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Blog

  • Innovation, experimenting and celebrating in the arts
    Posted on Apr 7, 2022
    Actors from the museum-based theatre show Before the Wall The twelfth in a series of essays reflecting on the Rimbaud and Verlaine Foundation’s experiences in the arts The Rimbaud and Verlaine Foundation (‘R&V’) has pursued consistent strategies as an arts organisation over the last 7 years and, in a series of essays, I have reflected on the many lessons learned by it in the process. However, the projects and activities which have given me most professional satisfaction, and which have felt most exciting, do not necessarily fit neatly under a particular heading or objective. These projec…
  • Encouraging good corporate governance
    Posted on Apr 4, 2022
    An ancient Greek temple at Segesta in Sicily The eleventh in a series of essays reflecting on the Rimbaud and Verlaine Foundation’s experiences in the arts Over the last 20 years I have helped to establish and then worked closely as CEO with the boards of both the arts organisations which I have founded (the Rimbaud and Verlaine Foundation and Poet in the City). I have also been a trustee myself on the boards of several other arts organisations including Poet in the City, Modern Poetry in Translation, the Museum of Army Music and the Decadence Research Centre. In 2015 I was also fortunate en…
  • Using the arts for corporate learning and development
    Posted on Mar 31, 2022
    Graffiti image of Arthur Rimbaud The tenth in a series of essays reflecting on the Rimbaud and Verlaine Foundation’s experiences in the arts The Rimbaud and Verlaine Foundation (‘R&V’) and its sister organisation (Poet in the City) have both been involved in using the arts for the purposes of corporate learning and development. This is a difficult area, in which competition from commercial training providers is fierce. What is clear, however, is that the arts provide some unique advantages in addressing workplace-related issues in a fresh and thought-provoking way. If used properly they …
  • Networking on behalf of the arts
    Posted on Mar 29, 2022
    Paul Revere's Ride The ninth in a series of essays reflecting on the Rimbaud and Verlaine Foundation’s experiences in the arts The growth of a small or medium sized arts organisation (SME) is disproportionately dependent on effective networking. Only by physically embodying the organisation and introducing yourself to an eclectic cross-section of people and institutions can a new arts brand hope to make headway. The Rimbaud and Verlaine Foundation (‘R&V’) has been no exception to this, and has benefited greatly from the power of networking. In this essay I shall explore my own experience…
  • Building an arts community
    Posted on Mar 24, 2022
    The eighth in a series of essays reflecting on the Rimbaud and Verlaine Foundation’s experiences in the arts The Rimbaud and Verlaine Foundation (‘R&V’) has, just like its predecessor and sister organisation (Poet in the City) been established on the basis of a community-driven model for the arts, and such a model is arguably now essential for a small or medium-sized arts organisation (SME). In this essay I shall explore what we mean by a ‘community’ in this context and how this can be used as the basis not only for the sourcing of content and recruitment of audiences, but also for demo…
  • Ideas leadership, advocacy and influence in the arts
    Posted on Mar 21, 2022
    Pope’s Urn, Twickenham The seventh in a series of essays reflecting on the Rimbaud and Verlaine Foundation’s experiences in the arts The Rimbaud and Verlaine Foundation (‘R&V’) was itself born out of the 10 years’ worth of experience which I gained at its sister organisation (Poet in the City). In both cases the organisation had to innovate from the start and to learn lessons. This was partly about finding a way to survive and grow but it was also about trying to find new and better ways for the arts to function and to thrive. It was about testing the existing assumptions about the arts…
  • International partnerships and collaborations
    Posted on Mar 17, 2022
    Prague The sixth in a series of essays reflecting on the Rimbaud and Verlaine Foundation’s experiences in the arts The Rimbaud and Verlaine Foundation (‘R&V’) was formally launched in 2014 at a special event held in a grand building overlooking Place Vendôme in Paris, with many French guests in attendance, including a representative of the Mayor of Paris. As an arts organisation inspired by two French 19th century poets R&V was from the start committed to international partnerships and collaborations. At the beginning R&V made a rather elementary mistake. We had always regarded …
  • Exploring the digital opportunity for the arts
    Posted on Mar 15, 2022
    Rock for Rimbaud concerts The fifth in a series of essays reflecting on the Rimbaud and Verlaine Foundation’s experiences in the arts The existence of the Rimbaud and Verlaine Foundation (‘R&V’) and of its sister organisation (Poet in the City) have coincided almost exactly with the digital revolution, and the development of both of these new arts organisations was probably only possible because of the major changes taking place over the last 20 years. Suddenly it was possible to communicate electronically with thousands of people at minimal cost and to forge them into an online communi…
  • Developing a new business model for the arts
    Posted on Mar 11, 2022
    Scale Model of No 8 Royal College Street The fourth in a series of essays reflecting on the Rimbaud and Verlaine Foundation’s experiences in the arts Since at least 2010 it has been clear that the arts are facing a severe funding challenge. When the Rimbaud and Verlaine Foundation (‘R&V’) was established in 2014 one of its ambitions was to explore and develop new business models for the arts. In doing so it was also building on the experience of its sister organisation (Poet in the City) which had been developed between 2006 and 2014 as a successful example of what is usually called a ‘m…
  • Developing new audiences for the arts
    Posted on Mar 10, 2022
    Performers at the National Centre for Circus Arts The third in a series of essays reflecting on the Rimbaud and Verlaine Foundation’s experiences in the arts The Rimbaud and Verlaine Foundation (‘R&V’) has always sought to expand audiences for the arts and has given much thought to how this is best achieved. It has been operating during a period of unprecedented technological change in the way audiences are communicated with, and in how their information is gathered and used. However, whatever technology is used, the starting point is always information capture. And the overall objective…
  • Programming live arts events in a digital age
    Posted on Mar 10, 2022
    The second in a series of essays reflecting on the Rimbaud and Verlaine Foundation’s experiences in the arts The Rimbaud and Verlaine Foundation (‘R&V’) has established a great reputation for programming high quality arts content, including original commissions, calculated to appeal to audiences in a digital age. In doing so it drew to some extent of the experience I gained as founder and CEO of its sister organisation, Poet in the City. Whilst there I developed a kind of ‘magazine style’ format for events. Rather than simply being a poetry reading or performance, an event was a careful…
  • Creating an arts brand of unimpeachable integrity
    Posted on Mar 10, 2022
    Rihanna in Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets The first in a series of essays reflecting on the Rimbaud and Verlaine Foundation’s experiences in the arts In developing the logo and identity of the Rimbaud and Verlaine Foundation (‘R&V’) the objective has been to create a brand of unimpeachable integrity and a symbol of creativity and dynamism in the arts. This essay will discuss the thinking behind its development and use. R&V was established in response to a legacy gift of the property at No 8 Royal College Street in Camden, formerly occupied by the French poets Arthur Rimb…