If you're looking to refresh your board membership, we can help! We’ve been successfully recruiting and matching skilled and committed individuals with arts boards for over 35 years. We know that a diverse, engaged board with a mix of expertise is key to great charity governance, which is why we are passionate about finding the right people to support your organisation to achieve its goals.
Through our Business Leaders and Young Leaders on Arts Boards programmes we recruit up-and-coming leaders and experienced executives from a range of backgrounds. Participants undertake in depth, arts-focused training on good governance, trustee roles and financials. After the training, we connect them with a board that matches their values, skills and expertise.
Arts organisations seeking to recruit new board members, can apply by completing the form below to be added to our register of interest. After individuals complete our Leaders on Arts Boards training programmes, we will match them with arts organisations based on their passion and skills.
When we find a potential match for your organisation, we will arrange an introduction. This allows the candidate to learn more about your board and for you to learn about their skills and experience. If both parties are interested, the candidate will undertake an observation period of board meetings before the match is confirmed.
During the board member induction and observation process, we’ll check in with you to discuss progress and we are available for advice and support at any stage.
*A&B NI Member rate - £100+VAT/ Non-members £250+VAT
*This fee is payable upon a successful board ‘match’ being agreed. A match is declared when the arts organisation and the individual have been introduced, agree their suitability and the candidate has completed observation of board meetings.
If you are interested in recruiting new board members through this programme, please complete the application form below and return to info@artsandbusinessni.org.uk
“As a young charity with a swiftly expanding staff team, Fighting Words NI needed to put in place good management systems and provide supportive guides to employment for our staff team. The expertise of an HR professional was exactly what we needed. We couldn’t have asked for more in a new Board Member in Bethany O’Neill: she brought professional knowledge that ensured we could satisfy the legal requirements as an employer and ensure compliance within our team, as well as provide support and guidance in her role as a trustee for me in a Chief Executive role. Since Bethany joined the FWNI Board, she has helped us put in place contractual and HR supports that help us set out the direction of growth for our organisation that aligns with our vision, and outlines the kind of employer we want to be. We are very grateful to Arts & Business NI for introducing Bethany to us via their Young Leader on Arts Boards programme.”
The benefits of having a business person on an arts Board is that they can bring a degree of objectivity to any situation. Obstacles which might seem insurmountable to a small arts organisation are part of the daily work experience of many professionals and so they become manageable!
An outside professional helps an organisation look at itself and its procedures in a new way – which is ultimately a good thing. Having ‘an outsider’ was great.
Please sir, may we have another?
The Arts & Business NI Leaders on Arts Board Programme is proudly supported by A&L Goodbody Northern Ireland LLP
Arts & Business NI is generously supported by The Arts Council of Northern Ireland.