Stronger Together

Stronger Together is a programme that will help you to identify, develop and support the leadership potential in your group. It combines information and training specifically adapted for the voluntary arts from the Community Sector Coalition’s Liberating Leadership programme. Look out for:

• three briefings containing practically based, distance-learning material that you can use to develop leadership in your group;
• information in our e-newsletters;
• our training event on 15 November 2010 in London, run by CSC especially for the voluntary arts.

Stronger Together briefings

1. Unlocking the leadership potential in your voluntary arts group (pdf - 207k)
Whatever the size or shape of your voluntary arts group, finding ways to work together towards a common goal is something that concerns us all. The reality is that this can seem like the hardest thing in the world to achieve. Over the next few briefings in the Stronger Together series, we’ll be sharing advice and ideas from a new approach to leadership developed by Community Sector Coalition (CSC) which helps groups to unlock their hidden ‘people power’ and work more effectively. This briefing summarises some of the ideas behind the new approach, and includes a choice of practical exercises for your group. Read more (pdf - 207k)

2. Using roles to strengthen your group (pdf - 216)
Even if you feel that people are aware of the roles they perform in your group, actually discussing and defining them can have a deep and lasting effect. It can help you to understand how your group functions and identify any areas of tension. This briefing looks at ten leadership roles and how you can apply them to your group. It gives practical exercises that will help you to improve the way you work together. Read more (pdf - 216)
Click here to access the tools and handouts accompanying this briefing.

Stronger Together articles

A leadership debate for the voluntary arts – are you a hidden leader? / pdf version in VAN Update June 2010 (881k)
It doesn’t seem so very long ago that leadership was something that was only talked about in management circles. Yet its role in the general election and the global financial crisis has made all of us more aware of its value. It has been gaining prominence in the arts too, with the emergence of leadership programmes like the Clore Cultural Leadership Programme. But for small, voluntary organisations set up purely for the love of a creative pursuit, leadership may seem completely irrelevant, or only possible when a particular ‘type’ of person gets involved. So can voluntary arts groups learn anything from leadership, or vice versa? Read more (pdf - 881k)

Stronger Together case studies

Guild of Enamellers - Keeping it simple makes light work of leadership / pdf version (53k)
In many crafts, apparent simplicity of design often disguises a highly organised process. The same might be said of the thousands of voluntary groups that represent those who take part in arts and crafts – like The Guild of Enamellers. And as with many others who are actively involved in such groups, Erika Speel, their Publicity Officer, doesn’t think of herself as a leader. Read more (pdf - 53k)

Cotswold Players and Playhouse - Not one leading role, but a cast of players / pdf version (53k)
An amateur theatre company that celebrates its centenary in 2011 has achieved success at many levels – from winning national and regional awards to running a successful theatre. Patrick Howell, active member for 16 years and Chair for the last five has never thought of himself as a leader. He’s clear that it’s the willingness of everyone to take on roles – which in fact involve leadership - that has been central to the company’s achievements. Read more (pdf -53k)