Leadership Diversity programme for the national arts companies of Wales: Research brief
The project
The eight national arts companies of Wales are committed to creating change in the arts and cultural sector in Wales. Driven by a strong desire to diversify those employed at a senior level within organisations, the companies wish to create fixed term, 12-18 month posts at a senior level within their own organisations, and potentially within other Welsh cultural organisations, which are reserved for:
- Individuals from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds
- Disabled or D/deaf people
- Individuals from a low-income background
We are seeking someone to help us develop the programme, drawing on principles of co-design, and undertaking wide consultation and ensuring that a range of people’s voices and experiences are taken into account.
The kinds of positions the National Companies are interested in creating are task and finish roles which can make positive change for the longterm within their organisations, aligned with organisational activity or operational elements with a focus on representation, equality, and equity. For example, the roles could be as follows:
• Head of Creative Development
• Business and Commerce Leadership
• Senior Digital Producer
• Strategy Development Manager.
The posts will include a significant programme of professional development and mentoring, both collective and individually tailored.
In establishing this programme, the National Companies wish to ensure:
• Co-design with people representative of the groups from which we seek to recruit
• Learning from Weston Jerwood Creative Bursary programme, and from ACE Changemakers programme (the latter was exclusively for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, and D/deaf and disabled leaders), and learning from the Inclusive Boards Programme
• Each post would last for at least one year at a senior level within organisations, and would be part of senior leadership teams, with regular board attendance. Organisations may assess the potential for an extension of contract on an individual basis where necessary
• Training and research funds, with opportunities for the cohort to exchange learning and reflection
• Coaching and job support available and funded
• Explore funding opportunities to further the value of the programme
• The importance of giving equal status to the Welsh language in all recruitment and identification of positions and postholders.
The freelancer who co-develops this should be from the target client characteristics re: lived experience/positive action (African Diaspora people; South, East, and South East Asian diaspora people; Middle East and North African people, and ethnically diverse people; d/Deaf or disabled and/or low-income) with relevant knowledge and experience to undertake research and action planning to create a ‘roadmap’ for this programme, including the following tasks:
• Wide consultation and co-design with relevant groups and individuals in Wales with knowledge and experience useful to the programme
• Research similar programmes as identified above, and ensure that this programme takes into account the learning and experience of both the organisations who delivered these programmes, and those who took part
• Scoping the placements, informed by co-design and consultation – identifying the positions/areas of expertise that candidates would be engaged for
• Create candidate profiles or broad person specification for the roles that National Companies wish to recruit
• Create milestone plan for fundraising, recruitment and delivery of placements
• Create a case for support for a single overarching fundraising campaign, identifying potential funders, factoring in the funds that National Companies can commit from their existing budgets
• Design a programme of professional development for the cohort of post-holders, delivered jointly timetable permitting
• Design a recruitment plan
• Create a budget for the programme
• Design a Steering Group terms of reference for the programme
Context
The eight national arts companies of Wales seek to support and advocate on behalf of the arts in Wales and appreciate the fundamental value of the network of individual artists, community ventures, venues, production companies and festivals of the nation. We recognise that we must play a part in contributing to the profile and awareness of contemporary Welsh culture, helping shine a light on the diversity of work made and presented, and enriching perceptions of our nation’s cultural offer.
The Collective is currently developing strategies around the following three key objectives, to develop:
• Diverse and inclusive audiences
• Sector skills and opportunities
• Wales’ cultural brand (both nationally and internationally)
The eight organisations are comprised of those designated as national companies by the Arts Council of Wales, and in receipt of revenue Arts Council funding. They are as follows:
BBC National Orchestra & Chorus of Wales
Ffilm Cymru Wales
Literature Wales
National Dance Company Wales
National Theatre Wales
Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
Wales Millennium Centre
Welsh National Opera.
Whilst each company follows their own Strategic Equality Plans designed to drive change internally at both organisational and activity levels, we share a collective mission to engage with new voices, with people and groups who haven’t traditionally been heard in the cultural sector. We aim to ensure that more under-represented individuals can share their experiences, perspectives and ideas on a senior level to contribute to both artistic and operational elements our organisations. As a collective of companies with a national remit, we commit to creating long-term change for Wales’ arts and cultural sector.
Making Proposals
We are seeking proposals from people with relevant experience who have lived experience from currently under-represented groups.
To apply tender for this project, you should identify with one of the following characteristics:
- Individual from a African Diaspora, South, East, and South East Asian diaspora, Middle East and North Africa or other ethnically diverse background
- Disabled or D/deaf people
- Individual from a low-income background.
To make a proposal please send a CV and a document describing your approach to this project, and likely costs by 26 March 2021 to:
Paul Kaynes, Chief Executive, National Dance Company Wales at paul@ndcwales.co.uk.
If you’d like an informal conversation in advance of making a proposal, you can contact Paul or one of the other National Company representatives involved in the programme:
Della Rose-Hill, Literature Wales della@literaturewales.org
Angharad Leefe, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru (for communication in Welsh and English) Angharad.Leefe@theatr.com
Proposals will be reviewed by the National Companies. We may wish to have an informal discussion about your proposal in order to arrive at a final decision.
Budget
The Companies have allocated a budget of £7,000 for this work, to include any out-of-pocket expenses.
Delivery
We expect work to commence in April 2021 and to be complete by the end of June 2021.