A day spent only listening to the voices on stage won’t get us where we need to go – the business model questions facing parts of the arts are too big, too varied and too unevenly distributed for any one person, organisation or job title to have all the answers.
So we’ve designed a day that depends, more than most conferences do, on the people in the room. Here’s the spirit we hope to gather in, and a few practical things you can do to help the day along.
All perspectives are equal
Outside the summit, our sector has hierarchies. Some are useful, many are entrenched. For one day, we’d like to set as much of that aside as we possibly can. Solutions can come from anywhere.
Statements and sharing are as welcome as questions
Most conferences treat the floor as a place for questions and the stage as a place for answers. We’d like to widen that out.
- You don’t need to phrase your contribution as a question. “Here’s something we tried” is a complete contribution.
- Information, experience, evidence, half-formed thoughts – all welcome. If it might help someone else in the room, it’s worth saying.
- Floor-to-floor conversation matters as much as Q&A with the stage.
Tough conversations, kept constructive
Some of what we discuss will be uncomfortable, and we don’t want to shy away from any of it – but where possible, please keep contributions constructive. It’s OK to name a problem, or to disagree – but ask yourself “would I want to be on the receiving end of this contribution if our positions were reversed?”
Try to avoid despair if you can. Not because optimism is mandatory, but because despair closes the conversation we’re all here to have.
If you spot someone in despair – offer them comfort, and if you’re worried about them please tell a member of our team.
Share the air
If you notice you’ve been talking for a while, that’s a good moment to make space for someone else. The person who hasn’t spoken yet may have the thing the room most needs to hear.
A few other small things
- Try to listen as generously as you’d like to be listened to.
- Assume good faith, even when you disagree.
- Be patient with people who are nervous. Some of the most useful things said will come from people for whom speaking up is a stretch.
- Treat shared difficulties with discretion. Most sessions will be “Chatham House” rules.
- Tell us if something isn’t working – a session, the room, the format, anything. We’ve designed this day with you, and we’d like to keep designing it with you. Tell a member of staff if it’s urgent, or fill out the post-summit survey.
Why any of this matters
The day only works if you make it work. So – welcome. Bring what you’ve got. Share what you’re facing, and what you’re thinking. We’re glad you’re here.