Voices from the Field: Young Cultural Leaders

Dallas Shelby, National Arts Strategies' Director of Communications on the NAS blog Field Notes.

What does it mean to be a cultural leader in this day and age? What are the global and local contexts within which we work? Why do the arts matter and how can we communicate this within our communities? What challenges are our cultural organizations facing and how can we effectively lead change? These are the questions in the back of every young cultural leader's mind... and they are at the heart of the most pressing issues faced by leaders in our field. We [dug] into these questions with a fresh perspective at the Salzburg Global Forum for Young Cultural Leaders and [are] sharing a steady stream of interviews and insights from Fellows and panelists here on Field Notes. We will also feature posts on these questions by other cultural bloggers from around the world and invite you to add your voice to this discussion as well.

FROM TC: Below is a representative sampling of video posts by attendees at last month's Global Forum for Young Cultural Leaders. Visit the Field Notes blog for even more contributions to this discussion.

What role should orchestras play in their communities?

Mark Gillespie, general and artistic manager of Orchestra of the Americas and Salzburg Global Forum for Young Cultural Leaders Fellow, suggests that orchestras should connect with youth at a very early age so that musicians grow out of the community.    

How should cultural institutions approach the creation and articulation of value?

Albino Jopela, archaelogist and lecturer at Eduardo Mondlane University in Mozambique and Salzburg Global Forum for Young Cultural Leaders Fellow, suggests that considering the values of all of the stakeholders in a community will help ensure relevance and sustainability.      

Why is it important for arts leaders to engage in cross-cultural conversations?

Jimena Lara Estrada, program coordinator for the Mexican Cultural Institute of New York and Salzburg Global Forum for Young Cultural Leaders Fellow, talks about connecting with other leaders and the hope that it instills.    

How do you articulate value of arts in a society where it is largely seen as a commodity?

Eyad Houssami, founding director of Masrah Ensemble in Lebanon and Salzburg Global Forum for Young Cultural Leaders Fellow, talks about the challenges of making a case for the arts in a society where the concept of public value is very limited.     

What is the place of cultural institutions within their communities?

Tisa Ho, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Arts Festival and a faculty member of the Salzburg Global Forum for Young Cultural Leaders, suggests that to be truly relevant an organization must be "in, of, for and about" its community.    

What is the role of an arts and culture leader in today's society?

Mulenga Kapwepwe, Chairperson of the National Arts Council of Zambia and a faculty member of the Salzburg Global Forum for Young Cultural Leaders, suggests that arts leaders are best equipped to shape the future.

How have the forces of globalization impacted the nature of cultural activity?

Serhan Ada, Head of the Cultural Management Program at Istanbul Bilgi University and a faculty member of the Salzburg Global Forum for Young Cultural Leaders, suggests that the "new normal" favors the creative.

How do arts and culture institutions deal with issues of cultural identity?

Yudhishthir Raj Isar, professor of Cultural Policy Studies at The American University of Paris and a faculty member of the Salzburg Global Forum for Young Cultural Leaders, talks about the responsibility that arts and culture organizations have to provide cultural translation.

How do cultural institutions balance being global and local?

Mikel Ellcessor, General Manager of WDET in Detroit and a faculty member of the Salzburg Global Forum for Young Cultural Leaders, warns that social media can give us a false sense of connection. He also gives a suggestion for how to make meaningful connections in one's community.  

What are the arguments for the arts that resonate with contemporary society?

Patrick McIntyre, Executive Director of the Sydney Theatre Company and Salzburg Global Forum for Young Cultural Leaders faculty member, discusses the need to talk about the arts in terms of its benefits rather than its features.  

What value does the arts create and how do we articulate it?