Leadership Support Event, 10th July: Reflection by Charlotte Jones, CEO
On 10th July, ITC brought together leaders from independent sector National Portfolio Organisations (NPOs) for an event hosted at Arts Admin. The hope was to build a stronger community and equip NPO leaders with the tools to boost resilience and effectively manage risk in today’s challenging funding landscape.
Independent arts organisations face unique vulnerabilities, especially when compared to larger, building-based institutions. With regular funding streams becoming increasingly uncertain, it’s more important than ever for performing arts leaders to be prepared.
At the heart of the discussion were three critical areas of potential risk: Governance, Fair Work, and Dispute Resolution.
Governance
The event explored ways to empower boards by harnessing the unique skills and knowledge each member brings. An engaged board receives clear, concise information from executives and asks insightful questions that provide the right balance of scrutiny, support, and challenge. Strong governance is essential for NPOs to thrive. Boards must be robust, independent from executives, and deeply accountable. They need to clearly understand ACE investment principles and actively monitor their organisation’s progress against these objectives. Boards are not just decision-makers, they are the custodians of an organisation’s values and mission. Board members carry significant legal responsibility: they are jointly and severally liable for ensuring the organisation remains legal, solvent, and operates for the public benefit. Understanding where their responsibilities begin and end is crucial to avoiding dysfunction.
When governance issues arise, ITC can be a trusted source of advice and support. We can help chairs and board member stay within the law, act fairly and manage risk. ITC members can also benefit from exclusive website logins for their board members, facilitating better communication and resource access. Please ask your membership coordinator to add board members to your ITC account or contact us if you need support with this.
Fair Work
Funders increasingly expect organisations to demonstrate their commitment to fair work practices. ITC members can meet these expectations simply by registering as Fair Work Approved Managers.
This status signals a mutual recognition between management and key unions — Equity, BECTU, and WGGB. ITC, in partnership with these unions, provides a full suite of agreed contracts tailored for the independent sector: covering actors, stage managers, dancers, directors, designers, choreographers, freelance producers, admin, technical and managerial staff, and writers.
These agreements set clear minimum terms that can be adapted to support diverse working practices. Widely understood and accepted across the sector, the contracts streamline negotiations and, importantly, provide a framework for dispute resolution with union backing. This dual support makes settling disputes far smoother.
Please contact us to have a conversation about how to become a Fair Work Approved manager.
Dispute Resolution
Workplace disputes can weaken organisations and threaten their sustainability. ITC has noted a rise in grievances and disputes but remains optimistic thanks to early intervention.
ITC members can contact the organisation as often as needed for advice and support. Drawing on deep experience within performing arts organisations, ITC helps managers address disputes involving staff or freelancers, while providing boards with guidance when senior managers (CEOs or ADs) are involved. Please make your leadership team and boards aware of this support so they can act legally, fairly, and confidently when disputes arise.
Looking Ahead
Building on the success of this gathering, ITC plans to host future events tailored to specific member groups. Next on the horizon is a focus on young people’s theatre, plus two regional (Bristol and Leeds) events with BECTU regarding the new in-house employee agreement – dates tbc.
We would also welcome your event ideas; if you would like to see an online or in person event dedicated to a particular sector within our community, please get in touch.
