After over 12 months of lockdowns, furlough, redundancies, closures, re-openings, and more closures, the level of uncertainty, on an organisation and individual level, has surely affected the mental health of every one of us. Vicki Cockman, Head of Client Delivery at Mental Health First Aid England, joins us to give some tips on how to best look after ourselves, and each other, in the coming months…

What will cultural retail look like when the sector re-opens? From conscious consumerism to the resurgence of the physical store, retail consultant and creator of The Resilient Retail Club, Catherine Erdly, joins us to investigate what will be moulding cultural retail in the year to come.

From dreams of being a tap dancer, to CEO of The Postal Museum, via nearly two decades at Tate, Laura Wright is the final guest of series two of the Cultural Enterprises Podcast. Laura speaks with honestly about how self doubt can be a positive attribute in leadership, why those who struggle with networking are the ones who need to do it most, and how your career should all be about following your passions.

Honest. Passionate. Inspiring. Gordon Morrison, CEO of ASVA (the Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions) tells us about his career (including the mistakes he's made), the importance of visitor attractions to the cultural landscape of the country, and the skills needed to lead an organisation with close to 500 members. This one is unmissable.

In this fascinating episode, Arts Council England CEO and author, Darren Henley OBE, tells us all about his life and career, from his roots in radio and how how he got in to writing, to his unexpected ascent to lead Arts Council England. Darren also gives tips to both future and current leaders in the sector – you're never too important to make the tea! 

From the High Street to Commercial Director of English Heritage, via the V&A and the Ashmolean, Lycia Lobo has had a fascinating career. Hear all about her journey, including what drives her career and how she learned about the importance of the customer experience when she was just 5 years old.

Episode two of the second series of the Cultural Enterprises Podcast sees Gabriela Gandolfini chat to one of the most influential people in the arts and heritage sector – Bernard Donoghue – the Mayor of London’s Culture Ambassador, CEO of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA), Chair of WWF UK’s Council of Ambassadors, Chair of LIFT Festival and Trustee of the People's History Museum. Bernard gives an open and honest account of his life and career as well as offering advice to the next generation of leaders.

The Cultural Enterprises Podcast returns for series two – with a new presenter and a new format! Each episode Gabriela Gandolfini will chat to a top sector leader to find out how they got to where they are, what inspires them, and what advice they have for the next generation of leaders? First up we have Julie Molloy, Managing Director of the National Gallery Company and Trustee of the Association for Cultural Enterprises. Julie tells us how, via C&A, Windsor Castle, and the Royal Academy, she got one of the most prestigious positions in cultural enterprises – and how she stays motivated after two decades in the role.

It's widely recognised that a strong commercial strategy is a key component of any cultural organisation. What's less clear is what makes a commercial strategy strong! What should it contain? Who needs to be involved? When should it be revised / rewritten? Join us on the fourth Cultural Enterprises Podcast to hear answers to all of the above, and more, courtesy of Kari Coghill, Director of Enterprise & Communication at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Phil Smith, Commercial Director at ss Great Britain, Michelle Lockhart, Commercial Director at Science Museum Group and Karen O'Connor, Director of Commercial Enterprises at National Museums Liverpool.

Generating unrestricted income for cultural organisations has never been more important, and attitudes towards commercial thinking have changed, but to what extent? On this episode, with the help of consultant Louise Emerson and cultural enterprises professionals, Deborah Hunter and Lycia Lobo, we ask whether trading as part of the wider organisation is always the bridesmaid and never the bride?