A vital change leadership programme
Leading Systemic Change, is a vital change leadership programme commissioned as a direct response to the volatile circumstances and challenges of leading cultural organisations today.
Cultural leaders today face the acute challenge of navigating an increasingly complex and uncertain world. Fluctuating expectations, sectoral fatigue and relentless demands on creativity, resources, people and time, place significant constraints on decision-making and critical thinking. Yet the need for clear leadership in orchestrating change remains critical.
Support to manage change and build the resilience of our most able cultural leaders has never been needed more urgently. This course speaks to the deep requirement across the cultural sector that we invest in and care for our leaders so that our cultural organisations thrive.
Dr Maria Balshaw CBE, Director of Tate
Programme Details
Who is the programme for:
Leading Systemic Change is for senior/experienced leaders of large/mid-scale cultural organisations, who are seeking to steer change within their organisations and teams against the backdrop of constant change and sectoral uncertainty.
Senior leaders face the imperative of envisioning an inspiring future, building effective teams, creating positive working cultures and navigating credible ways forward – amidst critical uncertainties and ever narrowing options. This programme will enable leaders to build their capacity to face into adaptive challenges and offer key learning, tools and perspectives to reduce the overwhelm of the current environment.
Leaders will be required to bring a live change challenge they are engaged with/about to start, and to which they can apply the programme concepts and their learning.
We particularly encourage leaders in pairings from organisations, who can work together to attend Leading Systemic Change and on the application of learning from the programme. This builds in-house partners to accelerate and embed the learning throughout and beyond the programme.
Leading Systemic Change is led by highly respected and experienced leaders Vyla L. Rollins, Strategic Organisational Effectiveness Practitioner and Executive Coach; and Katherine Long, consultant.
The programme is open to applicants in the UK and more widely.
In Person Delivery Dates
- Thursday 12 – Friday 13 February 2026, Ashorne Hill, Leamington Spa
- Monday 27 – Wednesday 29 April 2026, Ashorne Hill, Leamington Spa
- Friday 24 July 2026, Wallacespace Clerkenwell, London
- Friday 22 January 2027, Wallacespace Clerkenwell, London
What will I take away?
We will provide a secure framework to build and apply the change concepts presented, and offer multiple opportunities to practice their application.
Participants will become:
- More confident and skilled to engage with change as part and parcel of leading their organisations
- More empowered to choose and operationalise approaches confidently, and with agility
- Part of an inspiring and resourceful peer network with a collective understanding, creative empathy and practical support borne of shared experiences.
Programme Fees
- £5000 + VAT per person
- £6500 + VAT for 2 persons from the same organisation working collectively
- Subsidised place: £3125 + VAT per person
- Subsidised place: £5000 + VAT for 2 persons from the same organisation working collectively
Included in your Programme fees:
- The cost of the residential programmes including tuition and all course materials.
- Accommodation, meals and refreshments for the duration of the residential courses. Travel is not included.
- Two coaching sessions with your organisational partner.
- TalentSage Personality Profiling
- Access support for the needs of D/deaf, disabled or neurodivergent attendees or those with caring responsibilities.
- Central support from the Clore Leadership team
How to join
Applications are now closed for this programme.
It should take around 15-20 minutes to complete the programme form, depending on whether you choose to write or record your responses. We’ve kept it short and reflective, with just three questions to help us understand your leadership focus and ambitions
Q1. Please describe the key challenge(s) being faced in your organisation. (200 words max or 2 min recording)
Q2. On what aspect(s) of that challenge would it be beneficial to focus, applying the concepts of change leadership? This will form the basis of the live change challenge you bring to the programme. (200 words max or 2 min recording)
Q3. What do you foresee as the benefit to you as a leader from taking part in the programme? (200 words/ approx. 2 mins recording)
We are keen to hear about your personal leadership development.
You can find more information, including a list of application questions in our Guide.
Access
If you would like to answer the programme questions in an alternative format (E.g. audio or video), you can do so in the applications portal. If you need support email [email protected] leave us a message and we will get back to you.
Supporting your access on the programme
We will discuss any support you might need with you before you start the residential to make sure we can make adjustments or put the additional support you need in place. We have worked with many D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent leaders previously. The support you need is individual to you, but the kinds of things we have put in place before includes;
- Providing a notetaker throughout the residentials
- Support for a Personal Assistant to attend with you
- Captioning of online sessions
- Supporting the costs of BSL interpreters
- Providing written materials in different formats
Support for those with caring responsibilities
To help support those with caring responsibilities we provide Carers Access Support which can support costs of up to £75 per day towards additional childcare or other caring related costs during residentials/workshops and during your residential.
Our venues
Our residential locations have undergone an access audit which we are able to provide should you wish. The training spaces are ground level, with accessible toilets located nearby. Accessible accommodation is available, and we will ask you about your specific accommodation needs prior to the course.
