This year’s Governance Now conference explores the interventions for change that are needed from cultural organisations and their boards at a time when ‘business as usual’ isn’t enough to see our sector survive and thrive.
Cultural organisations are being impacted by the UK’s stagnant economy, political instability, global unrest, the climate crisis and the acceleration of technological developments. Funding cuts have left many organisations facing existential decisions about future viability, cornering boards into risk-averse decision-making. The sector’s resilience and adaptability is being tested like never before.
The need for more robust, more diverse and more effective governance is top of the agenda.
So how can boards ‘imagine it different’? And how can they help organisations embrace more imaginative responses to these ever-growing challenges?
What to expect
Governance Now will be held during Trustees Week (4-8 November 2024) at Senate House in central London, where we will welcome Chairs, Trustees, CEOs and key governance decision-makers from the cultural sector.
With an industry-leading lineup of speakers from culture, technology, and local government, we will investigate ways in which bold, courageous governance might support different models for working, and help move us beyond the status quo.
Join fellow cultural leaders in a series of keynotes, roundtables, provocations and breakout sessions to explore topics including:
Artificial Intelligence – Friend or Foe? – exploring the ethics of artificial intelligence and what factors cultural boards need to consider for the future (Doug Gurr, Director of the Natural History Museum)
Citizens Assemblies – learning where decision-making for organisations might extend beyond or away from traditional governance models (David Jubb & Saad Eddine Said of Citizens in Power and Lilli Geissendorfer, Independent Consultant)
Closing Well – assessing when and how to make brave decisions, including when to close (Hedda Archbold, former Chair of Kneehigh Theatre)
Imagine it Different – reinventing cultural investment in local government (Councillor Liz Green, Chair of Local Government Association’s Culture, Tourism and Sport board, and Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kingston-Upon-Thames)
