By Ria Parry

As I move into my 5th year as Co-Director of The North Wall Arts Centre, and my 1st as Vice-Chair of ITC, I observe the shifts in leadership amongst my peers, and across the UK – and I find myself increasingly thoughtful about what it means, and what it takes, to lead an arts organisation. I’ve moved from a newbie in an executive senior leadership role, to managing an organisation (and a venue) through a pandemic, to thinking we’ve come through something major (- we have), to be met with different problems, unexpected twists and new challenges to overcome. And so I carry on, sometimes with a smile, sometimes with a struggle, always with hope.

Before I was appointed Co-Director of The North Wall I had worked as a freelance director and producer for organisations such as the Unicorn Theatre, Bush Theatre and the Young Vic. I’d had longer stints at Watford Palace as an Assistant Producer / Creative Producer, and the National Theatre as a Staff Director / Studio Resident Director. I’d run a small-scale company called Iron Shoes, which was essentially two of us making and touring new work to Edinburgh and around the UK with pride, passion and the uncertainty that comes with shoe-string budgets.

I believe in venues. Good ones at least. Buildings got a lot of flak during the pandemic but I still absolutely believe in the power and importance of a welcoming, public, creative space. It’s not just somewhere to put on shows; it’s a place for people to gather whether for art, conversation or a hot drink. An arts venue should be a place for everyone. I love our building most when it is full and buzzy – a youth group in the studio, local residents in the gallery, families arriving for a show in the theatre; team members hanging out upstairs making plans, an artist in for a meeting, FOH keeping an eye on everyone’s timings, enjoyment and safety. (Forever thanks to all FOH teams).

My role at The North Wall is a mix of Artistic Director and Executive Director; I have headline responsibility for everything – finance, administration, our annual programme of activity including public performances, participation, artist development etc. However, I am by no means a solo act and would have no interest in being one; I work with a brilliant staff team, a mix of part-time and full-time staff, including a Programme Manager, Participation Manager and several others. I believe in the necessity and benefits of leadership – the need to have someone who is ultimately responsible for the ups and downs, and the decisions and the direction that the organisation takes, particularly through the current waves of uncertainty within the sector. But I am nothing without a good team.

It takes a while to get to know the intricacies of an organisation: the staff members, the artists, the trustees, the systems, the stakeholders and – most importantly – the audiences and the community. There is often an expectation that a new AD or ED will hit the ground running and bring a new vision and energy with immediate impact. But knowledge and good relationships are key, and you can’t create those in an instant. It is of great benefit to have individuals with significant organisational memory, and equal benefit to have fresh energy and new viewpoints come in to the team. We need everyone to make it work.

I felt like a newbie to leadership when I was first appointed at The North Wall, but I know now that I utilised, and continue to utilise, every bit of the work and life experiences I had built up before taking on the role. From box office to FOH to project management, workshop leading, admin, facilitation, directing, producing… There’s nothing wasted from a varied freelance career when it then comes to running an arts organisation, with the million and one hats you have to wear on any given week.

And yet – still – there were certain specifics I had to learn on the job – reporting to a board, facilitating relations with stakeholders, managing a staff team – because up to that point I hadn’t needed to at that scale.

I had relevant experience and transferable skills of course. For example as a director and producer I was accustomed to managing teams, with that fine balance between collaboration and leadership. However, on a show, that leadership lasts for the duration of the prep and production period – sometimes weeks, sometimes months. But then you move on. Whereas the relationships an AD or ED manage are often long-term, and if something crashes, the ripples are felt across the whole organisation, not just one project.

Through our ArtsLab programme at The North Wall we provide a lot of formal and informal mentorship. It’s definitely something I wish I’d been able to access more when I was starting out. Not when I took over at The North Wall, and not even in the few years before – but in my 20s when I had the idea that at some point in my future I might like to run an arts organisation, or a venue, or both.

Trainee and Deputy Artistic Director / Executive Director roles within every organisation. Demystification of executive roles through whatever means possible. More formal and informal peer support for those new to leadership. Board shadowing programmes. Trustee training. Fundraising workshops that don’t cost a bomb. These are some of the things I would put in to place if I had the time and money to create an industry structure that truly supports the movement of great people in to leadership positions; a structure that also stops people from burning out just when their skills and confidence are at their peak.

There have been some excellent programmes, initiatives and people in the last few years who have led the way. Simelia Hodge-Dallaway’s board shadowing programme for Artistic Directors of the Future (which has recently announced it will be winding down after its stellar 10 years); Sue Emmas and RTYDS launching an 18-month Associate Artistic Director programme; the Royal Exchange’s previous creation of a 3-year Associate Artistic Director role; ITC itself runs a great number of invaluable courses, and recruits for new board members directly from within the membership – a perfect opportunity to learn about being a board member if you’ve never done it before.

But we need many more of these initiatives, created in a structured and strategised way – to make sure that those who are applying for, and ultimately taking on the roles are prepared and fully supported to do so.

Leadership means different things to different people, and the responsibilities can vary between specific roles and organisations. For a lot of people the jump feels too big – to apply for, or to take on a job that gives the impression of being intense, epic and vague all at the same time. So let’s prep people. Let’s support people to be the best they can be. Let’s demystify. Let’s open the doors. Let’s invest.