Cut the Cord Holds Panel About Sustainable Leadership in the Arts

Cut the Cord will lead a trio of live-streamed panel discussions on Sustainable Leadership in the Arts, as part of International Leadership Week, in collaboration with the Nordic Ministry. Holding the arts to account on a global scale, the talks, featuring panellists such as Fin Kennedy (Artistic Director, Tamasha) and Bo Anders Sundstedt (Artistic Director, Unge Viken Teater), aim to highlight the importance of protecting the industry, and revitalising the status quo to encourage growth.

Commissioned by the Nordic Ministry for their ongoing podcast series, Nordic Talks, the conversations will enable artistic directors from theatres and cultural organisations in Nordic countries and the UK, to discuss sustainability and current affairs on a global scale. Audiences can submit their questions live to the panel during the event.

Sustainable Leadership in the Arts will focus on three different areas: Climate Action, Diversity and Inclusivity, and the future of artistic leadership and development. Further panellists involved include Kate Atkinson (Clore Leadership), Christian Gade Bjerrum (Sustainable Performing Arts Now), Gunn Hernes (Nordic House), Ulricha Johnson (ScenSverige / Proud Performing Arts), Kay Michael (Culture Declares Emergency), Janne Saarakkala (Reality Research Centre), and Lars Werner Thomsen (Glad Teater).

Cut the Cord continue to work to promote social change and international collaboration in the arts and these discussions will seek to explore how the Nordic model of sustainability, openness and trust can be implemented on a grander scale in cultural institutions in the UK and abroad. At a time when the future of the industry is in question, it is important to consider new methods of sustainability to secure longevity for the creative sector.

Camilla Gürtler, Cut The Cord's Artistic Director, comments, We are at a pivotal point of change, with the response to Covid-19 and the long-term effects of global warming. As the creative sector and the rest of the world look at ways of rebuilding after the pandemic, we wanted to find a way to investigate how the arts can play a key part in a more sustainable world - both in terms of climate action, but also looking at equality and whose voices are being heard.

Cultural leaders around the world are working hard to ensure better opportunities for artists and more sustainable working methods, and we wanted to amplify what they are doing and inspire others to follow their practices. For us, the arts hold the key to inspiration for positive change, and so sustainable leadership seemed crucial.

Cut the Cord are also pioneering an exciting translation programme for emerging playwrights - New Nordic Voices. The scheme aims to enable Nordic talent to find an audience overseas, gaining further recognition through the translation of their text. The selected texts from the participating countries, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands, will form part of a showcase in 2021 for industry experts, hoping to give the contemporary Nordic voices a platform.

Dates: 16th - 19th November 2020

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sustainable-leadership-in-the-arts-nordic-talks-tickets-124979881189