Arts centres as creative enterprises
In early 2024, a small group of FAC members met six times to interrogate the current picture and identify future activities that might be useful for the wider FAC network.
Activity included a combination of workshops and provocations from external speakers including Steve Chalke founder of the Oasis Trust, Rachel Green from Nesta, Dominic Campbell from Impossible Ideas and Mike Harris, founder of 89UP. Members can access some of the slides from these speakers in our Resources (password protected).
Conversations and outcomes were wide-ranging, and included:
- Business and asset model analyses of a ‘typical arts centre’ which contributed to FAC’s Sector Insight Report,
- Establishing new, practical workshops delivered in partnership with Achates, and a new action research group designed to strengthen individual giving initiatives,
- Peer-learning and planned workshops for all FAC network to increase awareness, understanding and access to creative tax reliefs.
What would you do?
Starting in December 2024, we launched a new series of online talks for all FAC members, where we are inviting guests from beyond the sector to consider ‘if you were running an arts centre, what would you do?’
Building on the thinking from the previous action research group, we hope that these speakers will inspire members to develop the assets, relationships and opportunities of our art centre in fresh ways.
Confirmed speakers include Louise Stewart (CEO of Chester Race Company) and Andy Haldane (CEO of the RSA), with more to be announced for 2025.
Upcoming sessions
Andy Haldane
Andy is the Chief Executive of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA). He was formerly Chief Economist at the Bank of England and a member of the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee. He was the Permanent Secretary for Levelling Up at the Cabinet Office from September 2021 to March 2022. Andrew is Founder and President of the charity Pro Bono Economics, Vice-Chair of the charity National Numeracy and Chair of the National Numeracy Leadership Council. Andy chairs the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre’s Industrial Board. He is contributing editor at the Financial Times and Chief Economic Advisor at PwC. Among other positions, he is Honorary Professor at the Universities of Nottingham, Manchester and Exeter, Visiting Professor at King’s College, London and a Fellow of the Royal Society and the Academy of Social Sciences.
Andy is joining us 8.30am on Thursday 5 December 2024.
Previous sessions
Louise Stewart
Louise is an experienced CEO in the culture, tourism, events and leisure sector. She became CEO of Chester Race Company in March 2022 responsible for leading the company, which operates Chester, Bangor-on-Dee and Musselburgh racecourses as well as a hotel, city centre bar, and significant catering and gaming divisions.
Previously CEO of Alexandra Palace, one of the country’s largest independent event venues, she oversaw the successful delivery of a £30m restoration programme, the growth of own brand events, increased revenues and significant improvements in visitor experience, organisational culture and reputation.
Louise is joined us 8.30am on Thursday 5 December 2024.