Our work | Arts organisations
Building the capability of arts organisations
Creative New Zealand has been offering workshops on governance and management during October and November 2007 to help build the capability of arts organisations in New Zealand.
A series of one-day governance workshops, led by Graeme Nahkies of BoardWorks International and the author of Creative New Zealand's publication Getting On Board, have been held in Whangarei, Auckland, Christchurch, Nelson, Hawke's Bay, Wellington and Hamilton.
Three workshop seminars on management, presented by Les Armstrong of the Business Education Company, were held in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland in October and early November.
Brent Thawley, Manager of Arts Infrastructure Services, says the Creative New Zealand has been offering capability-building workshops to its recurrently funded organisations since 2000.
Extending the workshops
"This year, for the first time, we extended the workshops to include arts companies based in regions throughout New Zealand. This recognises the important infrastructure role that these organisations play in supporting New Zealand's artistic landscape."
The governance workshop provides board members with the opportunity to network and explore their governance role with those in similar roles in other organisations. It also highlights opportunities to provide more effective leadership. Topics discussed include barriers to effective leadership, improved linking of governance and management, strategic direction and risk management.
In the introduction to Getting On Board, Nahkies writes: "The leadership of arts organisations in New Zealand - as in many parts of the world - is not getting any easier. As arts practitioners improve their ‘performance', there is more pressure on those involved in the governance and management behind the scenes to lift their game as well."
Presenter of the management workshop seminars, Les Armstrong owns and operates three businesses. He has also published three business textbooks and developed an accounting software package, which is used internationally.
He believes that the principles of good business are timeless, few and straightforward. The one-day management workshop, therefore, provided an overview of:
• measuring (accounting) and associated principles
• marketing and associated principles
• managing and associated principles.
Feedback provided after both sets of workshops shows a high level of satisfaction among participants.
