Leadership Lab – Sydney
When
Thursday 26 November 2026Where
Parramatta Town Hall, 182 Church St, Parramatta, NSW 2150Leadership Lab – Sydney
Date: Thursday 26 November 2026
Time: 9:30am-6pm (AEDT)
Venue: Parramatta Town Hall, 182 Church St, Parramatta
Registration closes: 5pm (AEDT), Thursday 19 November 2026.
Register now
Leadership Lab – Sydney is a free, one-day, in-person event designed to support artists and arts workers to tackle the complex, systemic challenges across the arts and culture sector.
A cross between a workshop and a conference, the Leadership Lab helps you better understand the system you’re working in, connect with peers in generative ways, and identify small but powerful actions you can test to create change.
For our Sydney Lab, we are working with Akala Newman, a Wiradjuri/Gadigal multidisciplinary performer, songwriter, educator, and cultural producer, and Paula Abood, cultural worker and educator, writer and creative producer to select local presenters and facilitators. A full list of presenters and program schedule will be announced in the coming weeks.
Speakers
Host and facilitator: Ananth Gopal, Polykala
Keynote: Nithya Nagarajan
Presenters: Anna Powell (Collaboration for Impact), Euan Black (TACSI) and Katt Osborne + Shona Erskine (AFOCAL). More to come.
Independent artist support
If you are an independent artist, you can apply for a bursary of $500 to support you to attend the Leadership Lab. There are 10 bursaries available to apply for when you register for the event. We will allocate bursaries on a random basis.
Accessibility
This event will have a range of access supports available including:
- quiet room
- visual story (guide to access features of the venue and event)
- adjustable lighting
- air conditioning.
If you have other access needs such as captions, notetaking or Auslan interpreting, please let us know when you register. We work with you to support your access needs.
Access support payments
If you experience barriers to attending because you identify as a person with disability or who is d/Deaf, we can provide some financial support for access costs you might have so you can attend this event. For example: costs of Uber/taxi to get to the venue, support workers or childcare. You can request this support when you register for the event.
FAQs
Who is this for?
This event is for Sydney’s arts and culture community – we need lots of perspectives, networks and ideas in the room to help everyone make progress on the shared challenges. You might be an independent or working in an organisation, an artist or arts worker, in a formal leadership role or doing grass roots work in your community.
Is there a cost?
No, this event is free! You do need to register to attend. Registration closes 1 week before the event.
Do I need to apply to attend?
No, registration is open access on a first come, first served basis.
Is travel support available?
We are not able to provide travel support for this event. If you are an independent artist you can apply for a small bursary to support you to attend the event.
Will there be other Leadership Lab events?
Yes, we will host additional Leadership Lab events in 2027. Details will be shared early next year. To stay informed, subscribe to our weekly newsletter or our Leadership Program newsletter for updates from the Leadership Capability team.
We acknowledge the many Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and honour their Elders past and present.
We respect their deep enduring connection to their lands, waterways, and surrounding clan groups since time immemorial. We cherish the richness of First Nations peoples’ artistic and cultural expressions. We are privileged to gather on this Country and to share knowledge, culture and art, now and with future generations.
