During March four colleagues from the British Council’s arts teams in Israel, Turkey and Armenia went on week-long secondments to organisations in Manchester, Salford, Newcastle and Cardiff. Creative Adventures is a professional development scheme in our Wider Europe region which aims to create links between its fifteen countries and the UK through its professional team. Willie Kleinbaum, Su Basbugu, Narek Tovmasyan and Shani Zanescu told us about their host organisations and how the secondments had influenced them professionally.
Creative and adventurous
Willie Kleinbaum, Partnerships Manager, Israel
Willie Kleinbaum in Manchester
Situated at the Salford Quays (a short tram ride from Manchester’s city centre), The Lowry is an extraordinary cultural centre. It is home to three theatres, a visual arts gallery, restaurants, bars and a café. The Lowry runs several learning and engagement programmes for local community members and emerging artists who aspire to social and emotional change through artistic expression.
During my secondment, I met with The Lowry’s leadership team that shared with me the successes and the complexities of the organisation. These are not so different from those of the British Council: the challenge to deliver a long-term programme that has a social value and a sustainable business model; limited institutional funding with the growing need to generate income; the need to find a unique and impactful place in the arts and culture scene. The chance to look ‘behind the scenes’ was a truly wonderful learning experience.
The Lowry stands up to these challenges by working in partnership with local and national partners; balancing income generation with investment; being inclusive of different demographics and audiences; and always keeping its ear to the ground to recognise opportunities early enough to influence big initiatives. It was very satisfying to find out that leading institutions such as The Lowry see the British Council’s strengths as assets that can add value to their work in a strategic partnership.
Su Başbuğu, Arts Manager, Turkey
Jim Beirne from New Office Building Balcony To Yard
Live Theatre is a new writing producing theatre located on the quayside of Newcastle upon Tyne, which has been celebrating, promoting and developing new writing in the North East of England since 1973.
I did my secondment during the Live Lab Elevator festival that focused on the best new theatre from the region and beyond. Besides finding out about the diversity of programming around new writing, I had the opportunity to work with Live Theatre’s chief executive Jim Beirne who amazed me with his fundraising vision and successes.
Jim worked on developing and exploring the opportunities around physical assets for a charity. He convinced his board and the local government, secured EU funds and invested in construction to develop an income-generating business model: two restaurants (and one more to come) and a rentable office building that will cover the costs of two new plays per year and a new storytelling centre.
At Live Theatre, I saw an example of new writing programming we could implement in Turkey’s arts programme, and learned of a successful fundraising model that should be shared and developed with cultural institutions across Turkey.
Narek Tovmasyan, Arts Manager, Armenia
Narek at Wales Millennium Centre
Chapter is one of the first multi-art form arts centres in the UK that welcomes over 800,000 visitors every year. Chapter is the heartbeat of creativity in Cardiff, and an ambitious venue that presents, produces and promotes international art, live performance and film, and fosters dynamic social participation and engagement with the local community.
During my secondment I was shadowing Chapter’s director Andy Eagle, learned about the Chapter’s operational model, discussed challenges, trends and ways of working with department heads, took part in management and operational meetings, and even did a shift cover for the front of house manager.
I learned a lot about managing a multifunctional, inclusive and accessible arts centre effectively; the specifics of fundraising and programming in UK; the tips and tricks of engaging with diverse audiences, responding to the needs and feedback of customers, as well as contributing to community development. My most important learning point is using digital tools in the arts.
Shani Zanescu, Project Delivery and Evaluation Manager, Israel
Shani Zanescu with HOME in the background
Formed by the merger of two of organisations, Cornerhouse and the Library Theatre Company, HOME is the gravity point for Manchester’s art-loving community. Whether you’re an artist, an art enthusiast, or a family looking to have fun – HOME has something for you.
My week-long secondment was tremendously inspirational – it allowed me to explore HOME and look at their work from my perspective as a project delivery and evaluation manager for Israel. I met with various staff members, observed their meetings, and enjoyed great films and theatre shows, and AL and AL’s visionary exhibition ‘Incidents of Travel in the Multiverse’.
I was particularly intrigued by HOME’s engagement programme that develops creative young talent, promotes modern language for schools and universities through art, and runs activities for local communities. I also appreciated the organisation’s ideas for digital, communications and fundraising. HOME’s staff are very passionate about making an impact on the local community, connecting people through different art forms, and creating a home for inspiration, artistic development and networking.
