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Governance Now 2025: Power!

Arts Professional is proud to be Media Partner for Governance Now – the flagship conference for cultural sector governance.

Governance Now 2025 – the flagship conference exploring cultural sector governance, presented by Clore Leadership and the Cultural Governance Alliance (CGA) – returns to London on Tuesday, 4 November 2025.   

Power shapes culture – and culture shapes power. Governance Now 2025 will navigate the interplay of power across culture, policy and practice in the context of a complex political landscape and challenging funding environment.  

Attendees will explore the evolving power dynamics across boards, executive teams, and communities, unpacking how political shifts, funding reforms, and cultural debates are reshaping governance, accountability, and how power is held, shared, and impacts creative and cultural practice. 

What to expect:

We welcome Chairs, Trustees, CEOs and key governance decision-makers to hear from and engage with an industry-leading line-up of speakers from across culture, local government, and public bodies, sharing fresh insights and practical strategies to strengthen your board’s effectiveness, resilience, and responsiveness in a landscape where power, politics and constant change consistently intertwine.  
 
Join fellow cultural leaders in a series of keynotes, roundtables, provocations and breakout sessions to explore topics including: 
 

• Two at the Top – explores the evolving power dynamic between the Chair and CEO, examining how clarity, collaboration, and conflict shape effective governance from the top down. 
• The Power of One – explores how philanthropy, influence and evolving income models are reshaping traditional income streams and how organisations can harness this shift to build more sustainable, mission-driven funding models.   
• Power Shifts – unpacks how board recruitment has evolved from relying on elite networks to seeking diverse, mission-aligned leaders and the shifting power dynamics reshaping who gets a seat at the table. 
• Gatekeepers of the Art – explores the influence curators and commissioners hold in shaping artistic narratives, and whose voices are amplified, or silenced, in the cultural landscape. 
• Governance and Board Dynamics – start your day with a helpful overview of governance for new trustees / refresher for those with more experience. 

Confirmed Speakers include: 

Delia Barker – Chair, Phoenix Dance Theatre & CEO Brixton House  
Darren Henley – CEO, Arts Council England 
Obi James – Inclusion & Leadership Expert    
Stella Kanu – CEO, Shakespeare’s Globe 
Yasmin Khan – Director, Individual Practitioners and London, Arts Council England
Caroline Norbury – CEO, Creative England 
Nicola Nuttall – Consultant and Director of Tempus Fugit Consultancy & Director and the Charles Causley Trust
Laura Pye – Director, National Museums Liverpool & Chair, National Museum’s Directors Council 
Fran Sanderson CFA CEO, Figurative  
Jenny Sealey – Artistic Director, Graeae Theatre Company 
Moira Sinclair – Chair, Factory International & Chair, Clore Leadership
Jenny Waldman – Director, Art Fund 
Kate Varah – Executive Director, National Theatre