Public Conversations, Live from Oxford

We live in a world full of evolving ethical questions and dilemmas. Our cultural life reflects the society we live in. How do cultural leaders approach these questions and dilemmas today? What place do values have in navigating decision making? How do cultural leaders manage conflicts or tensions when they arise? How can vision and values align? 

A series of three public conversations with leaders from across the cultural landscape – independents, founders and leaders of major institutions exploring approaches to ethics and values in cultural production today.  

The events are curated and hosted by Kate McGrath, Artistic Director & CEO of Fuel, as part of her Visiting Fellowship with the Cultural Programme and Hertford College at Oxford University. The Visiting Fellowship offers artists and curators the chance to reflect on their practice, develop new work, and share it with a wider audience. Coinciding with Kate’s twentieth anniversary leading Fuel, this research and series of events provide a unique opportunity to reflect on the past, look ahead, and explore the evolving opportunities and challenges of cultural leadership today. 

Each conversation will also be recorded and released as a podcast, available on Fuel Digital and other digital platforms, ensuring these discussions reach an even wider audience. 

Co-produced by the Cultural Programme at Oxford University and Fuel. In partnership with Oxford Playhouse and other venues soon to be announced.  

How to begin?
Tuesday 3 June 2025, Oxford venue to be announced soon, 5:30pm

Starting from scratch takes a first step. But there are many routes to the same destination.  

What role do values play in setting the course towards a new vision and ensuring it resonates over time? In this conversation, we explore how principles can map a path for enduring organisations, exploring how pioneering leadership breaks new ground whilst staying true to core values. Guest speakers include Deborah Frances-White, stand-up comedian, screenwriter and The Guilty Feminist podcast host; Farooq Chaudhry OBE, Akram Khan Company Producing Director; Eero Vaara, Professor in Organisations and Impact, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. Chaired by Kate McGrath. Further guest speakers will be announced soon. 

This is a free event. Tickets will be available shortly. Please visit the Cultural Programme website here to access the booking link and sign up to their newsletter receive notifications as soon as tickets are released. 

National Service: leading institutions today
Tuesday 10 June, Oxford venue to be announced soon, 5:30pm

What does it mean to lead a national institution today? Join prominent cultural leaders for a candid conversation about balancing history with innovation and holding the tension between tradition and change. How do personal values sit in relationship with the responsibilities of institutional leadership? Guest speakers include Maria Balshaw, Director of Tate; John McGrath, Factory International Artistic Director & Chief Executive; Professor Michael Smets,  Senior Research Fellow of Green Templeton College and Professor of Management at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. Chaired by Kate McGrath. Further guest speakers will be announced soon. 

This is a free event. Tickets will be available shortly. Please visit the Cultural Programme website here to access the booking link and sign up to their newsletter receive notifications as soon as tickets are released. 

Leading Beyond Authority: Independent Leaders
Tuesday 17 June, Oxford Playhouse, 5:30pm

Independent leaders are crafting culture on their own terms, challenging conventions and redefining what’s possible. This conversation explores how independent leaders bring their values to their work, and how these values shape those collaborating with them at the forefront of change. Guest speakers include David Lan, Writer, Director and The Walk and The Heards Producer; Professor Emma Smith, Professor of Shakespeare Studies at Hertford College, University of Oxford. Chaired by Kate McGrath.  Further guest speakers will be announced soon. 

Please visit the Oxford Playhouse website for tickets here.