The 1st Priority of an Artistic Director
This November, I’m launching a programme of Coaching and Training that guides aspiring Artistic Directors through everything they need to know from the moment they apply to the end of their first yet in the job, built around 7 priorities. I’ll be posting about one priority each day this week to give you a flavour of what we’ll cover in the Programme. Today is Priority 1 - Preparation.
From the moment you decide to apply for a job as an Artistic Director you need to be preparing as though you’re going to get it. Because you might. And then you’ve got to be ready to do it.
I’m taking for granted that you already have an artistic vision for the organisation as well as clearly articulated principles and values you’d bring to the culture. These are the ‘known knowns’ and they need to be as authentic to you as your Directing work is.
The ‘known unknowns’ will depend on the organisation but may include the financial situation, relationships with funders, staffing structure and personnel or ongoing challenges around audiences.
But to truly be ready for the job of Artistic Director, you need to prepare for the ‘unknown unknowns’. To do that, you will need to get under the bonnet of the organisation you want to run by learning how to do these three things:
Get perspective: your eyes will never see more clearly than when you are first in post. Free of preconceptions and subjectivity, you can see the bigger picture and notice what needs your attention and in what order. Take the time to hear perspectives, understand context, anticipate challenges and appraise risks. If you can harness this agile viewpoint throughout your tenure, you’ll always be able to marry the micro with the macro and keep your eyes on the horizon.
Ask the right questions: being proactive during your recruitment process and induction not only demonstrates initiative, but will help you be sure you know what’s under the bonnet before you sign up. Asking key questions about funding relationships, board status, senior staff and artistic commitments is the difference between a head start and a false one.
De-code Documentation: as a Director perhaps more used to scripts and model boxes than financial templates and business models, it can be intimidating when you are first presented with documentation like Management Accounts, Budgets and Strategic Plans. Understanding the story your organisation’s key documentation is telling is essential to taking ownership of its future direction.
If you’d like to learn how to hone these three key Preparation skills and more, Sign Up now to my upcoming 7 Priorities Programme for Aspiring Artistic Directors. Tomorrow, Priority 2: Purpose.
