Leadership – Page 3 – LARSEN

Dear arts organisations

Amongst everything else, the last several months have been a crash course for boards, leaders and organisations in risk and reputation management, crisis communications and duty of care from the pointy intersection of arts and human rights advocacy.

Inspired by my recent vlog series on why boards need to talk about Palestine (but applicable more broadly), here’s my attempt at framing the sorts of conversations going on amidst the hurt and panic, best and battered intentions, solidarity and silences right now.

Have your say on the Modern Awards Review

Due next Monday (4 December 2023), the Modern Awards Review 2023-2024 is a pivotal opportunity to improve workplace rights and entitlements for the arts and cultural sector.

In a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it consultation period, the Fair Work Commission has invited submissions from artists, arts workers and organisations to investigate potential gaps in arts and cultural sector employment terms and remuneration.

And another thing: less is (still) necessary

On the one-year anniversary of my #LessIsNecessary campaign, my latest instalment of ‘and another thing’ is about our ongoing workforce crisis and the regressive nonsense of employers wanting to punish workers for standing up for their rights.

And another thing: Zoom fatigue and our hybrid future

When Zoom has Zoom fatigue, what hope is there for the rest of us? This month’s ‘and another thing’ vlog talks about the depressing trend of employers ditching digital ways of working and the importance of fighting for a more hybrid future.

Doing it differently: fit-for-purpose governance models

I enjoyed rabble-rousing about how we could (and should) be doing governance differently with Cecilia Anthony and Diversity Arts Australia’s Lena Nahlous for Creative Australia’s Governance Conversations webinar series in July 2023.

And another thing: let’s all take Mondays off

t’s time for us to reject the idea that too-much-work-for-too-little-pay is a problem our sector can’t solve. This month’s ‘and another thing’ vlog talks about why and how we could make it happen).

And another thing: artists leaving arts practice

Welcome to ‘and another thing’, my brand new series on things that interest or infuriate me – exclusively for my amazing Patreon followers.

This one starts with a recent ArtsHub article on Theatre Network Australia’s report that says 51% of independent artists are currently considering a career change.

Tears for peers: the hidden costs of arts funding

Across Australia, hundreds of arts organisations are currently awaiting the outcome of expressions of interest for four-year funding from Australia Council for the Arts. In Warrang/Sydney meeting-rooms, teams of subcontracted industry advisors are being assembled in their respective artforms to advise Council on which applications are eligible to go through to second and final stage of their decision-making process.

We can do better than Boards

Following my collaboration on AICSA’s Rethinking Arts Governance event last year, I articulated some issues arts organisations have with arts Boards and shared examples of Boards making the best of the current situation.

In doing so, it became depressingly clear that our sector has learned how to bend without breaking when it comes to arts governance. But if the cause of most of our Arts Boards’ dysfunction is the governance model itself, perhaps a break is what we need – to throw the model out and start again.

And another thing: self care isn’t selfish

Welcome to my first ‘and another thing’ vlog for 2023.

This one builds on Employment Hero’s new Wellness at Work report and my recent Artshub article for those in need of a New Year creative reset.