Governance Now is an annual flagship conference presented by Clore Leadership and the Cultural Governance Alliance (CGA) which explores the critical issues in cultural governance.
Governance Now is an opportunity for trustees and senior leaders to listen to the leading thinkers, policy makers and funders in the cultural sector and to practically engage in making change to the governance of their organisations.
Previous conferences
Governance Now 2025: Power!
Governance Now 2025:Power! took place at Shoreditch Town hall on Tuesday 4th November during Trustees Week. Power shapes culture – and culture shapes power. Governance Now 2025 navigated the interplay of power across culture, policy and practice in the context of a complex political landscape and challenging funding environment.
Ahead of the conference producer Rowena Price spoke to Yasmin, Arts Council England’s director of individual practitioners and London and one of the panellists, about the critical role of freelancers and artists in the boardroom. Read more here: Governance Now: An Interview with Yasmin Khan.
Communications Manager, Rebecca Usher, reflected on the conference and the power of conversation to connect and imagine new possibilities. You can read her thoughts here: The Power of Conversation.
Governance Now 2024: Imagine it Different
How can boards find bold, imaginative ways to navigate the sector through uncertain and perilous times?
Governance Now – the flagship conference exploring cultural governance, presented by Clore Leadership on behalf of the Cultural Governance Alliance (CGA) – took place on Wednesday 6 November 2024.
Governance Now was held during Trustees Week (4-8 November 2024) at Senate House in central London, where we welcomed Chairs, Trustees, CEOs and key governance decision-makers from the cultural sector.
With an industry-leading lineup of speakers from culture, technology, and local government, we investigated ways in which bold, courageous governance might support different models for working, and help move us beyond the status quo.
Read more from Conference Producer Rowena Price who reflects on the collective efforts of attendees to explore bold, innovative approaches for navigating the challenges facing the arts and culture sector today: Governance: How can boards navigate perilous times?
Governance Now 2022/23
The 5th edition of the Governance Now conference (which took place at the Midlands Arts Centre in February 2023) explored place-making and civic agendas in the cultural sector and the vital support required from boards and trustees. The need for cultural organisations to respond to topical debates, social issues and local needs has never been more urgent, with those involved with governance at the heart of the response. From the cost of living crisis to the ongoing impact of Covid, and with political pressure for the cultural sector to work harder at reaching broader communities, the pressure on boards has never been greater.
