These are the main qualities that artists involved in the research identified as most important for effective leadership of co-creative processes.
We define qualities as ways of being that an artist embodies whilst leading.
Open and Humble
Almost every person involved in the research process talked about the importance of being both open and humble whilst leading co-creative processes.
These qualities were deemed to be absolutely essential to effective leadership, in order to give space for non-professional artists to develop their own creative ideas. The professional artist leading the co-creative process has to be open to creative influences from everyone in the room.
Grounded and Energetic
Many research participants talked about the significance of the energy that artists use when leading a co-creative practice.
This varied across art forms with people working in performing arts placing more emphasis on this than those working in visual arts. Artists talked about the need for energy to be both grounded and expansive.
Empathy and Care for others
Almost all of the artists talked about the need for care and empathy with the non-professional artists in the creative process as fundamental qualities that artistic leaders need to embody.
Particularly for artists leading group processes in the performing arts there was a sense of taking great care of everyone in the room and being aware of connecting with them in a careful way.
Adaptable and Flexible
All the artists talked about the importance of being adaptable and flexible in the work.
We know that for any co-creative process, it’s not possible to predict the artistic product, but all the artists talked about the importance of adapting and flexing the artistic process around the people who are on the journey with you.
True to Yourself
Many artists talked about the importance of being authentic, or true to who you are.
Because there is a lack of training and support for artists in co-creative practice, people talked about a draw that can exist to deliver the work in the way that you have seen someone else deliver it. This doesn’t work.
Artists need time to discover who they are when leading co-creative practice so that the way they lead is congruent with who they are.
Patient
A couple of artists mentioned the importance of patience as an underrated quality that is especially important in a co-creative process.
People work at different speeds and it’s important not to rush the process or non-professional artists who may have many competing demands on their time and less training/understanding of the art form.
