Inclusive governance within the arts, heritage and culture sectors

The recruitment process.

Ten years ago, one of the most important considerations in trustee recruitment was previous governance experience. The trouble is that this becomes a self-perpetuating cycle – an inner sanctum into which aspiring arts trustees cannot access.

At Peridot Partners, we see time and again in arts recruitment, heritage recruitment and culture recruitment, that governance skills can be taught, simply by providing some external training and/or in-house support. Focusing on an inclusive process, one that is open to first time trustees, will widen your pool of prospective candidates dramatically, opening up skill sets and new generations of candidates with fresh breadths of experience. In a recent process, we supported a heritage museum on a search for two trustees. Instead of asking for governance experience, our search focused on the personality traits, behaviours and skills that one would need for the museum and on heritage-minded candidates who best aligned with their mission, vision and values. We use this approach frequently and encourage you to consider it too.

To attract the right trustees, consider:

1. Language

Language has a huge part to play in attracting your next trustees. Within arts recruitment and heritage recruitment, the power of positive and supportive language is important. At Peridot Partners, we spend considerable time working on language that champions organisations, speaks passionately about why they can’t resist becoming involved and encourages applicants with the right experience to put their name forward.

Simple, clear language is also vital when talking about your particular arts role or heritage job. As well as providing an inclusive framework for recruitment, if you are looking for expertise from further afield than just your sector, then jargon and high-level language will alienate people from broader and potentially interesting backgrounds.

Many role descriptions ask for trustees with “governance experience”. This can be off-putting even for people who have this experience. It’s subjective – how much experience is enough? While you may require intermediate knowledge, they may interpret this as your need for an expert in the field of governance.

This language can also portray that you are not prepared to invest in new trustees and may affect your desired image of being an inclusive organisation. Ensuring a united understanding of who you are looking for before you start your search, and that this is reflected in your language, is imperative to an inclusive recruitment process.

2. An open and brave culture

As part of the process in the arts and culture sector, boards are increasingly opening their doors to prospective candidates so that they can participate in a “sample” board meeting. Such initiatives enable prospective candidates to get a sense of how your board operates, demonstrates that there is no ”groupthink” in your organisation and dispels some of that embedded mysticism which can surround board meetings.

Boards that we work with are also encouraging potential trustees to visit your organisations in order get to know your culture better. This is a great opportunity to see your organisation from the inside, to meet its staff and show that volunteers, stakeholders and staff are equally engaged with your organisation and empowered to speak.

Working recently to find a new Chair for an opera company, candidates had the opportunity to view productions, meet with members of the board both informally and formally and to meet the staff involved. Any organisation who is serious about diversity needs to think about the place of authority, voice and empowerment and ensuring that everyone across the breath of the organisation can be heard. There is no more powerful way to demonstrate this than illustrating it to your potential trustees or chair.