Governance Hub
Visit the Governance Hub to find resources, support and opportunities to help you and your organisation create and sustain effective, meaningful governance practices.
Here you can find arts and cultural sector specific guides, templates, case studies and conversations, or explore more in Additional resources and Support.
About the opportunity
Australia Council for the Arts is delighted to offer world-class governance training with the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) for organisations via the Foundations of Directorship™ Course.
This course has a length of 11 weeks, including pre-reading, three facilitator-led virtual classrooms and (optional) assessment time. The course will provide participants with a comprehensive overview of the main components of directorship – governance, risk, strategy and finance.
The opportunity is open to CEOs, Executive Directors, and General Managers or those in an equivalent role (as well as staff member acting as the Board secretariat) and Board Members from arts organisations. See eligibility guidelines for full details.
If you need advice about applying, contact an Artists Services Officer.
- Identify the duties and responsibilities of a director.
- Outline governance and board meeting processes.
- Outline the director’s role in evaluating financial statements.
- Recognise the link between corporate strategy and financial performance.
- Identify the director’s role in formulating and monitoring strategy, and identifying and assessing risk.
The program has a standard duration of 11 weeks, including 2 weeks of pre-reading, 3 in-classroom (online) sessions, and an optional 6-week assessment period.
The program consists of three courses:
- Governance for Directors
- Risk and Strategy for Directors
- Finance for Directors.
On completion of the third online classroom session, participants will be provided with an opportunity to complete a 90 minute, 30 question multiple choice quiz covering content from all three days.
This opportunity is only open to:
- CEOs, Executive Directors and General Managers, Board Members or those in an equivalent role (as well as staff acting as the Board secretariat) from arts organisations
- small-to-medium arts organisations, Multi-Year Investment organisations and National Performing Arts Partnership Framework organisations with less than $800,000 in annual funding from Australia Council .
Only organisations may apply for this opportunity. You must be an Australian based organisation.
You can’t apply if:
- you are an individual
- you are an NPAPF organisation in receipt of more than $800,000 in annual funding from Australia Council.
- you have undertaken previous training with the Australian Institute of Company Directors or equivalent training
- you have an overdue grant report
- you owe money to the Australia Council
- you are applying as a group.
If you are an individual not currently on a board you may be eligible for the Governance Training for Individuals opportunity.
See the FAQS below to understand any applicable costs to your organisation.
Applications will be reviewed and assessed by Australia Council staff. Your application will be based on merit, response to the selection criteria below, and in line with Australia Council’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Selection Criteria:
- Timeliness and relevance of the training opportunity to your organisation.
- The impact the proposed activity will have on your organisation.
- Commitment to implementing learnings for the sustainability of the arts sector.
Frequently asked questions
We are supporting a number of fully subsidised (free) places in this course for small-to-medium organisations with less than $2M annual turnover.
Multi-year Investment organisations who are successful will be required to contribute 50% of the course cost ($1174.50). Multi-year Investment organisations have the option to apply for second, 50% subsidised place within the one application.
NPAPF organisations will receive one fully subsidised place and will be required to cover the full cost of an additional participant ($2349).
Alternatively, organisations seeking to secure a place with arts and creative industries peers can cover the cost. For more information about paid places, please email leadershipprogram@creative.gov.au.
Organisations can nominate 1 person to attend the course.
Multi-year Investment organisations can request an additional second place in the course. A second place is subject to applicable costs and availability. See above under “How much does it cost” for more.
NPAPF organisations must nominate 1 executive staff member and 1 board member to attend the training, and will be required to cover the full cost of the second place in the course. See above under “How much does it cost” for more.
Please also note the information about the staff and board members who are eligible to attend the course under “Eligibility”.
We are working with the AICD’s Board Advance team to offer this course specifically for creative industries professionals.
Online. The Course will be delivered online utilising Zoom video conferencing technology and appropriate technology capabilities are required.
A link to access each Online facilitation session will be made available to Participants in the MyLearning “My Courses” page.
This course is digitally accessible. Please get in touch if you have any specific access requirements.
Applicants must be available for an induction session on the first day of the course period as well as three days of the online teaching and have capacity to undertake the pre-reading and preparation in the two months leading up to the course date.
Pre-reading of course notes is required to support your full participation in the course. The reading is extensive and requires 20-30 hours to complete.
During the three days of the online teaching the hours will be 11am – 6:30pm AEDT.
The course will be delivered by expert facilitators from the AICD faculty with directorship experience in a similar sector or industry.
The learning approach takes the form of a series of facilitated discussions and interactive case studies that consolidate understanding.
For any questions or further information please email leadershipprogram@creative.gov.au or call +61 2 9215 9058.