Young people are already shaping cultural organisations, influencing programmes and leading change in their communities. However, too often they are viewed as participants, not leaders - a situation which greatly undervalues their contribution.
If we do not actively connect the different layers of leadership - established, emerging, and youth-led - the sector will simply reproduce historic inequities, which will in turn damage its future growth and viability.
This event, led by members of Hackney Empire's Taking the Lead Collective, brings together young, intermediate, and ‘veteran’ leaders from across the sector for a morning of networking, creative thinking and collaborative action-planning.
Participants will:
- Identify the key opportunities, barriers and challenges facing young cultural educators
- Work collaboratively to generate practical solutions and actions for the sector
- Find allies, mentors and champions who can support their development
- Co-create a collective call to action for organisations, funders and sector leaders
- Contribute to the foundations of a network of young cultural educators and allies
- Leave with new connections and a shared commitment to championing the next generation of cultural education leaders
This event is for:
- Young people interested in arts, culture, creativity and education
- Emerging cultural educators and practitioners
- Arts, heritage and cultural sector professionals
- Organisational leaders, managers and decision-makers
This event is designed and facilitated by...
From Hackney Empire’s Taking the Lead Youth Collective:
Hannah
Hannah is a set, costume and video designer for theatre and live performance. She enjoys working in youth and community oriented spaces and wants to increase access to design as an art form.
Maameserwaa
Maameserwaa is an emerging creative with a passion for cultural education, live events, and supporting the next generation of artists and creative leaders. She is committed to creating inclusive opportunities that empower young people through the arts.
Rowan Kiffin-Murray
Rowan is a spoken word poet and writing facilitator from East London. He loves helping people find the power of their voice and cultivating playful environments where everyone can be creative without fear of judgment. He encourages others to play with language, try new things, and gain confidence by writing and sharing their work..
Tyler
Tyler Reuben is an emerging theatre director based in South London. His work utilises imaginative and re-inventive approaches to inspire empathy, connection and action
John Riches
John began working in community arts in the early 1990s. Subsequently, he has worked for numerous national and regional organisations, and he is currently Director of QueenSpark Books in Brighton. He has worked for A New Direction in various capacities since 2008.
Lorna McGinty
Lorna is Head of Learning and Participation at Hackney Empire. She has extensive experience in creating, delivering and managing projects designed to facilitate democratic access to arts practice, employ creativity as a pedagogic tool, and support artist development. Lorna has previously held roles at the Young Vic, National Theatre and Barbican.
Timings & Refreshments
Tea & coffee at 10 am for a prompt start at 10.30am
Lunch will be provided
About this series
This free event is part of Leading with Purpose: Cultural Education in Practice, a series of publications, conversations and events exploring the future of leadership in cultural education. The series creates space to reflect on, discuss and reimagine leadership, drawing on the ideas, experiences and insights of today’s leaders. We hope it sparks reflection, conversation and action.
