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Improbable’s Arts Leaders Residency

Are you an arts leader who wants to work differently? Do you need space to think, reset and reconnect? Improbable’s Arts Leaders Winter Residency could be for you. 

A residential programme at the beautiful Bore Place, in the North Kent Downs. The week is focused on bringing together a community of arts leaders who want to connect, converse and grapple with their knottiest topics. The week will be a mixture of sharing ideas and issues, getting sh*t done together and if you need it, giving you space to get sh*t done alone.

Arts leaders are not often afforded the time and space for connection, reflection and action. Our unique approach will use Improbable’s acclaimed practice to enable you to step away from the day to day to zero in on the important work that never gets done.

At the heart of Improbable’s practice is improvisation; this binds together all of our work. Whether on stage, in someone else’s workplace or our own, the practice and philosophy of improvisation is at the core of our creative process. This process has led to award-winning productions like My Neighbour Totoro, Akhnaten, Lifegame and many more. It is also used in our work with business, charities, councils and across the cultural sector to hold space for people to have the time they need to make positive change.

By ‘improvisation’ we mean any emergent or iterative process that seeks to bring awareness to each unfolding moment and an understanding that positive change comes not from one person, group, or ideology but will grow from the symbiotic interactions between us. 

This flows through to how we view leadership, not as a top-down dictation but a ground up, empowering, collaborative process that welcomes the unknown and embraces change rather than shutting it/people/spirits down to meet the mission statement.  

This inaugural Winter Residency is for everyone who considers themselves a leader – anyone who has an idea, a spark, a need to do or to dream.

Join us for the week and become part of a transformative journey that will shape the future of the arts sector, one inspired leader at a time.

When?

Monday 2 – Friday 6 December 2024

The week will run from Monday lunchtime – Friday lunchtime with time to travel to and from.

Where?

The Arts Leaders Winter Residency is residential at Bore Place. We will stay in the Old Stables and sessions will take place in the Large Barn and across the site.

All food is provided in partnership with Bore Place and communal cooking and eating will be part of our time together. All dietary requirements can be catered for.

Transport will be provided from Sevenoaks station at the start and end of the week or you are free to make your own way to us, there is free parking onsite.

Address: Bore Place Road, Chiddingstone, Edenbridge TN8 7AR

What?

We will use Open Space Technology to guide our week and together will make our timetable. This will be a mix of provocations, collaborative and solo working sessions. You will be able to move in and out of these at your choosing, it will be flexible. The week will include;

Up to twelve sessions across the five days led by Improbable’s Executive Director Ellie Claughton and Executive producer, Kathryn Bilyard along with other members of the team.

4 nights’ accommodation at Bore Place. There will be options for single or shared rooms with different price points. You will be able to make preferences for this as you apply. Bathrooms are shared.

All meals and refreshments throughout the week are catered for. You will also have access to the kitchen if you wish to use it too. Communal cooking and eating will be part of our time together.

Transport to/from Sevenoaks station on arrival and departure days.

How much?

£1495+VAT for a single room

£995+VAT for a shared room

Apply here