New Program! Cultural Leadership: Reflecting Forward with Wise Practices

Program Dates: Jan 11, 2026 - Jan 16, 2026

Application Deadline: October 21, 2025

What does it mean to lead well in today's arts and culture sector? How do you know you're making the right decision for yourself, your organization, and your community? What does it look like to be strategic and thoughtful while managing risk in a rapidly evolving sector?

Leadership in the arts and culture sector is complex, dynamic, and deeply connected to community. This program invites emerging and experienced leaders to explore leadership through the lens of Indigenous wise practices, right relations, deep listening, self-inquiry, and leadership as a means, not a destination.

Over six days, participants will reflect on their leadership values and experiences while learning alongside a peer cohort of cultural leaders. Participants will be given an opportunity to bring cultural challenges into the room and work through them using wise practice principles.

Together, we will delve into areas such as governance, strategic thinking, organizational development, cultural policy and protocols, and community engagement — not as isolated skills, but as interconnected elements of resilient, values-based leadership.

Program highlights

Wise Practices Leadership Competencies

Leadership as Practice

Designing for Action: Social Network Mapping

Strategic Thinking in a Changing Sector

Self-inquiry, Reflection, Land-based Deep Listening

Collaborative Decision Making

Insights from the Inside: Converse with CEOs

The program is designed to cater to arts and culture professionals working in organizations of any size and across any art form (visual arts, galleries, museums, theatre, dance, opera, film, music and literature).

This program is suited to those who are looking to build skills that will allow them to run effective organizations, build healthy and sustainable communities, and drive change, including:

Indigenous, Canadian, and international artists

Administrators, managers and directors

Policymakers

Creative producers

Education and engagement specialists

Community-based cultural workers in urban and rural settings

Consultants

Funding is available to support participants.