The Transform national conference took place in person in May 2024, bringing together key leaders from the creative, community, and funding sectors. Focused on Global Majority leadership within cultural institutions and the publicly funded ecosystem, the conference explored leadership, curatorial practice, and neighbourhood engagement. Its aim was to create a space for reflection, observation, and forward thinking.
For those unfamiliar with the widespread challenges faced by Global Majority leaders, here’s the crux: despite the Race Relations Act of 1965 and the broader Equalities Act of 2010, it is widely accepted that the colour of one’s skin remains the biggest discriminatory factor for leaders. While not everyone agrees, most do – especially Global Majority leaders operating within socially responsible, collaborative, inclusive, and values-driven leadership models.
Each session can be watched in full on the NAE website, but this blog post summarises the key points and several observations that stood out across each session:
All sessions were co-hosted by Saad Eddine Said, Director and CEO of NAE and Sukhy Johal, Director of the Centre for Culture & Creativity, University of Lincoln.
Session 1: Transforming Leadership: How To Empower And Support Institutional Leadership From The Global Ethnic Majority?
Speakers: Amanda Parker, Director of Policy, Research & Communications at Forward Institute; Hilary Carty, Director of the Clore Leadership Programme Chaired by Gilane Tawadros, Director of the Whitechapel Gallery.
- The Role and Limits of Policy: Policies like the Race Relations Act (1965) and the Equalities Act (2010) set a baseline for addressing discrimination, but they don’t go far enough. There must be a deeper motivation to push beyond minimum standards. Governance reform, including rethinking outdated structures like those of the Charities Commission, is essential.
- The Importance of Diversity of Thought: True diversity of thought isn’t just a moral or business imperative – it’s about staying relevant in a globalised world. Without it, organisations risk, in Amanda Parker’s words, becoming ‘stultified and frozen in time’, which could lead to the UK losing its edge on the global stage. Saad Eddine Said expanded on this saying: ‘It’s not just a value based decision, it’s also a vitality for an industry that has ambition to not become global, but stay global and stay globally relevant … and if it continues to silence those voices, it will … become irrelevant, and it will happen very, very quickly.’
- The Challenges of Global Majority Leadership: Global Majority leaders often face heightened scrutiny, fewer resources, and systemic discrimination. As Amanda aptly described it , global majority leaders are like the Ginger Rogers of the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers duo. “I really like Ginger Rogers’ quote when she was asked about dancing with Fred Astaire…she said I did everything that he did, but backwards in high heels.” Amanda goes on to explain – Global Majority leaders do everything that their white counterparts do but with the added challenges (much like Ginger, often not acknowledged or seen).
- Citizen Assembly as a Game-Changer: NAE’s innovative leadership model, which gives its citizen assembly equal power alongside trustees and executives, was highlighted as a groundbreaking example. This third pillar of leadership offers both support and insights, fostering more democratic and resilient governance structures.
- Windows of Opportunity: Hilary Carty stressed the importance of acting quickly when opportunities arise – when societal conditions allow for significant change of progress:
’You have windows of opportunity, and those windows open, and you have to be aware that they will shut, and they will shut very firmly.’
George Floyd’s death in 2020 was one such moment. As history shows, such moments can close just as fast, leaving progress unfinished and triggering backlash.
- The Social Value of Culture: Gilane Tawadros highlighted that the cultural sector is in crisis, facing financial, social, political, and environmental challenges, with the stakes higher than ever. The social value of culture was made even clearer during the pandemic, and its ability to address current social and political issues has never been more apparent. Spaces for sanctuary, dreaming, and imagining are more crucial than ever. In this context, the conversation about empowering institutional leadership from the global ethnic majority is vital, with high stakes but even higher opportunities.
- Multi-Pronged Approaches to Change: Addressing structural inequities requires action across multiple fronts – policy, governance, funding, and community engagement. Initiatives like Kevin Osborne’s Create Equity fund and emerging Black-led funds provide alternative paths for equity in the arts.
- Social Equity as Political: Unlike climate action or disability rights, equity around ethnicity is often politicised, making it more vulnerable to being misused or sidelined. This highlights the need for leadership rooted in social change values, prioritising collaboration, inclusivity, and systemic reform.
Session 2: Transforming Curatorial Practice: How To Create Spaces and Institutions for Underrepresented Narratives?
Speakers: Sajida Carr, Director of Operations and Development, Creative Black Country; Sandeep Mahal, Executive Advisor, Royal Shakespeare Company; Saziso Phiri, Associate Artistic Director, NAE. Chaired by Jenny Williams, CEO/Creative Director for Revolution Arts
- A Diverse Ecology: Jenny Williams opened by highlighting that the panel itself represents a diverse ecology within the arts sector, which is significant progress compared to 30 years ago. Having institutional, national, and community leaders in the same conversation shows how far we’ve come.
- Power and Decision-Making: A major focus was on how power operates in the arts sector today and where decisions are being made. The discussion emphasised moving towards co-creation and shared decision-making. Instead of thinking about ‘giving up’ power, it’s about recognising that everyone has an equal role to play in creating meaningful change.
- Co-Creation and Relevance: Involving communities deeply in decision-making not only fosters ownership but also drives systemic change. Sajida Carr drew from her experience to discuss how larger organisations are starting to learn from community-centred models like Creative People and Places (CPP). Curatorial practices that centre communities are influencing senior administrative structures, demonstrating the benefits of embedding co-creation more broadly.
- The Importance of Advocates: Sandeep Mahal stressed that to drive systemic change, you need advocates within organisations – people who champion these models and help embed new ways of working. Advocacy is essential for sustaining progress.
- Opportunities and Understanding: There’s power in giving others opportunities. Saziso Phiri, highlighted that when she was entrusted with power, she felt a responsibility to share it. Often, the people best suited to lead or contribute are already within organisations but might lack the title or opportunity. Recognising this and supporting them can lead to incredible growth.
- Challenges for Diverse Leaders: The expectations placed on diverse leaders are often higher, which can be exhausting. Support mechanisms like action learning sets can help unpack these challenges. There’s also a need to create spaces where diverse leaders and artists can flourish, experiment, and feel supported – both creatively and financially.
- Long-Term Relationships and Risk-Taking: Building long-term relationships with artists and organisations is crucial, as is creating room for experimentation. Organisations need to be okay with things not always going to plan while ensuring artists are paid fairly and supported. Small organisations and engagement teams, despite limited resources, often have invaluable insights that can help shift the power dynamics between organisations and artists or communities. They should both have a seat at the decision making table and be recognised for the innovation they bring.
Transforming Neighbourhoods: How To Allow Space For Diverse Communities To Reshape Institutions And Neighbourhoods?
Speakers: Luís Jerónimo, Director of the Sustainability and Equity Programme, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation; Sara Wajid, co-CEO of Birmingham Museums Trust; Kully Thiarai, Creative Director and CEO of Leeds 2023. Chaired by Suzanne Alleyne, Founder of Alleyne&, a research incubator, consultancy and artist.
- Citizen Assemblies and Mandating Community Power: Sara Wajid shared the model of a citizens’ jury at Birmingham Museums Trust, which was established to give the community a mandate and genuine power in shaping the organisation’s future. Recognising the need for broad, impactful initiatives within limited time and resources, Sara implemented a citizens’ jury as a lever for large-scale change. The process demonstrated the importance of embedding neighbourhoods and community voices in institutional decision-making.
- Leadership in Community Work: Kully Thiarai stressed the importance of shielding communities and collaborators from challenges, even if it means leaders take the brunt of criticism. Community work often involves navigating tensions and politics, but effective leadership is built on trust and the ability to take responsibility. Change cannot happen in isolation; leaders need allies and collaborative relationships to drive progress.
- Funders as Partners, Not Power Holders: Luís Jerónimo advocated for a shift in how funders work with grantees, moving away from power dynamics towards genuine partnerships based on flexibility and trust. Embedding citizens in decision-making helps ensure that arts and culture remain relevant to wider communities. Leaders should rely on their integrity and emotional instincts to navigate the challenges of socially engaged work.
- Challenges for Global Majority Leaders: Global majority leaders must resist being pitted against one another and focus on creating systemic change together. Diverse leaders often face unique pressures but can use collaborative approaches to build inclusive and effective models for change.
- Structural Change for Systemic Impact: Citizen assemblies challenge traditional power structures, giving communities real influence in decision-making. Institutions must reimagine their spaces and practices to enable artists, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, to flourish. Long-term relationships with artists and properly resourced opportunities for experimentation are essential for meaningful engagement.
About the author
Suzanne is the founder and CEO of Alleyne&, a cultural consultancy and research incubator, their work centres on leadership, power, and societal issues. An inaugural Arts Council England Changemaker and Churchill Fellow, she is a director of What Next? and trustee of artist Bobby Baker’s organisation Daily Life Limited. With an MA in Arts & Cultural Management from King’s College, London, she is now a guest lecturer.
Her innovative project, Neurology of Power™, explores the dynamics of power in the brain and body, and guides Alleyne&’s practices. With 30 years of experience, her client list has included Barclaycard, Wellcome Trust, BFI and Humboldt Forum. You can find out more about Alleyne& at www.alleyneand.com, www.allaboutpower.org LinkedIn @alleyne&, instagram @alleyneand
