If Australia is to maintain a thriving arts industry, it needs to rethink its cultural leadership and governance, argues Samuel Cairnduff. He explains why in his ongoing investigation for Limelight.

Pen and paper at the ready in a boardroom. Photo © caia image/Alamy Stock Photo

The cultural space can be challenging to lead, manage and govern. This is nothing new. Over the past few years, I have explored these complexities in various forums – through articles in Limelight, on my podcast Decoding Cultural Leadership and in my PhD research, which sought to interrogate what cultural leadership means in the 21st century. A central question has underpinned these explorations. Do we expect more from our cultural institutions than simply the art they create and deliver? Spoiler alert: the answer is...