Leadership Duos in Art Organisations and their Value

This thesis is a explorative research on the the cooperation between a business and an art director in art organisations, their opinion about values for art organisations and the value of leadership duos. Little empirical research is done on leadership duos in the art sector and research on leadership duos in the art sector, combined with values, can be extra significant. The qualitative research strategy is used and leaders from formal and informal duos are interviewed on their cooperation and their values. To test the findings of the interviews a small survey is used as well. Duo to the sensitivity of the subject this research has a high degree of anonymity. What are values? Values are seen as ‘what something is worth to yourself’ and that which matters for the art organisation. Four types of values are distinguished as being important for leaders of art organisations: social, economic, society-related and cultural values. What is leadership? There is a significant difference between a manager (control, results) and a leader (inspire people). What effects leaders in the art sector? The interest of the art sector in management increases because the art sector is becoming more complex. Important is the influence of different flows of money on art organisations. How is the situation of leadership duos in the art sector? In the arts duos, with an artistic and business director, is a common form. The importance of the clarity of the division of task and responsibilities between these two persons is neglected. What are the values of the two persons in a leadership duo? Equal attention to all four values is seen as ideal, but is not the case in practice. Nevertheless, all four values matter for leadership duos in art organisations. Values of the business and artistic director overlap and tasks are blurred as well. Values in general are still neglected as important aspects of organisations, notwithstanding the fact that they could be a great help in preventing conflicts. What are the advantages and disadvantages of leadership duos in the art sector? A leadership duo is valuable for the arts because of the adhesion of values they provide. This is important because all four values are necessary in for the art sector. A leadership duo principally seems helpful, although a duo is less flexible and clear and often results in conflicts. The advantage of the other leader as an addition could be neutralized by finding the additional qualities somewhere else in the organisation. Additionally, it would be well-advised for an organisation to look at the qualities already present in the organisation. Is a duo necessary or can one leader be effective, because there are plenty of qualities within the organisation? If one opts for a duo it is required to discover in advance if the duo results in a synergy and if the two people match. If this is not the case a leadership duo is risky. Personal characteristics, perspectives and values matter most in the cooperation of a duo.