In recent years, the definition of leadership has no doubt undergone a shift in the arts and cultural sectors, becoming broader and less hierarchical, rather than being confined to an executive title.
Ben Finn has over 15 years of experience in both the commercial and not-for-profit performing arts sectors across Australia and New York. While he has been in leadership roles before, Finn says attending the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) Cultural Leadership at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) has completely changed his perspective.
‘Leadership can be something we don’t really talk about in an arts and cultural setting, because we just do it,’ Finn tells ArtsHub. ‘I think the kind of reflection around what is leadership has been something I really enjoyed in the program.’
He continues, ‘Impact and influence is important to a certain degree, but I also think a lot around change-making and bringing others along that journey.’
When Finn found himself stuck back in Australia due to the pandemic, he took on the position of Executive Director at the Adelaide Youth Orchestra, which really prompted him to ‘seek support and learning that will help underpin the responsibilities of my new job,’ he says.
What he got out of the MFA Cultural Leadership course was not only that, but also life-long lessons and valuable networks. ‘I was drawn to that explosion of people in the cohort who have varying experiences and ideas, people who are mostly already working in the industry in some leadership capacity. We had some really robust discussions,’ says Finn.
He adds, ‘We spent two days with [Noongar author and activist] Claire Coleman as part of the MFA, listening to her talk and working with us. Those two days were life-changing and I reflect on that a lot.’
Finn now works as the Executive Producer of Newtheatricals, and says a lot of those learnings are still a part of how he approaches leadership. ‘I think leadership is circular; I can’t do my job without so many other people. People who think they can are setting themselves up for failure.’
It’s also about communication and empathy, as well as an understanding of management, public policy and professional development for others on your team.
NIDA’s MFA Cultural Leadership welcomes applicants from across all arts and cultural disciplines. Some of Finn’s cohort included theatre-makers, gallery directors, community facilitators, writers and more.
For those interested in what the course has to offer, Finn says don’t be afraid to find alumni like himself on LinkedIn and reach out. ‘I know that particularly in my [2021-2023] cohort, people always love to talk about why they did the course.’
He encourages people to take ownership of their learning and approach leadership as an essential life skill. ‘You only get out what you put in, but for me it really solidified what my wants and needs are when it comes to how I put myself into the world as a leader. It allowed me to expand my knowledge and be challenged by changing how I’ve always done things.’
Postgraduate Information Sessions for NIDA’s Master of Fine Arts Cultural Leadership will be hosted on Tuesday 13 August in Melbourne, Wednesday 28 August in Parramatta and Wednesday 4 September online.
Applications are now open for NIDA’s MFA courses.
