Adaptable and Flexible: Leadership Qualities of Artists

Let's Create: Do We Know How To?

In this episode Naomi talks to the freelance artist Kelly Green. Kelly reflects on how she is constantly being adaptable and flexible in her practice when co-creating. She talks about how she is in a state of high alert, observing and anticipating what is going on in a group. There is a discussion about how being adaptable and flexible shows up in the body; what happens when things go wrong and feelings of panic or dread show up for the artist leading the session. She is constantly ten steps ahead in a session, anticipating what might happen.

Kelly talks about the use of taking a break during a session when things start to go in an unanticipated direction, or the feeling in the room changes to something that doesn't feel safe. She reflects on the importance of having a tool box of things that you can do in any given moment that you can freely dip into, as things shift and evolve in the room.

There is a discussion about the importance of this quality in order to lead co-creation effectively, in order to really listen and really co-create in a community setting. There is a risk that if everyone tries to do co-created work that the quality suffers and the impact on people participating can be bad. Kelly argues that it is hugely skilful to co-create and that you are embodying more than one quality simultaneously, that it is a hugely skilful role to play.

Kelly describes the way that she responds to people in the room and what they offer. Their stories, the images they bring and their desires for what they want to do. She responds to people each week and really enjoys the process of collaborating in this way.

Naomi Alexander is the CEO and Artistic Director of Brighton People's Theatre . Her AHRC funded research Let's Create: Do we know how to? identified 20 qualities, skills and responsibilities that are important for artists leading co-creative practice. The report and illustrations are available here.
X: https://twitter.com/naomi_ontheatre

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Kelly Green is a Freelance Artist. You can find out more about her work here: https://www.kellyg.net/

X: https://twitter.com/kellygCHAV
IG: https://www.instagram.com/kellygchav/

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