Decoding Cultural Leadership
Decoding Cultural Leadership is a podcast that explores the intersection between the arts, culture and society and interrogates what it means to be a cultural leader in the 21st century.
In each episode, host Samuel Cairnduff talks with some of the most influential organisational leaders, creators, policy-makers and thought leaders, building an understanding of their approach to shifting the dial in a complex, constantly changing world.
By talking to influential leaders whose voices resonate in the community, Decoding Cultural Leadership seeks to gain a deeper perspective on how cultural organisations see their role in the community, how they make hard decisions, and how they address the needs of multiple stakeholders.
Culture and society are deeply connected. Decoding Cultural Leadership explores this complex relationship through deep conversation with our greatest cultural leaders. Join us as we decode cultural leadership.
Decoding Cultural Leadership.
Culture. Society. Conversations
Decoding Cultural Leadership
Episode 7. Claire Spencer and Ali Mirza: Cultural Transformation at the Barbican
Claire Spencer AM left her role at Arts Centre Melbourne in 2022 to become the first-ever CEO of the world-renowned Barbican Centre. Claire joined us from London along with Ali Mirza, the Barbican’s Chief People Officer, who found his natural home in the arts after experience in senior roles in other industries.
The Barbican is going through a massive cultural transformation, addressing some embedded issues, and Claire and Ali generously shared their bold agenda and strategies for change. The Barbican is an institution like no other - firmly planted in London’s Square Mile and a monument to Britain’s postwar culture- but how does it engage new audiences and respond to its environment's diverse and unique makeup? Claire and Ali share their innovative approach to creating an organisation that is vibrant, inviting and vital to its community.
Claire also reflects on her time at Arts Centre Melbourne, and the ongoing impact of the Arts Wellbeing Collective, a ground-breaking initiative for artists that she championed.
Trigger warning: the topic of suicide is raised in this episode.
Links:
The Barbican Centre
Arts Centre Melbourne
https://www.artscentremelbourne.com.au/
The Arts Wellbeing Collective
https://artswellbeingcollective.com.au
Connect with Decoding Cultural Leadership on social media
Instagram, Threads, X/Twitter:
@DCLPod
samuelcairnduff.com
@samuelcairnduff
Read Sam's Substack here.
Presenter and research: Sam Cairnduff
Creative Director: Niloofar Pashmforoosh
Presented in association with Limelight
Decoding Cultural Leadership |
Culture. Society. Conversations