoing genocide in Palestine — including the statements that many have made with their silence.

And another thing: SLV as the example you don’t want to be

As a critical friend to the arts and cultural sector, I try not to ‘out’ organisations who haven’t already made headlines. Unfortunately, after a year of record fumbles and fails in response to Palestine, that still leaves a lot from which to learn from (with new ones seemingly added every day).

So it’s been deeply disappointing to witness an organisation so many have held in high esteem become the high-profile poster child for poor practice. I look at the example of the State Library of Victoria in the latest edition of my ‘and another thing’ vlog.

Organisational ethics: walking the talk

We live in polycrisis times. In post Voice referendum “Australia”. In the midst of visible local and international legal and human rights abuses. In a decimated sector impacted by an ongoing pandemic, cost of living, climate and mental health crises, and more.

All of which have raised awareness of and reduced tolerance for things we’ve always known. Things we’ve articulated and have been trying to change – if incrementally – through endless research papers, consultations and planning days.

And another thing: organisational ethics and deficit areas

It’s unsurprising that these polycrisis times have led to lots of conversations about how organisations are coping and responding: what we do, how we do it, and how we behave when doing so.

My latest ‘and another thing’ vlog ties together three key themes or deficit areas that have come out some of these recent conversations, observations and my ongoing governance reading.

And another thing: the golden rule of governance

Pulling all my governance reading together for my move back to Naarm reminded me of the golden rule of arts, cultural and non-profit governance (spoiler: there is no golden rule).

Take on Board podcast on Palestine as a governance issue

Failure is the status quo at the moment when it comes to Australian arts, cultural and non-profit organisation’s response (or lack of response) to Palestine as a governance, risk and crisis management, duty of care and financial issue.

My conversation with Helga Svendsen for the Take on Board podcast is online today with more.

And another thing: on cultural safety

Arts boards and organisations, stop using cultural safety as an excuse to make your programs, spaces and business practices less culturally safe.

And another thing: how to chair a meeting

Just finished reading How to Chair a Meeting by MI Puregger, an endearing Australian governance artefact from the 1950s with a lot to teach us about how much still needs to change.

Palestine governance resources in The Commons

The rushed and fumbled public statements made by Australian arts and cultural organisations in response to the ongoing genocide in Palestine have made failure the status quo on matters of risk and crisis management, financial sustainability and duty of care – including the statements many have made with their silence.

A collection of my provocations on Palestine as a governance issue have been collated and republished The Commons Social Change Library.

And another thing: governance and menopause

For International Women’s Day 2024, my ‘and another thing’ vlog talked about menstruation and menopause in the context of governance and duty of care, as well as a logical extension of occupational health and safety.