The Three Bells

Summary:
In this episode, our host Adrian Ellis speaks with author and renowned urban expert Charles Landry. They go over his remarkable career, retracing the route and influences which led him to his famed Creative City concept. They also discuss his current focus on creative bureaucracy – best illustrated by his annual Creative Bureaucracy Festival.

After, Adrian is joined by Stephanie Fortunato to explore key takeaways. They discuss the practical applications of Charles’ work, especially as an ethical reminder to cultural institutions to prioritize ideals of openness and curiosity in an increasingly polarized world.

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References:  

• Robert Skidelsky, Keynesian economist and emeritus professor of political economy at Warwick University
• Sir Peter Hall, geographer and urban planner, and Professor of Planning and Regeneration at the Bartlett School of Planning, University College London
• Marc Pachter, Cultural historian and American museum director who headed the United States National Portrait Gallery from 2000 to 2007
• Culture at the Crossroads:  Culture and Cultural Institutions at the Beginning of the 21st Century – a book by Marc Pachter and Charles Landry
• Creative Bureaucracy highlights the human perspective. It understands people are at the heart of the system. It puts the lived experience of working within or with a bureaucracy centre-stage…
• The Creative City Index, developed by Charles Landry and Jonathan Hyams, is a method for assessing cities holistically.
• The Creative Bureaucracy Festival: creating a better bureaucracy isn’t easy and can’t be done alone. It requires hard work and strong partners…
• Poetry in Theory: An Anthology 1900 - 2000 (by Jon Cook) – brings together key critical and theoretical texts from the twentieth century which have animated debates about modern poetry.
• Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake – “the more we learn about fungi, the less makes sense without them.” 
• The Soul’s Code: In Search of Character and Calling – James Hillman presents a vision of our selves, and an approach to the mystery at the center of every life.

 
Bio: 

Inventor of the Creative City concept, Charles Landry is a renowned author and international authority on the use of imagination and creativity in urban change. He is currently a fellow at the Robert Bosch Academy in Berlin – and creator of the annual Creative Bureaucracy Festival. Through his writings and advisory work, Charles helps cities identify and make the most of their potential by triggering their inventiveness and thinking and by opening up new conversations about their future. His aim is to help cities become more resilient, self-sustaining and to punch above their weight. Charles facilitates complex urban change and visioning processes and undertakes tailored research often creating his own projects. These include the Urban Psyche test developed with Chris Murray and the ‘Creative City Index’ in collaboration with Bilbao and developed with Jonathan Hyams, a strategic tool that measures, evaluates and assesses the innovative ecosystem of a city and its capacity to adapt to radical global shifts and adjustments.

Summary:

In this episode, our host Criena Gehrke speaks with playwright, artistic director, and Indigenous leader Wesley Enoch about the role of storytelling, leadership and wisdom in elevating and amplifying the voices of Indigenous artists and cultures. They also highlight the  importance of advocating for the intrinsic value of the arts, particularly in terms of celebrating differences and encouraging dialogue.

After, Criena is joined by fellow host Stephanie Fortunato to discuss key takeaways. They emphasize the critical need to support the next generation of cultural leaders and arts administrators, particularly Indigenous leadership.

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References

1. One Woman’s Song by Peta Murray, produced by the Queensland Theatre Company in 1993
2. Kath Walker
3. Celebrating Neville Bonner, the first Indigenous federal parliamentarian
4. Lydia Miller
5. Pat O’Shane
6. David Hudson
7. Ralph Myers: let's keep the dreamers in charge of the arts
8. Sydney Festival director Wesley Enoch talks us through his 'Australian Made' collection at SBS On Demand
9. The New HOTA Gallery

Bio

Wesley Enoch is an internationally acclaimed playwright and artistic director. He is the current [2021] Indigenous Chair in the Creative Industries (a new role) at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australia. He has written and directed iconic Indigenous productions including The 7 Stages of Grieving, Black Medea and The Story of the Miracles at Cookie’s Table. He was the Artistic Director of the Sydney Festival from 2017 to 2020 and was previously the Artistic Director at Kooemba Jdarra Indigenous Performing Arts and the Ilbijerri Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Theatre Co-operative. Wesley’s other residencies include Resident Director at Sydney Theatre Company; Associate Artistic Director at Belvoir Street Theatre; the 2002 Australia Council Cite Internationale des Arts Residency in Paris and the Australia Council Artistic Director for the Australian Delegation to the 2008 Festival of Pacific Arts. He was creative consultant, segment director and indigenous consultant for the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

Summary:
In this episode, our host Criena Gehrke speaks with Manal Ataya, the Director General of the Sharjah Museums authority. They discuss the educational value of the arts, particularly in terms of promoting inclusivity and diversity as well as cultivating empathy. After, Criena is joined by fellow host Stephanie Fortunato to discuss key takeaways. Drawing on their own experiences, they expand on the importance of the arts in enabling cross-cultural experiences and exchanges – and explore how cultural leaders could create more collective experiences that invite solutions to the social, political, and ecological challenges the world faces today.

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References: 

1. Sharjah Museums Authority 
2. Laurie Anderson’s Concert For Dogs at HOTA, Home of the Arts
3. Commemorative Works in the City of Providence
4. The Three Bells Ep 8: Reimagining the future of theatre and live performance – Jesse Cameron Alick in conversation with Adrian Ellis
5. The Three Bells Ep 4: Towards transformational cultural leadership – Diane Ragsdale in conversation with Stephanie Fortunato

Bio: 

Manal Ataya is a museum professional with over 15 years of senior executive experience in museum development and cultural diplomacy. As Director-General of the Sharjah Museums Authority, she oversees a team of 600 staff working in Sharjah’s network of 16 museums. Her mandate includes strategic development of future museum projects, advising in museum and cultural policy, fostering partnerships with the international museum community and leading the efforts to deliver international best practice in museum services. The museums include dedicated collections of modern and contemporary Arab art, Islamic Art, Gulf heritage and UAE archaeology. 

Ataya is a leading figure in the UAE cultural sector and a recognized expert in her field, responsible for implementing His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi’s directives for future museum and cultural heritage related projects. She serves on numerous advisory boards including Global Cultural Districts Network; the University of Sharjah’s College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Make-A-Wish Foundation  and ICCROM-Sharjah, the Arab region’s field office of the UN’s body for cultural heritage preservation. 

Ataya was awarded the Order of Art & Letters by the Republic of France in 2018 for her significant contributions to culture.

Summary:
In this episode, Adrian Ellis speaks with Jesse Cameron Alick, about his recently published study, commissioned by the Sundance Institute, based on extensive interviews of artists, arts administrators and thought leaders. The focus is the state of live performance as we 'emerge from the cave' of Covid. They discuss the key findings and themes of the study – particularly the skepticism that artists interviewed expressed about the the commitment of larger cultural institutions to artists, to their local communities, and to equity and inclusion.

After, Adrian is joined by fellow host Criena Gehrke to discuss key takeaways. They discuss the moral, political, economic... and artistic! – responsibilities that 'anchor institutions' need to balance.

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References: 

1. Emerging from the cave – Reimagining our future in theater and live performance 
2. Sundance Institute

Bio: 

Jesse Cameron Alick is a dramaturg, producer, poet, playwright, essayist, artistic researcher and science fiction expert. He is currently the Associate Artistic Director of the Vineyard Theater in NYC. Jesse is an active freelance dramaturg at various off-Broadway theatres in the city, nationwide and in the UK, as well as a regular artistic consultant for the Sundance Institute. Jesse studied writing with Adrienne Kennedy and has taught theatre courses, lectured at classes and mentored students at a myriad of programs (Lewis and Clark, NYU, Goddard, UT Austin, Primary Stages, Playwrights Horizons school, Fordham). 

Previously, Jesse co-founded the Subjective Theater Company at 19, moved on to become the company’s first resident playwright and then took the helm as Producer and Artistic Director. Jesse ran Subjective for 10 years and staged 15 full productions around Manhattan and Brooklyn. He was also formerly Company Dramaturg at the Public Theater, where he was in charge of commissions, readings and workshops, the Emerging Writers group and production dramaturgy.

Summary:
In this episode, our host Adrian Ellis speaks with Sunil Iyengar, Director of Research and Analysis at the National Endowment for the Arts in the US, about the increasing global demand for research, information and statistics to demonstrate the value of the arts. They also discuss the need for more longitudinal and qualitative research, especially community-based participatory studies. 

Thereafter, Adrian is joined by fellow host Criena Gehrke to discuss key takeaways. They concur on the importance of meaningful qualitative research, especially collaborative and cross-sectoral projects. 

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References: 

1. National Endowment for the Arts 
2. Arts and Cultural Production Satellite Account
3. NEA Research Labs
4. Artists’ Use of Technology as a Creative Medium
5. The Diversity of Performing Arts Audiences: Weighing Organizational Factors and Business Decisions
6. National Endowment for the Arts Research Agenda: FY 2017‐2021

Bio: 

Sunil Iyengar is the Director of Research and Analysis at the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), which is an independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Under his leadership, the NEA has produced dozens of research reports, hosted periodic research events and webinars, led strategic plan development for the agency, and established research and data partnerships with the U.S Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis. His office also conducts program evaluations and performance measurement for the Arts Endowment. Working with his team, Iyengar has created and pursued a long-term research agenda (based partly on an arts “system map” his office helped to design), founded a national data repository for the arts, and launched two awards programs for arts researchers, including the NEA Research Labs initiative. He chairs a federal Interagency Task Force on the Arts and Human Development. For nearly a decade, he has contributed a monthly research post (titled “Taking Note”) to the agency’s official blog.

Prior to joining the agency as research director, Iyengar worked as a reporter, managing editor, and senior editor for a host of news publications covering the biomedical research, medical device, and pharmaceutical industries. He writes poems, book reviews, and literary essays. Iyengar has a BA in English from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Summary: 

In this episode, our host Stephanie Fortunato speaks with Jia-Ping Lee, an urban rejuvenator and place consultant based in Malaysia, about her inspirational journey as a placemaker who has been advocating and creating better places to live, work and play. They discuss the importance of deep listening, care, and hope as values that inform placemaking and placekeeping.

Thereafter, Stephanie is joined by fellow host Adrian Ellis to discuss key takeaways. They further reflect on the significance of hope as well as factors affecting inclusive placemaking today, particularly the long tail of Covid-19.

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References: 

• Think City
• Arts on the Move by Think City and Rapid KL
• A dose of music with your Covid-19 shot
• Kebun-Kebun Bangsar, a green garden/farm designed, built, managed, funded and maintained by community efforts and volunteers
• The City at Eye Level Asia - An Open-Source Publication

Bio: 

Jia-Ping Lee is the founder of Malaysian urban and culture change startup Tempatico, which looks into the regeneration of urban, corporate and cultural places. She was previously with Think City, where she led the rejuvenation of the heritage core of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and built partnerships with local, state and federal government as well as international organisations to push forward the Heritage and Placemaking agenda in Malaysia and the wider region. As Chairperson of Placemaking Malaysia (launched in 2021 under the auspices of Malaysian Institute of Planners), Jia-Ping is leading a team of placemakers to advocate and create better places to live, work and play. In 2020, she was elected to the board of PlacemakingX, a global placemaking network based in New York City. 

Summary:

In this episode, our host Adrian Ellis speaks with Sanjoy K. Roy, Managing Director of Teamwork Arts, about his relational journey and global experiences in the arts, which highlights the importance of producing cultural programmes that address current social needs, and are co-created with communities. 

Thereafter, Adrian is joined by fellow host Stephanie Fortunato to discuss key takeaways. They reflect on how Sanjoy’s dexterity during the Covid-19 pandemic reflects the agility and resilience of the arts. They also discuss the pros and cons of different organisational models for the arts, and the importance of retaining intellectual property for artistic content.

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LISTEN TO A BONUS UNABRIDGED EDIT

References: 

1. Jaipur Literature Festival: Brave New World
2. Jaipur Literature Festival London
3. Earth Fables Craft Platform
4. The Espresso Martini

Bio 

Sanjoy K. Roy, an entrepreneur of the arts, is Co-Founder and Managing Director of Teamwork Arts, which produces performing arts, visual arts and literary festivals across 40 cities in countries such as Australia, Canada, Egypt, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Israel, Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, UK, and USA, including the annual Jaipur Literature Festival. He has received the National Award for Excellence and Best Director for the film “Shahjahanabad: The Twilight Years.” He is a founder trustee of Salaam Baalak Trust (SBT) working to provide support services for street and working children in the inner city of Delhi where over 55,000 children have benefited from education, training and residential services. In 2011 the White House presented SBT the US President’s Committee of Arts and Humanities Award for an International Organisation. Sanjoy is Co-chair of the Art and Culture Committee of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI); President of Event and Entertainment Management Association (EEMA) and a Member of the India@75 Culture Committee, Confederation of Indian Industries (CII).  

Summary:

In this episode, our host Stephanie Fortunato speaks with Diane Ragsdale, Director and Co-Lead Faculty of the Cultural Leadership Program at Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity, about the need for transformational cultural leadership to ensure the resilience and relevance of the arts and cultural sectors, especially in navigating the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Thereafter, Stephanie is joined by fellow host Adrian Ellis to discuss key takeaways. They reflect on how the Covid-19 pandemic could be a window of opportunity for new forms of cultural leadership to emerge, which will encourage artistic experimentation and maximize the potential of the arts as a force for social change.

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References: 

1. Catalyzing Engagement
2. Guaranteed Income Pilot by Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
3. Fuse Box Festival
4. ‘Dear White American Theater’

Further Reading: 

1. On Aesthetics, Ethics, Economics, and Consequential Decisions of Cultural Leaders in the Long Now 

Bio:

A professional writer, speaker, facilitator, researcher, lecturer, and advisor on a range of arts and culture topics since 2010, Diane Ragsdale currently serves as Director of the Cultural Leadership Program at Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity. Diane is also adjunct faculty at Yale University, where she teaches a workshop on Aesthetic Values in a Changed Cultural Context for its Theater Management MFA and a doctoral candidate at Erasmus University Rotterdam (in the Netherlands), where she lectured 2011-2015 in the cultural economics and sociology of the arts programs. Over the past 15 years, Diane has given nearly 80 keynote addresses, lectures, or presentations at universities, arts conferences, and symposia around the world. She has served on the editorial board of Artivate: A Journal of Entrepreneurship in the Arts since 2011; has served on various committees for the online platform and journal HowlRound, including its present advisory board; and is a board member for Anne Bogart’s SITI Company and Marty Pottenger’s Art At Work.

Summary:
In this episode, our host Adrian Ellis speaks with Victoria Broackes, the current Director of the London Design Biennale. Drawing on her curatorial experiences, they speak candidly about the challenges facing cultural programming, particularly in relation to the opportunities presented by digital technology, and the untapped possibilities of experiential exhibition-making.

Thereafter, Adrian is joined by fellow host Criena Gehrke to discuss key takeaways. They reflect upon the tensions facing artistic risk-taking as well as the need for cultural programming to tell meaningful and resonant stories.

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References: 

• V&A Exhibition: “David Bowie is..” (2013)
• V&A Exhibition: “ “Pink Floyd: Their Mortal Remains”
• theVOV
• London Design Biennale 2021
• The sudden flourishing of culture about trees 

Further Reading: 

• “Taking Risk in Times of Adversity”

Bio:
Victoria Broackes is a curator and exhibition maker, currently Director of the London Design Biennale. Prior to joining the Biennale in 2019, Victoria was Senior Curator for the V&A Department of Theatre & Performance. From 2009 to 2018 she was Head of the London Design Festival at the V&A.  In 2016 she was the V&A curator for the British entry for the inaugural London Design Biennale, Forecast by Barber & Osgerby. Victoria has curated multiple successful exhibitions at the V&A, of which many are popular music displays. This includes Pink Floyd, Their Mortal Remains (2017), You Say You Want a Revolution? Records and Rebels, 1966-70 (2016) and David Bowie (2013), Kylie: The Exhibition (2007), The Story of the Supremes (2008) and The House of Annie Lennox (2011). David Bowie Is (2013), is the fastest-selling exhibition in the V&A museum’s history. She co-presented the film David Bowie is Happening Now and featured in the documentary about You Say You Want a Revolution? which was presented at the Mill Valley Film Festival in California.