Leading with Purpose

Eligibility

Eligible countries: No country restriction

Open to arts, heritage and creative industries professionals across all art forms

Leading with Purpose Deadline: 03 Nov 2026 Country: Canada Whether leading a capital campaign, guiding organizational transformation, launching a major initiative, or preparing for a larger role, arts and cultural leaders need practical frameworks, trusted peers, and the ability to make sound decisions under pressure. This program helps participants expand their organizational leadership capacity and prepare for the responsibilities that accompany growth, change, and increased accountability. As a complement to Banff Centre’s Wise Practices in Arts Leadership course, Leading with Purpose explores how purpose, self-awareness, and relationship-centred leadership inform strategic decision-making, resource stewardship, and organizational effectiveness. Through real-world case studies, experiential learning, peer learning, and practical application, participants will gain the tools and perspectives needed to guide teams, navigate uncertainty, and create lasting impact. Drawing on real-world leadership dilemmas, the course challenges participants to think beyond operational management and toward organizational leadership. Topics include team development, fundraising as a leadership function, strategic choice-making, audience relevance, organizational resilience, and navigating uncertainty in a rapidly changing environment. Participants will also examine the dynamics of senior leadership teams, exploring how power, influence, competing priorities, and organizational tensions shape decision-making, and how these forces can be harnessed to strengthen alignment, purpose, and performance. Program highlights Develop executive leadership and organizational management skills for increasingly complex environments Explore purpose-driven approaches to strategic decision-making Strengthen your capacity to align teams, nurture relationships, shape culture, navigate power, and steward change Examine fundraising, audience engagement, and strategy through a leadership lens Learn practical approaches to managing resources, priorities, and organizational growth Work through real-world case studies drawn from the arts and cultural sector Connect with peers navigating similar leadership challenges Duration of residency 6 days Accommodation Private hotel room on campus Disciplines, work equipment and assistance This program is designed for arts, heritage, and creative industries professionals working in organizations of any size and across all art forms, including visual arts, galleries, museums, theatre, dance, opera, film, music, and literature. It is well suited to: administrators, managers, and directors in arts and heritage organizations and creative industries creative producers and consultants working with arts organizations education and engagement specialists in these sectors artists (Indigenous, Canadian, and international) community-based arts and heritage workers in urban and rural settingsStudio / Workspace N/AFees and support Total fee per person (Tuition, Accommodation and Meal Plan) $3 863.00 +GST Application Fee $65 for individuals, $35 for applicants who identify as Indigenous. The application fee is non-refundable. 100% of this fee goes towards the cost of administering the application in SlideRoom. Limited funding is available to support up to 18 arts-sector participants, with priority given to those working in small Canadian non-profit arts organizations. Expectations towards the artist N/A Application information For more information and to apply: http://url.banffcentre.ca/bgzcN4 “