CULTURE

RESET

An urgent programme to reimagine the future of arts and culture

20th July – 11th September 2020

ARTS AND CULTURE ARE SELF-ORGANISING FOR SURVIVAL RIGHT NOW.

But what are we fighting for? A return to how things were or a fundamental reset?

CULTURE RESET is a practical rapid response programme to inspire more relevant and impactful cultural organisations and practices.

Born out of the devastating impact of Covid-19 and inspired by the urgent need to accelerate change and respond to the experiences of a broader diversity of people, it will provide expert support and dynamic stimulus for 192 arts and cultural producers, makers and directors across the UK.

Applications are now closed. The programme runs 20 July to 11 September 2020.

Each participant will leave the programme with an expert and peer-reviewed action plan to reset their creative approach – it could be for a specific project, for their general artistic practice or across an entire organisation.

We’re looking to recruit cultural workers who care about the wider sector in which they work, and who want to play a part in its transformation. This is about supporting a fundamental reset, and we’re looking to support a movement that contributes to that change.

Participation is funded by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (UK Branch) and open to the full range of the cultural sector. We want to hear from arts producers, museum and gallery curators, theatre makers, artistic directors, festival producers, library managers, literary editors, musicians, visual artists, choreographers, composers, writers – anyone with the agency to commission and create cultural experiences.

“Historically, pandemics have forced humans to break with the past and imagine their world anew. This one is no different. It is a portal, a gateway between one world and the next. We can choose to walk through it, dragging the carcasses of our prejudice and hatred, our avarice, our data banks and dead ideas, our dead rivers and smoky skies behind us. Or we can walk through lightly, with little luggage, ready to imagine another world. And ready to fight for it.“

Arundhati Roy, April 2020

THE PROGRAMME

CULTURE RESET combines intensive creative online laboratories with a dynamic set of provocations and reflections from directors, artists, writers, academics and producers internationally. It has been devised to offer the support, stimulus and guidance to facilitate immediate action.

Each participant will have access to:

  • A 4-week intensive of facilitated group work to design and test your knowledge, grow your new ideas and plan your action;
  • Weekly provocations by international innovators and thinkers;
  • Up-skilling in civic action, understanding place and audience mindset, social impact and myth-busting in collaboration and co-creation;
  • Access to an exclusive suite of resources curated and selected by arts leaders and producers
  • A one-to-one coaching opportunity to map your own next steps.

You might be asking:

If my organisation is to survive, we must connect more meaningfully with our context and communities. Where do I begin?

How do we make radical change happen whilst dealing with this crisis – what is it realistic to expect?

I know that my organisation has to feel essential for these times and for the communities it serves, what changes do I need to make to create that shift?

I know that relevance is important, but I don’t know how it might affect my creative practice. Where do I start?

How can I put engagement at the centre of our artistic programme, rather than confine it to our learning or events offer?

Does relevance always mean co-creation?

How can I persuade my organisation that relevance is essential, not a nice-to-have?

CULTURE RESET is a people make it work project funded by The Gulbenkian Foundation and the people make it work team.

The programme is designed and created by Claire Doherty and David Micklem – both leading creative producers and artistic directors – who have been dedicated to progressive, impactful approaches to culture and relevance over the past 20 years.

David and Claire are joined by a further 10 outstanding facilitators from across the spectrum of the cultural sector – all of whom have real-world experience of producing cultural experiences and making space for new ideas and new voices.

“Relevance isn’t the pair of lead boots restricting creative flight or the target you are guiding your parachute to land on. It is the air current on which to fly. You have to understand what those currents are doing to navigate and know how to respond and adapt your approach.“

Claire Doherty

“We’re urgently convening this gathering to support arts and culture made by, with, and for EVERYONE. For too long this approach has been seen at the edges of practice, siloed, departmentalised, marginalised. And as such, too much of our culture is seen as irrelevant by too many people. We have an opportunity, now, to plan for a reset – a fundamentally new approach to deciding what counts as culture, where it happens, who makes it, and who gets to experience it.“

David Micklem

“We know that many people in the cultural sector want to create work that connects more deeply with the interests and stories of their communities, but have not had the space, support or sense of urgency to prioritise this work and to identify how to operationalise it within their own organisation, network, context or practice. We have commissioned this programme to fill that gap, and enable people from all backgrounds, contexts and art forms to work out their version of relevance, and identify concrete steps they will take in their organisation to bring relevance to life for their audiences and communities.“

Richard Watts

The programme will give rocket fuel to a leading cohort of creatives and cultural producers facing uncertain and demanding times.

NEWS

New contributors to the programme announced:

 

Sharmaine Lovegrove,  

Publisher and activist, head of Dialogue Books (imprint of Hachette) and co-founder of the Black Writers Guild demanding real, sustainable change to the mainstream publishing world. @sharlovegrove 

Nato Thompson 

Curator and writer, Artistic Director at Philadelphia Contemporary, and formerly Chief Curator at Creative Time, New York. @natothompson Follow his Insta lives – Let’s Talk Alternatives 

Marcus Faustini

Inspirational Brazilian writer, theatre director, educator, filmmaker and cultural activist. He is the mastermind behind the educational methodology “Agência de Redes Para Juventude” (Network for Youth Agency) which has transformed the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, and has now been adapted and adopted with partners across the UK.  @marcusfaustini 

Jasmine Wahi 

Social Justice Curator at the Bronx Museum, activist, founder and Co-Director of Project for Empty Space @browngirlcurator

John E. McGrath 

Artistic Director and Chief Executive of  Manchester International Festival (MIF), the world’s first festival of original, new work and special events. He has a reputation for large-scale site-specific work, digital innovation and extraordinary community involvement, and will also be the Artistic Director of  The Factory, the new world-class cultural space currently being built in the heart of Manchester. @JohnMIF

Jackie Wylie 

Artistic Director and CEO, National Theatre of Scotland @_jackiewylie  

John Akomfrah 

Artist, film-maker writer John Akomfrah CBE (born 1957) was one of the founders of the Black Audio Film Collective (BAFC), a group of artists and filmmakers active between 1982 and 1998, dedicated to examining issues of Black British identity through film and media.He made his debut as a director with Handsworth Songs, which won the Grierson Award for Best Documentary in 1987. In 1998 he co-founded Smoking Dogs Films, with Lina Gopaul and David Lawson, and has since pursued an individual and distinguished film practice. @smokingdogfilms

 

PROGRAMME TEAM

Vicki Igbokwe

Facilitator

Vicki Igbokwe

Facilitator

Vicki Igbokwe is a Choreographer, Movement Director and Facilitator. Her mission is to Empower, Entertainand Educate each person she engages with, enabling them to Think Fierce, Be Fabulous and Live Free Spirited! She is the Founder and Creative Director of Uchenna, a London based touring dance company, created with the vision of being 'the go to company for all things dance and leadership on a global scale'. Vicki is a Trustee for One Dance UK, the UK Body for Dance and the Facilitator for two East London Dance programmes; The Fi.ELD (Future Innovators East London Dance) supporting the next generation of dance leaders and We Move supporting leaders of the hip-hop dance community. Career highlights include a sponsorship deal with Nike and work as a Mass Movement Choreographer on Olympic and Paralympic Ceremonies including: London 2012, Sochi 2014, Glasgow 2014 and the 2017 Islamic Solidarity games.

Thanh Sinden

Facilitator

Thanh Sinden

Facilitator

Thanh is a specialist in diversity, inclusion and engagement. She works with teams and individuals such as the Museum Association, AMA, Tate, What Next? Movement, British Council, Museum Detox, Big Local and many community organisations, to foster the conditions where inclusion and collaboration are embedded in teams. Skilled in co-production, Thanh’s considered facilitation and insightful observations enables everyone to participate at their full potential. Teams maximise their impact and deliver results. Thanh champions and supports culture change, cultural democracy and organisational development to create and capture value that is of relevance in a changing world. ‘My work focuses on social purpose, projects and initiatives that advance equity between groups, celebrate and respect our diversity for a cohesive society.’

Raidene Carter

Facilitator

Raidene Carter

Facilitator

Raidene Carter is a theatre and arts producer and programmer with over 15 years experience in making and presenting new work out of participation, community engagement, creative collaboration and artist development. Graduating from Central School of Speech and Drama in 2001, Raidene went on to work at the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith, Talawa Theatre Company, the Albany Deptford and Birmingham Repertory Theatre before returning to the Albany as Head of Creative Programmes in 2012, where she led an expansive arts and community programme across 5 performance spaces and in outdoor and site-specific settings. In 2018 Raidene became Executive Director for young people’s theatre company, Theatre Centre, before relocating back to the West Midlands in 2020 to take up her current role as Executive Producer (Cultural Programme & Live Sites) for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Raidene sits on the board of Mem Morrison Company (2005-), and is a Trustee for The Paper Birds theatre company (2017-) and National Theatre Wales (2019-). In 2016, she was a recipient of the inaugural London Theatre Consortium and MOBO Fellowship. @raidenecarter

David Micklem

Programme Director

David Micklem

Programme Director

David is a writer and theatre producer. He is the former joint Artistic Director at Battersea Arts Centre in South West London, and now splits his time between writing and working with arts organisations across the UK. He is preoccupied with stories and storytelling; of all lengths and various forms. As a writer, a reader and an audience member, he craves narratives and the way these help us make sense of the world. He’s a leading voice on cultural democracy and how we support a culture that’s made by, with, and for everyone.

Samenua Sesher

Facilitator

Samenua Sesher

Facilitator

Samenua Sesher is a culture management consultant, a coach and the founder and creative director of Museum of Colour, exploring the creative journeys of British people of colour. As a cross-artform producer, Samenua has experience of delivering multi-million-pound programmes and has fed into national cultural policy; set up and run a local authority culture service and lectured. She was a 2008/09 Clore Fellow and was awarded an OBE for Services to the Arts in spring 2018 from the  New Year’s Honours List. Samenua is a People's Palace Project(PPP) Associate, member of the Advisory Board for The Art of Cultural Exchange and the is on the faculty for Oxford Cultural Leaders. Samenua is based in Folkestone’s Creative Quarter where she sits on Folkestone Creative’s Performing Arts sub-committee, is an advisor to the ground breaking Kent public arts company Strange Cargo and has been a guide for the Folkestone Triennial.

Hardish Virk

Facilitator

Hardish Virk

Facilitator

Hardish has thirty years’ experience in arts marketing and PR. He’s worked with dance, music, theatre, festivals, visual arts, cinema, museums and heritage organisations. In an audience development capacity, he has managed projects specifically aimed at developing Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic audiences whilst advising artists and cultural organisations (including Arts Council England; British Council; Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport; Danish Centre for Culture and Development) on race equality and diversity as well as consulting on policy and strategy. Hardish also facilitates training and workshops. In addition to this, he has written several articles on audience and organisational development for magazines including Arts Business and JAM (Arts Marketing Association). Hardish has also worked with voluntary organisations, health service providers and educational institutions in the area of community engagement, leading on delivery and acting as an advisor.

Claire Doherty

Programme Director

Claire Doherty

Programme Director

Claire Doherty is an artistic director and producer with a particular focus on developing more relevant and responsive arts organisations and programmes. Known for her artistic direction and thought leadership in public art producing as well as ambitious multi-artform cultural programming, Claire was the Founder Director of Situations (situations.org.uk) from 2002 - 2017. Through projects such as Theaster Gates’ Sanctum and Katie Paterson’s 100-year Future Library, Situations became known as one of the UK’s foremost producing companies in the public realm. As an Artistic Director and advisor to heritage organisations and cities internationally, Claire has been committed torewriting the rulebook for where, how and by whom the arts are produced and experienced. As the Director responsible for the stabilisation and rethinking behind Arnolfini’s recovery in 2017-2019, Claire has also developed a comprehensive skills base in organisational development, change leadership and executive leadership. She is currently Artistic Associate with Coventry City of Culture 2021 and an Associate with People Make It Work.

Shreela Ghosh

Facilitator

Shreela Ghosh

Facilitator

Having worked across the creative industries including Dance, Theatre, Film/TV, Visual Arts, Literature and Heritage, Shreela has more than 30 years of experience and a deal of insight. Shreela was the founding director of Freeword; she has led several companies and successfully delivered change management programmes for organisations like Iniva – Institute of International Visual Arts. Shreela has worked at a senior level within large organisations, such as Arts Council England (ACE) and the British Council – in 2011 she was the first Arts Director for South Asia (based in New Delhi). Shreela’s consultancy portfolio includes a range of arts organisations like Serious, New Art Exchange, Cheek by Jowl, and National Theatre Wales. Shreela has also been a freelance adviser to funders like ACE and Trusts and Foundations like the Amsterdam-based European Cultural Foundation. Recently, Shreela has been coaching BAME leaders on their Clore Leadership Programme journey. Shreela facilitated a three-day conference for the British Council’s Global Arts Leadership Team in Berlin (2017). She has also designed and facilitated a Transforming Leadership meeting for women in Arts leadership (2019). Shreela is a director of Culture in Flux a governor of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and a Board Member of Graeae Theatre Company. Instagram: @shreelaghosh

Annette Corbett

Facilitator

Annette Corbett

Facilitator

Annette is a producer, fundraiser and coach. What brings these areas together is her strategic skill and ability to deep listen. She left a career in the corporate sector to study for an MA in Arts Administration & Cultural Policy, and her early career included supporting the planning and delivery of the decibel Performing Arts Showcase, Arts Council England’s flagship diversity initiative. More recently, her work has included policy research (Goldsmiths College), fundraising (Battersea Arts Centre), and strategic development (Artistic Directors of the Future). Annette is a facilitator and qualified coach, with a focus on promoting wellbeing in leadership. Supporting others to realise their vision is a constant thread throughout her arts career. Her strengths lie in making connections, enabling conversations, and telling compelling stories to facilitate change. Annette is a co-chair of What Next? Lewisham, LTC MOBO Fellow 2020, and ISPA Fellow 2017-19. Twitter:@roughinform

Michele Taylor

Facilitator

Michele Taylor

Facilitator

Michèle is an independent Disability Equality trainer and consultant, who has been working with arts and heritage organisations for over 30 years. She is currently Director for Change at Ramps on the Moon, a consortium of 6 mainstream theatres on a change adventure to enrich the stories they tell and the way they tell them by elevating the place of disabled and D/deaf people across their organisations and work. Michèle a member of the Institute of Equality and Diversity Practitioners with skills and experience in facilitating groups, both room and Zoom. She brings her background as an accredited coach and a qualified psychotherapist to her training and conversations to build safe spaces for exploration and discovery. Michèle is a people make it work associate, and other clients have included the Royal Opera House, the British Museum, Wellcome Collection and Arts Council England. Michèle believes that a Disability Equality lens is an effective way into a change and development programme since it invites a deep focus on good practice and encourages a reflection on values. @_A4C_

Judith Knight

Facilitator

Judith Knight

Facilitator

Until last year Judith Knight was Artistic Director of Artsadmin, an organisation she founded in 1979, supporting and producing the work of contemporary artists of all disciplines nationally and internationally, while developing Artsadmin’s base Toynbee Studios as a centre for the creation of new work, with rehearsal spaces, free advisory service, bursary scheme, education programme, residencies, workshops and performances. Over the 40 years Judith produced numerous projects, many of them site-specific, in locations all over the world. She worked closely with the Imagine 2020 European Network producing artists’ projects about the climate emergency including Artsadmin’s Two Degrees festival, and initiated Season for Change in 2018, the full programme now planned to take place in 2021.  She now works as a freelance producer continuing to focus on the environment.  @judith_knight 

Gregory Nash

Facilitator

Gregory Nash

Facilitator

Gregory is a creative director, producer and programmer with more than 35 years’ experience in venues, festivals and cultural organisations in the UK and internationally. Until January 2020 he was creative director for the British Council in London and previously director arts for its Wider Europe region based in Istanbul. As director of the Point Eastleigh he led the team that built its residential on-site creation space and, as director of the Australian Dance Council (Ausdance) in Sydney, established the Critical Path performance research programme and space. He has also been producer for Northern Stage, associate producer at Brighton Festival and programme manager at Dance Umbrella. Before moving into arts management he was a dancer and choreographer, touring internationally and working in theatre and opera. Nash is a trustee of Eclipse Theatre, chair of the National Dance Network and an associate at people make it work. @gregorynash_

Sandeep Mahal

Facilitator

Sandeep Mahal

Facilitator

Passionate about empowering young people to build a better world with words, Sandeep is responsible for providing creative and strategic leadership and effective management of Nottingham’s UNESCO designation and charitable company. She drives the city’s vision where everyone is reading and writing their way to a better life. She is also Chair of the UNESCO Cities of Literature Network. Sandeep previously spent ten years in public libraries in Sandwell. She has many years of experience in the UK publishing environment, transforming the way UK publishers collaborated with the UK public library network. In 2013, Sandeep was seconded as a Clore Fellow to The Space – a commissioning agency supporting greater digital access to the arts, co-funded by Arts Council England and the BBC.  Sandeep is a trustee of Spread the Word and the Women’s Prize Trust. @readwithsandy

Zara Rush

Programme Producer

Zara Rush

Programme Producer

As a producer Zara puts the nuts and bolts of arts and cultural projects together ensuring everyone involved has what they need to thrive, flourish and learn along the way. She approaches her work from a creative start point with a deeply invested interest in what it is to be human and to lead with compassion and equanimity. Past producing work has seen her nurture projects from inception to completion for people make it work, Sadler’s Wells, MOVE IT 2018, Gulbenkian Foundations Enquiry into the Civic Role of Arts Organisations and Corali.

Richard Watts

Programme Sponsor

Richard Watts

Programme Sponsor

Richard Watts initiated the Culture Reset project and is CEO of people make it work. The organisation has been supporting cultural organisations and leaders to change and develop for the last 20 years and is made up of 55 cultural sector leaders who work as consultants, experts, coaches and facilitators. Richard is a trusted partner of cultural leaders across the UK, working across artform, scales, geographies and contexts, and is a trustee of Libraries Unlimited and Adinfinitum, parton of Intoart and gives 20% of his time pro bono to cultural organisations that contribute to cultural democracy and inclusion. people make it work has committed £20,000 to the Culture Reset project.  

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