20 May Why the Artistic Director Job is Harder — and More Vital — Than Ever

Why the Artistic Director Job is Harder — and More Vital — Than Ever

A Role in Flux

Let’s be honest: being an Artistic Director right now isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s exhilarating, yes. But it’s also exhausting, complicated, and at times, deeply lonely. The ground beneath this role is shifting. And yet — it remains one of the most extraordinary and essential jobs in theatre.

The Artistic Directors I speak to — and the many I coach to lead through triumph and disaster — don’t pretend it’s easy. They talk about blurred boundaries, big responsibilities, and a relentless pace. They speak with deep love for their teams and their communities. And they carry the weight of leading in a sector under strain.

New Kinds of Leadership

One of the most striking changes? The financial landscape. It’s not just a backdrop anymore — it’s centre stage. Today’s Artistic Directors are expected to grapple with cash flow, budgets, governance, fundraising strategy and HR — often with little training and even less time.

Before becoming an AD, Justin Audibert learned to read spreadsheets, understand budgets and interpret accounts by joining a board. Rachel Bagshaw works hand in glove with the Unicorn’s development department, having lunches with key donors, taking them to see work and writing letters. At Hightide, Clare Slater merged the Artistic Director and Executive Director roles to stretch limited resources further, directing more money to artists and work rather than infrastructure – a smart move for a small company, but one that speaks volumes about the pressures leaders are under.

Pursuing Balance

And then there’s the balancing act. Vision vs. viability. Innovation vs. infrastructure. The job demands constant switching — from spreadsheets to strategy, meetings to dramaturgical notes to last-minute crisis calls. Kate Wasserberg describes her weeks at Thear Clwyd as ricocheting between access planning, funding bids and dreaming with communities.

That kind of range takes presence. And stamina.

What’s perhaps most challenging, though, is the emotional labour. The sense of being publicly accountable for decisions made in complex, messy, moving systems. The impact of social media. The impossible standards. The nights spent staring at the ceiling wondering how to make ends meet or hold a team together through another curveball. And still holding onto the hope, the belief, that it will all be worth it in the end.

The Power of Perseverance

Because for all of this, Artistic Directors stay. They stay because they believe in the work. In the artists. In what theatre can do when it’s firing on all cylinders.

Lisa Spirling cherishes having made a ‘home’ at Theatre503 — for writers, for audiences, for ideas. Liz Stevenson finds reward in the relationships she has built at Theatre by the Lake and ideas she has nurtured finally come to fruition.

That instinct to build something nourishing – a space where magic, connection and, yes, transformation can happen? It’s the heartbeat of this job.

It’s also why the role continues to evolve. More joint leadership models. More flexible approaches. More conversations about how we support each other in this work.

Five Practical Ways Boards Can Support Artistic Directors

Recruiting an Artistic Director isn’t just about selecting the right candidate — it’s about creating the right conditions for them to succeed. Here are five practical steps boards can take to strengthen the process and better support future leaders.

1. Treat Recruitment as a Two-Way Process

Candidates should be assessing you as much as you’re assessing them. Be transparent about the organisation’s current position — including financial health, staffing and recent challenges. Provide access to accounts, opportunities to attend performances and time with key stakeholders – including the Chair and senior team. Also, be open to less traditional candidates or leadership structures. The right person may not look like previous post-holders.

2. Support Crucial Relationships from the Start

Strong working relationships are essential. Boards should actively support and invest in building the Artistic Director–Executive Director partnership, recognising how interdependent those roles are. The Artistic Director also needs a Chair who is clearly on their side — offering honest advice, asking good questions, and backing their leadership. Consider how you’ll maintain regular, constructive communication post-hire.

3. Back Their Role in Fundraising and Financial Strategy

Financial pressure is one of the biggest challenges Artistic Directors face. Look for candidates who understand fundraising and are willing to be directly involved. Then make sure they have what they need to succeed — whether that’s board introductions, messaging support, or time to build relationships with funders and donors. Artistic leadership now includes financial advocacy — but boards must be ready to amplify their voices.

4. Encourage Sustainable Working Practices

This is a demanding role with high expectations and limited resources. Boards should help Artistic Directors manage competing priorities by protecting time for strategic thinking, creating space for peer support, and encouraging clear boundaries. Consider leadership models that allow for delegation, co-leadership, or greater flexibility, especially to support those with caring responsibilities or access needs.

5. Look for the Right Balance of Vision and Delivery

You’re hiring someone who can hold a big artistic vision and manage the day-to-day. During recruitment, assess candidates’ ability to lead teams, manage budgets, and take responsibility for outcomes. Ask practical questions, set real-world tasks, and bring in a range of perspectives to the panel — including external artistic leaders and those with non-theatre backgrounds — to help make balanced, informed decisions. Just don’t over-do it…

Thinking About taking on the Role of Artistic Director? Start Here.

So, if you’re thinking about this role — or if it’s quietly calling you — here’s what current leaders want you to know:

• Get to know the whole building.Spend time in fundraising, production, box office, board meetings. The best preparation is breadth.
• Do your homework.Understand the company’s past, its finances, its community. You’re not just applying for a job — you’re stepping into a story.
• Bring specifics.In interviews, don’t just say you’re strategic — show them how you’ve made tough decisions, changed course, or learned from failure.
• Ask questions.An interview is as much about you choosing them. Will you be supported? Will your values align?
• Build your circle.Mentors, peers, collaborators. You’ll need them — to remind you who you are when the pressure mounts.
• Pace yourself.You can’t give your best if you’re burnt out. Take rest seriously. Take joy seriously.

Artistic Directors of the Future – We Need You

What we need now are Artistic Directors who are brave enough to care — and skilled enough to hold the centre while everything shifts. That takes guts. It takes craft. And it takes community.

The job is hard. But for the right person, in the right moment, with the right board support? It’s a calling. A privilege. And yes, a joy.

George Perrin MBE is a Coach for Arts Professionals and former Artistic Director of Paines Plough.

He runs the UK’s only dedicated Artistic Director coaching and training scheme – The 7 Priorities Programme.

The next cohort of 15 runs from July to December 2025. Find out more and sign up here: https://george-perrin-coaching.myflodesk.com/7-priorities-programme