cohort 4 | 2025
7 priorities programme
A transformational journey for aspiring Artistic Directors, catapulting you to cultural leadership.
Get ready to lead…
You’ve set your sights on a career as an Artistic Director.
Perhaps preparing to apply for the theatre you’re destined to run.
Or maybe you've already begun and you want to make the best start possible.
You know you have the vision, you believe in your work, you’re hungry and humble enough to learn the rest…
but what is the rest ?
How are you going to prepare yourself for everything they don’t tell you in the interview?
You might be ready for the known unknowns; but what about the unknown unknowns?
In your first year as an Artistic Director, one of the greatest challenges is knowing what to focus on next; what to prioritise.
That’s what this programme will prepare you for.
The 7 Priorities Programme™ guides you through everything you will need to know, from the moment you apply, to the end of your first year as an Artistic Director:
PREPARATION
Get perspective. Ask the right questions. Decode documentation.
PURPOSE
Inspire with vision. Set goals. Empower contribution.
PEOPLE
Establish trust. Build relationships. Strengthen teamwork.
PROGRAMMING
Inherited programme. Your first season. Seeding future programmes.
PLANNING
Evolve strategies. Embed culture. Review finance, processes & policies.
PRODUCTIVITY
Collaborative producing. Decision-making & problem-solving. Effective Communication.
PROGRESS
Measure progress. Navigate change. Celebrate success.
A six-month coaching and training programme comprising eight hours of training sessions / inter-session tasks / real-world case studies / online space for peer-to-peer learning / one-to-one coaching session with George
HOW does it work?
The 7 Priorities Programme™ is 6 months of live online thematic training sessions and inter-session tasks arranged around your other commitments.
The Programme runs twice a year:
COHORT 1 - January to June
COHORT 2 - July to December
Session dates will be finalised once each cohort has been filled - replays are available.
WAITING LIST: If your preferred cohort is sold out, book for a future cohort and email me requesting to be added to the waiting list for your first choice cohort.
I will then notify you if a space becomes available.
Beyond the programme - a whole new community
Invest today in The 7 Priorities Programme and you'll join a ready-made network of over 200 arts professionals already engaging inside our Coaching Community.
everything you need to succeed
Become the Artistic Director you know you can be.
Bring your vision to reality. LET's begin.
£66.50 per month
(6 monthly payments totalling £399. cancel anytime)
Sign up now to join the next available cohort
a unique six-month training and coaching programme that gives you…
★ A full overview of the Artistic Director's role and responsibilities.
★ Insight into which skills and experiences you already possess to do the role well.
★ Practical tools to take away and implement immediately or learn more about.
★ Real world case-studies that show what life is like for an Artistic Director today.
★ Guidance and Support, working within a structured system and like-minded community.
★ A bespoke coaching session, to provide 1-1 feedback personalised to you.
JOIN the next cohort and gain a FAST-GROWING COMMUNITY of likeminded creatives
Meet your host
george perrin mbe
Hi, I’m George, a Coach for arts professionals and the creator of The 7 Priorities Programme for aspiring Artistic Directors.
For 20 years, I was a Theatre Director and Joint Artistic Director of Paines Plough, the UK’s national theatre of new plays. I toured globally, worked with incredible writers and actors, built the world’s first pop-up amphitheatre, and even received a medal from the Queen.
It was only once I stepped down from 2 decades of Cultural Leadership and launched my coaching consultancy that I realised how much I'd learned about how - and how not - to be an Artistic Director.
So, armed with a commitment to demystifying the role and passionate about the power of great Artistic Leadership, I set about designing the UK's first dedicated training programme for Artistic Directors.
And here it is - ready to help you be the Artistic Director you are capable of being.
I look forward to working with you.
George
got a question?
Who is this for?
Freelance theatre directors, creative producers and artists curious about cultural leadership - as well as those already in Artistic Director roles looking to learn new skills or grow in confidence.
What's included?
This is a six-month long programme. The cohort meets online via Google Meet for 90 minutes, once a month, usually on a Friday morning. In between sessions there are tasks and chats online.
What will I learn about?
The programme is built around 7 themes; Preparation, Purpose, People, Programming, Planning, Productivity, and Progress. These are the seven priorities - areas of focus - for an Artistic Director.
What is the format of the sessions?
Each session combines a presentation, practical frameworks, real-world examples and break-out conversations between participants. We end with a session summary and inter-session task.
What if I can't make a session?
All sessions are recorded and shared in the group to watch back later. Slides are also made available in advance of each session. The conversation continues online in between sessions.
The next cohort of The 7 Priorities Programme™ starts in July…
sign up today and secure your place amongst our next cohort
what people are saying
tom bellerby
The 7 Priorities Programme gave me a space to really reflect and mediate on the craft of Artistic Direction.
I took part when I'd just taken on my first AD role and the fortnightly sessions and provocations that came out of these provided me with an incredibly valuable way to process my experiences and help shape my actions in the first few months of the job.
katherine kotz
George's 7 Priorities Programme should be compulsory for anyone considering a career as an artistic director.
The content is rich and wide-ranging; a winning combination of practical tools and frameworks, and invaluable insights gained through real-life experience as an AD. Highly recommend to anyone considering joining - don't hesitate!
bethan tomlinson
I joined the course as I started a new leadership role and there were so many take-aways to implement in the work from the very first session.
The tone of the online space was perfectly pitched so that the group formed a close yet professional bond really quickly and we were able to share our journeys feeling fully supported.
The UK's only dedicated coaching and training programme for aspiring artistic directors
coach & community creator for ARTS PROFESSIONALS