Governance – LARSEN

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?

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.

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.

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.*

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’?

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.

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.

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.

And another thing: on the violence of governance

Arts boards, I move that we stop moving motions. Because our unnecessary and ineffective governance procedures are doing more harm than good.

Raining on the parade of Generative AI in the arts

The Victorian Government released its updated cultural policy, Creative State 2028, at the end of last year. But I won’t be surprised if you missed it.