The Health & Wellbeing agenda is a vital point of discussion in 2023, sitting at the top for many in the cultural sector. No surprise, when we are seeing record numbers of adults in the UK experiencing moderate to severe depressive symptoms, with prevalence particularly high in those aged below 30, unpaid caring responsibilities and those with lived experience of disability.
As we tackle the cost of living crisis whilst continuing to navigate the impacts of the Covid pandemic, organisations have rightly focused on addressing the needs of their staff and freelancers. It is heartening to see many compassionate interventions, but support also comes at a financial cost, putting strain on limited resources and, indeed, an emotional burden on our cultural leaders.
What is the role, therefore, for boards in promoting and supporting wellbeing? How do they go about balancing the pressures of fiscal responsibility with ensuring a healthy and resilient workforce? And where should the line be drawn between individual aid and organisational responsibility?
This webinar will explore the ways in which trustees can engage with the health & wellbeing agenda. We will be discussing how boards can navigate the pressures of decision-making connected to workforce support whilst also facing tough financial and operational challenges. We have convened a panel representing a broad range of perspectives from across the sector – bringing current examples of how organisations and their boards are confronting burnout, a rise in mental health problems and the pressure to deliver ever more activity and output with dwindling resources.
Euella Jackson (Co-Director of Rising Arts Agency in Bristol) chairs the session and is joined by:
• Sarah Weir (Clore Leadership Board member, former CEO of the Design Council)
• Diana Spiegelberg (Deputy Director, Somerset House)
• Sophie Wallis (Executive Producer, New Diorama Theatre)
• Stephen Lightbown (Poet, Yoga Teacher and Disability Rights Champion)
If you have any questions for our speakers in advance of this webinar, please send them to cga@cloreleadership.org
Related Content
Read Clore Leadership's Executive Dierctor, Hilary Carty's recent piece on 'Leading Culture in Our Time', published in Arts Professional on 1 Feb 2023
Read Maria Turley, Senior Manager for Children and Young People at Arts Council England's piece, 'Seeking Advice from the Sector' , where she reflects on the importance of network and community in maintaining wellbeing
Find more resources on Clore Leadership's 'Support your mental wellbeing: tools and resources for cultural leaders' webpage