NAVIGATING THE STORM
a training workshop to develop a strategy for care, communication, and managing backlash.
WHAT IS IT?
This workshop aims to empower arts and cultural organisations and practitioners with the skills and confidence to confidently and safely programme and commission work which pushes boundaries, challenges ideas, and could potentially cause controversy, at a time when this feels increasingly risky due to cancel culture, social media backlash, and increasing social tensions. Through a series of resources, discussions and interacitve tasks participants will learn how they can ‘navigate the storm’ by:
building a care-focused stragegy to supporting artists, freelancers, and staff (particularly those from marginalised backgrounds who may be at greater risk of targetting);
Exploring ways to mitigate risks without compromising on the integrity of programming;
Offering a clear practical guide for what to do if the sh*t hits the fan.
WHO IS IT FOR?
This training session is aimed at professionals from across the arts sector. It offers a collaborative and 360 degree approach to mitigating and managing backlash which is most effective when bringing together artists, organisers, and staff from across departments. It is aimed at policy makers, artistic directors, venue programmers, comms and marketing teams, and those responsible for visitor services/front of house operations, as well as independent artists and producers.
TRAINING OPTIONS:
This training is adaptive, we are able to offer a ‘generic’ which is applicable to a range of different projects, organisations and scales of delivery without a fixed project in mind (this is well suited to venue training and local professional networks) or a project specific version which addresses the needs of a specific project.
We are also able to offer consultancy work around this including the development of specific resources.
To make an enquiry and to discuss your specific needs please get in touch via the website contact form.
TESTIMONIALS
Navigating the Storm was an incredibly useful piece of training that provided strategies for addressing and managing backlash in a thoughtful and effective manner. The session offered tangible guidance and actionable advice, empowering attendees to navigate challenging situations with confidence and care regardless of whether they were an organisation (large or small) or an independent artist. What stood out were the real-world examples shared, which grounded the discussion in relatable scenarios and demonstrated how these strategies can be successfully applied. It was both inspiring and reassuring to gain such clear and practical tools to handle resistance while maintaining a compassionate and constructive approach.
Ben Anderson, Creative & Executive Director, Lincoln Arts Centre
The Navigating the Storm workshop was a really insightful session, led by someone with lived experience of the topic being discussed. It has given us very clear actionable outcomes as an organisation and we will continue to work with Fatt Projects to draw on their wealth of experience.
Fay Lamb, Artistic Director, Wonder Arts