Arts Managers and a Regenerative Mindset

Abstract

The issue of sustainable development is a complex one for arts managers, and although there is increasing good practice in the area, it is argued that sustainability and net zero is not enough. Some argue that a new paradigm is required to move beyond sustainability and aim instead for net positive, regenerative outcomes (Stafford et al, 2018; RSA, 2021; Ichioka and Pawlyn, 2021, SITRA 2023). Creating and sustaining a paradigm shift is a complex process that requires collective action and new ways of being. What does this mean for arts managers now and in the future? Do the arts managers of today have the appropriate combination of leadership skills, anticipatory abilities, regenerative skills, values and ethics to lead a paradigm shift? What does it mean for education in arts management to support leaders to develop appropriate competencies to deal with change as the new paradigm emerges?

The authors’ aim with this research is to identify how teaching can encourage arts managers to develop a regenerative mindset. In this presentation the authors propose a framework for educators to use to help develop more regenerative mindsets in Arts Managers. These tactics are framed as an evolving toolkit for educators with four intersecting aspects. The findings present each tactic in detail with examples to support educators to consider for their own practice. As a conclusion the authors propose that creating the paradigm shift from the dominant thinking about sustainability to regeneration will not be easy and that educators have a crucial role to play in activating a tipping point. To do this educators need to understand our own mindsets and behaviours, acknowledge the gaps in understanding, keep an open mind and be prepared to let go of old ways of being. The framework is offered as a starting place to support this; an evolving experiment, there to be played with and further developed by other educators.