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Build Your Board

Looking to refresh your board membership? We can help!

Arts Organisation seeking new board members?

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 helping you find the right people to support your organisation to achieve its goals.

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    Board Matching Programmes

    Recruit your next board member through Leaders on Arts Boards. We have a wealth of experience in matching skilled and committed individuals from our business network with arts boards, many of which have made a lasting positive difference in the arts organisations they support.

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    Share Your Board Opportunities

    We can also help you spread the word about your board vacancies. A&BNI members can share recruitment opportunities through our online Members’ Hub and our What’s On Guide magazine.

How does our board matching programme work?

Through our Leaders on Arts Boards programmes, we connect emerging and experienced leaders from diverse backgrounds with arts boards that match their values and expertise. With arts-focused governance training and a strong track record, our placements have made a lasting positive impact on the organisations they support.

We want to find the best possible fit for both the arts organisation and the business individual, which is why we will only make matches with boards which can demonstrate good governance practices*.

 

Take a look at our timeline to find out how it all works.

Our Timeline

September

Call out for arts organisations seeking a board member

October

We assess applications from arts boards and get in touch to let you know the next steps. In the meantime the potential new board members are undertaking an in depth governance and boardroom training programme.

December – March

Matching begins. If we have a programme participant who has relevant, skills, experience and interests 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 the match is a good fit, the candidate will undertake an observation period of board meetings before the match is confirmed. We are available for advice and support at any stage of the process.

*If this isn’t a good fit for your organisation right now, we can support you to strengthen your organisational governance through our board training and resources.

How Much Does it Cost to Recruit a Board Member?

Costs

Arts & Business NI Member rate
£150+VAT or £275+VAT if recruiting two board members
non A&BNI Member rate
POA

* 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.

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The Difference We've Helped Make...

Building Stronger Boards – Terra Nova

“Terra Nova has been matched with two Board members through Arts & Business NI’s board matching programme and the experience has been uniformly positive for us. We can be a nuanced fit, as our intercultural mission requires Board members who are ready and have the lived-experience to really engage with diversity, equity and interculturalism in the context of excellence in the arts, and engagement with global artists. Our current Chair Ben Harrison stepped in as chair with only a year’s experience of the company and has seen Terra Nova and our Artistic Director through a period of bereavement, stress, and change, steering us towards opportunity. Joseph Morrison, a very new Board member has hit the ground running bringing all aspects of his legal experience to bear to support the company, and his passionate commitment to arts as a vital part of our society.”

 

— Andrea Montgomery, Artistic Director, Terra Nova
Andrea Montgomery Terra Nova
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The Difference We've Helped Make...

“Support from the Arts & Business NI board matching programme has been so helpful to Oh Yeah. Our needs for a HR professional as well as someone with the deep knowledge and skills around charity structure governance were perfectly met by the additions of Sara Henry and Tara Craig. Both have strengthened the skill set of our excellent board of trustees. As Chief Executive I feel more confident on a range of issues with their support and guidance.”

— Charlotte Dryden, CEO, Oh Yeah Music Centre
Charlotte Dryden, CEO, Oh Yeah Music Centre
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The Difference We've Helped Make...

Building Stronger Boards – Fighting Words NI

“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.”

— Hilary Copeland, Director Fighting Words NI
Hilary Copeland, Director at Fighting Words NI

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