What happens when for-purpose and for-profit governance consultants and training providers become so entwined with common-practice systems and requirements they pursue their own interests over those of the orgs they support, or what those organisations are trying to achieve? This is the governance industrial complex, and the subject of my latest ‘and another thing’ vlog.
Continue reading “And another thing: the governance industrial complex”Tag: Governance
And another thing: introducing Artist Corporations
Did you know that you don’t need to incorporate as a not-for-profit organisation for your work to serve a purpose?
My latest ‘and another thing’ vlog is about an exciting new governance innovation that’s come out of the US this year: The Artist-Corporation or A-Corp.
Continue reading “And another thing: introducing Artist Corporations”And another thing: board officeholders
Arts boards, did you know that you don’t need a Chairperson? And that you don’t need a Treasurer either?
Continue reading “And another thing: board officeholders”Palestine as a governance issue
By my count, 80 Australian arts and cultural organisations have now been accused of many more instances of censoring, threatening or otherwise harming their own artists, cultural workers or audiences between 2023 and 2026 alone.
Continue reading “Palestine as a governance issue”And another thing: board (lack of) diversity
This month’s ‘and another thing’ rant is about the newly-released Board (lack of) Diversity Index and our lower-than-low definitions of success.
Continue reading “And another thing: board (lack of) diversity”Help support ‘Beyond best practice boards’
Most of my work and writing over the past several years has focused on the failings of Australia’s arts, cultural and non-profit boards and governance models.
In addition to dozens of articles, panels, keynote speeches and vlog episodes on the subject, this has now led to a new book, which I hope to share with the world this year: Beyond ‘best practice’ boards: why (nearly) everything you think you know about governance is wrong.*
Continue reading “Help support ‘Beyond best practice boards’”And another thing: on issues with representative boards
Should arts boards be made up of artists or cultural workers with direct experience of an organisation’s work? Or should we have more business people on boards to apply a corporate lens to how things ‘should be done’?
Continue reading “And another thing: on issues with representative boards”Have your say on the new national Cultural Policy consultation
The Australian Government is calling for public submissions to inform it’s update of the Revive National Cultural Policy.
Continue reading “Have your say on the new national Cultural Policy consultation”And another thing: Company Secretaries vs company secretariats
Boards, have you delegated your Company Secretary responsibilities to a member of staff? Or are you a staff Company Secretary who’s had that work thrust upon them – without understanding the responsibilities or risks?
The landmark Star Entertainment lawsuit has put Company Secretaries into the spotlight this month – and sent a lot of organisations into a panic as a result. But most arts, cultural and non-profit organisations should be alert, but not alarmed.
Continue reading “And another thing: Company Secretaries vs company secretariats”Arts board governance under fire: Avoiding reactive decision-making
When arts boards panic and become reactive, they lose clarity and predictive governance suffers, Anna Spargo Ryan writes for the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Continue reading “Arts board governance under fire: Avoiding reactive decision-making”
