GATHERINGS IN ARTS LEADERSHIP
As part of the Rozsa Foundation’s ongoing commitment to supporting arts leaders and empowering them on their journey, we will be offering two convening opportunities for 2025/2026 under the umbrella program Gatherings in Arts Leadership: Retreat and Nourish.
We invite you to apply for either or both of these convenings at the bottom of the page before Friday, July 4, 2025.
RETREAT
Presented in
partnership with
THE FLANAGAN FOUNDATION
In collaboration with
Retreat provides an opportunity for leaders tasked with the management of business operations for Alberta-based arts organizations (Executive & Managing Directors, General Managers, Senior Directors, etc.) to convene, converse, learn, reflect, and rejuvenate at an eight-day retreat that prioritizes their individual needs and takes place amidst the restorative and replenishing backdrop of the Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity. Retreat will take place from September 7th to 14th, 2025. All costs for the retreat, including travel, accommodation, meals, and activities, are covered for all participants.
Arts leaders are facing a time of immense and complex challenges. Burnout is a constant reality, and leaders struggle to keep up with the ever-increasing demands of the job, never mind finding time to contemplate the bigger picture, plan for the future, or dream about what could be. Space for personal reflection and rejuvenation is rare.
Retreat is an attempt to begin addressing these challenges by bringing together a cohort of leaders of Alberta arts organizations of various disciplines and organization sizes to the Banff Centre for eight days that will provide convening and learning opportunities, as well as time and space to undertake personal reflection and rejuvenation.
The formal programming of the retreat will be minimal, consisting of short daily convenings, the content of which will be informed by the participants’ input ahead of time. Mealtimes will be shared, providing opportunities for casual conversation between participants, and open workspaces will be available throughout the rest of the day. In addition, optional artistic encounters and social activities will be made available to participants.
Beyond this light agenda, time at the retreat will belong to the participants to use as they see fit. They may choose to rest or engage in outdoor activities, focus on longer-term challenges within their organizations, or embark on a project that has been sitting on the back burner. There are no expected outcomes for participants beyond those they set for themselves.
Central to this initiative is the notion of this being a retreat, one that fuels these arts leaders in whatever way suits their needs. The only requests of the participants will be that they participate in the daily convenings and provide feedback through an end-of-retreat evaluation, which will inform the iteration of the retreat for future years.
NOURISH
Nourish is a series of gatherings and group coaching opportunities where experienced arts leaders break bread and connect to collectively break down the challenges of the moment. In this cohort-based offering, participants will be invited to share insights, experiences and knowledge, while sharing a meal, with the aim of cultivating practice and capacity around complex questions. The costs for these meals, which will take place in Calgary, will be covered for all participants.
Arts leaders increasingly feel as though their work happens in silos, with little connection and access to those in similar positions at other organizations. Nourish will bring together experienced arts managers and leaders across a mix of disciplines and organization sizes to develop new connections and build new support networks.
Jennifer DeDominicis, Rozsa Foundation Organizational Strategy Advisor and Certified Organizational Coach, will lead the sessions, and other featured speakers may be invited to participate as additional presenters. Resources will also be shared to support learning and ongoing development.
Nourish will consist of four Monday-evening meals over the next year: September 29th, 2025, November 17th, 2025, January 19th, 2026, and March 16th, 2026. Participants must be available to attend all dates.
Arts leaders can express their interest in attending either of the Gatherings in Arts Leadership by completing the short form by Friday, July 4th, 2025. We expect there to be more interest than we can accommodate - cohorts will be crafted by mid-July based on alignment of desired session themes and the perceived benefit of the Gatherings to the participants.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Rozsa Foundation Executive Director Simon Mallett at simon@rozsafoundation.com.