Phil Douglas, founder and CEO of North East arts and youth charity, Curious Arts has been selected to be part of the prestigious Clore Leadership Fellowship 2024.
The Clore Fellowships are awarded to dynamic change-makers from across the arts and culture sector who exhibit vision, strategic thinking, and an appetite or collaboration in leading the arts, culture, and creativity for a positive impact on society. This Clore 2024 cohort, comprises 24 exceptional leaders operating on a global scale with Phil being one of only two representatives chosen from the North East of England, alongside Rachel Lennon, a a curator and cultural practitioner now based at Newcastle University.
According to the Clore website, “bold and courageous leadership has never been more crucial” and the fellowship is specifically designed to equip cultural leaders with the mindset, skills, and resilience they need to navigate these complex circumstances and thrive. By fostering leaders who can imagine it differently and drive meaningful impact, the programme aims to strengthen the cultural sector’s capacity to address societal challenges and create interventions for change.
Speaking about what being part of the 2024 fellowship means, Phil said, “The recruitment process is highly competitive and I am immensely proud to be representing the North East arts sector and LGBT+ community alongside culture leaders from across the UK and around the world who are delivering incredible projects while still navigating a complex cultural landscape which includes balancing social responsibility with sustainability, digital advancements, the wellbeing of our teams and challenging economic environments.
Clore Fellows are chosen for their leadership ambitions and potential, creativity, and vision.
Phil continued, “It’s fantastic to be chosen to be part of a cohort of leaders underpinning the future of a resilient and thriving arts and cultural sector here in the UK and worldwide. I believe it is important to focus on collaboration and continued learning, not only to push our sector forward but to empower our communities to flourish.”
The 2024 cohort includes artists, curators, producers, directors, and educators, many of whom work across disciplines and co-create with communities and underrepresented groups.
