Powerbrokers (BAME Leadership)

Diversity is promoted and facilitated in all aspects of the Cultural Leadership Programme activities and reflected in its Board, Programme Partners and Team as well as its advocacy and programming. In addition, acknowledging the significant absence of managers from BAME backgrounds employed in leading, decision-making positions in creative and cultural institutions across the UK, the Powerbrokers priority is designed to tackle this under-representation by equipping BAME cultural leaders with the skills and attributes for success, raising the profile of existing BAME leaders to strengthen the visibility of role models and tackling issues of sustainability, progression and renewal for mid-career leaders.

Priority investments include a new series of Leadership Development Days from Spring 09; continued support for the Powerbrokers International Leadership Placements taking place in Singapore and China; a new series of Leadership Pathways activities including Action Learning and strategic skills development; and the publication of the BAME leadership baseline study commissioned from the Change Institute (to be published in January 09).

In February 08 the CLP worked with the Mayor’s Commission on African and Asian Heritage (MCAAH) to produce Heritage Legacy and Leadership and international symposium attended by over 250 participants at London’s City Hall. With contributions from a line-up of distinguished internatonal speakers, the symposium created a thought leadership platform with the strategic objective of stimulating, championing and recognising the role and impact of diverse cultural voices on the British heritage landscape. The report from the Symposium will be published early in the New Year alongside the lauch of a small series of follow-on seminars drawing out the key themes from the conference and developing strategies and actions to move from debate to development.

The CLP will continue to prioritise diversity and diverse routes to leadership development, ensuring that the broadest access is enabled and that leaders from diverse backgrounds are well supported through the leadership journey.