CAN YOU HEAR US? Leadership Programme

Please note that applications for this programme are now closed.

Next autumn, the Isle of Wight celebrates all that the Island is with CAN YOU HEAR US?, a six-week celebration of creativity and culture taking place across the Island funded by Arts Council England.

As part of CAN YOU HEAR US?, we are running a fully funded leadership programme for 12 individuals on the Isle of Wight from March to October 2026.

By investing time and resource into individuals, we hope to create a more confident, resourceful and relevant cultural sector for the Island.

Who is it for?

We are looking for participants who want to make a positive difference to life on the Island and who are ready to grow and develop their skills as leaders.

You might not think of yourself as a leader, or feel that the word fits, but you might be someone who brings people together, makes things happen, or has a vision for how culture on the Island could grow and evolve.

Participants might include freelancers, artists and people working within organisations.

When we talk about culture, we mean the creative, heritage, environmental, social, education and library sectors, as well as the many community spaces where people come together, get involved and share what matters to them

This programme is for you if you:

• Live and work on the Island within the creative, heritage, library, environmental, social, community or education sectors.
• Have ambition and passion for what you do, and are committed to developing culture on the Island.
• Are curious about your leadership style and potential, and are keen to grow.
• Are able to make change within your sector or community.
• Enjoy working with others and want to collaborate.
• Have at least two years experience working or volunteering in your field.
• Are over 18 years old.
• Can commit to attending all elements of the programme.

What will it involve?

The fully funded Cultural Leadership programme has a number of elements, that include coaching, go and see, peer networking, alongside moments that people curate for themselves.

There is a strong emphasis on participants learning about themselves and their leadership style through self-reflection, learning from speakers and peers in your cohort. The sessions will explore how to create change, having honest conversations, building partnerships and unlikely alliances as well as input from guest speakers.

The four elements of the programme include:

• Two coaching sessions for all participants on 2nd or 3rd March and at the end of the programme on 5th or 6th October.
• Three full day sessions for all participants, held in venues across the Island on Friday 27th March, Friday 26th June, and Friday 16th October - all from 10am-5pm.
  These will have a focus on exploring your leadership approach and developing your focus for the programme.
• Two online insight sessions with guest speakers who will share their experience and leadership insights on Monday 11th May and Monday 14th September from 1pm-3pm.
• An opportunity to either have a mentor for three sessions or financial support for a Go See - an opportunity to either work with an inspiring mentor for three sessions or take a fully funded Go See trip anywhere in England to visit a project, organisation, or person who can help spark fresh thinking for your own work.

Meet Amanda Smethurst, who will be facilitating The Cultural Leadership Programme:

Amanda is an independent facilitator, coach and consultant with a focus on reflective practice and peer learning within the cultural and community sectors, and a love of supporting people to understand what makes their heart sing.

She has also developed and facilitated learning networks and reflective practice within place-based programmes such as Creative People and Places, Creative Civic Change, City of Culture and London Borough of Culture.

Amanda is a Clore Fellow, and is the chair of Middle Child Theatre, Hull. She’s also a mum, a potter, a gardener and a keen swimmer, which all make her heart sing.

FAQs & Key Information:

• Will the programme cost me anything? No, the programme is fully funded.
• What financial support is available for freelancers and artists? We are able to offer a bursary of £300 for freelancers or artists attending the programme.
• How many places are there? There will be 12 places on the Cultural Leadership Programme.
  Creative Island will create an initial shortlist, and then an independent panel will choose the final cohort.
• Please note that to be eligible for a place, you must be able to attend all of the core elements of the programme, on the dates listed above
• A version of this page is available as a PDF, please feel free to download and share with others by clicking here.
• We will let you know if you have been awarded a place by Friday 13th February.
• There will be an online welcome session for the successful participants on Monday 23rd February from 2pm-3pm

Any questions? Email Jo Ridley, the CAN YOU HEAR US? Project Producer at jo@creativeisland.org

CAN YOU HEAR US? is made possible through Arts Council England's Place Partnership Funding.