Clore Leadership Programme
A United Kingdom leadership-development programme for professionals working across the cultural sector.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Clore Leadership Programme is a United Kingdom-based professional development programme focused on strengthening leadership in the cultural sector. It was established by the Clore Duffield Foundation in the early 2000s, with the programme generally dated to 2002 and its public launch described as taking place in 2003. Its creation reflected the Foundation's wider interest in cultural infrastructure, education and leadership, alongside support for museums, galleries, performing-arts organisations and other public cultural institutions. The programme's central offering is the Clore Fellowship, a selective, individually tailored development experience for cultural professionals. Approximately 25 Fellows are selected in a typical year, although the precise cohort size may vary. The principal fellowship lasts approximately seven to eight months and combines formal learning with practical experience, reflection and personal support. Core development areas have included fundraising, media training, financial planning and personal development. Fellows also undertake extended secondments with organisations outside their previous professional experience, allowing them to observe different institutional cultures, management systems and approaches to public engagement. A distinctive feature of the programme is its emphasis on individual development plans rather than a uniform management curriculum. Each Fellow receives support from a mentor and individual coaching, while the secondment and research elements are shaped around the participant's professional objectives. Following completion of the fellowship, Fellows may submit a research proposal. Qualifying research has been supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council and supervised by a higher-education institution, extending the programme beyond short-term training into structured inquiry and sector learning. Since 2006, the Clore Leadership Programme has also provided shorter courses for a wider group of participants. These intensive residential courses condense elements of the Clore approach into approximately two weeks and make leadership development available beyond the main fellowship cohort. The programme has additionally offered training for board members and trustees of cultural organisations, recognising that effective governance is part of institutional leadership rather than solely an executive responsibility. The programme has become associated with leadership development across museums, galleries, theatres, heritage organisations, broadcasting, dance and other cultural fields. Its alumni network includes senior figures such as Maria Balshaw, director of Tate; Gus Casely-Hayford, a curator and cultural historian; Nick Merriman, director of Manchester Museum; Kenneth Tharp, chief executive of The Place; Erica Whyman, chief executive of Northern Stage; and Kathleen Soriano, an independent curator, writer and broadcaster. These alumni illustrate the programme's cross-disciplinary reach, although participation does not imply that the programme employs or represents them. Leadership of the programme has changed over time. Chris Smith, formerly the United Kingdom's Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, was its founding director. Sue Hoyle succeeded him in July 2008. Hilary S. Carty became executive director in September 2017, and Sir John Tusa has been identified as chair. The programme is associated with the Clore Duffield Foundation, a UK registered charity formed in 2000 through the merger of the Clore Foundation and the Vivien Duffield Foundation. The programme is a fellowship and training initiative rather than a conventional consumer brand, commercial product line or listed business.
History
The Clore Leadership Programme emerged from the Clore Duffield Foundation's long-running involvement in British cultural life. The Foundation was created in 2000 through the merger of the Clore Foundation and the Vivien Duffield Foundation. Vivien Duffield had assumed the chairmanship of the Clore Foundation in the United Kingdom and Israel after the death of her father, Charles Clore, in 1979. She subsequently established the Vivien Duffield Foundation in 1987. The merger brought together philanthropic resources that supported major cultural institutions, cultural education and, later, leadership development. The leadership programme was founded in 2002 and launched in 2003. Its purpose was to address leadership development for professionals working in the cultural sector, where management responsibilities often span artistic direction, public accountability, fundraising, governance and long-term institutional planning. Rather than functioning as a conventional business-school qualification, the programme was designed around professional practice, personal reflection and exposure to different organisational settings. Chris Smith served as the founding director. His previous experience as Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport gave the new programme a prominent connection to cultural policy and public institutions. The core Clore Fellowship developed into a selective seven- to eight-month programme, usually involving a cohort of about 25 Fellows. Each fellowship is tailored to the participant. Fellows undertake training in areas such as fundraising, media relations, financial planning and personal development, while also receiving mentoring and one-to-one coaching. Extended secondments are central to the model. Fellows spend time in organisations outside their previous professional experience, enabling them to test their assumptions and learn from different institutional arrangements. This cross-organisational element is particularly significant in the cultural sector, where museums, theatres, galleries, heritage bodies, broadcasters and arts organisations may have substantially different missions, revenue structures and governance systems. The programme also created a route into research. After completing a fellowship, participants may submit proposals for further investigation. Research projects supported through the programme have involved the Arts and Humanities Research Council and supervision by higher-education institutions. This feature allows individual learning to produce wider knowledge relevant to cultural management and leadership. In 2006, the programme broadened its reach through short courses. These intensive residential courses, lasting approximately two weeks, offered a concentrated version of the Clore experience to a larger number of participants. The programme has also provided development for boards and trustees of cultural organisations, extending its remit from individual executives to institutional governance. Leadership changed in July 2008, when Sue Hoyle succeeded Chris Smith as director. Hilary S. Carty became executive director in September 2017, while Sir John Tusa has been identified as chair. The programme's alumni include leaders and prominent practitioners such as Maria Balshaw, Gus Casely-Hayford, Nick Merriman, Kenneth Tharp, Erica Whyman and Kathleen Soriano. Their careers span museums, galleries, dance, theatre, curation, writing and broadcasting. The Clore Leadership Programme sits within a broader family of Clore Duffield Foundation initiatives. The Foundation also launched the Clore Social Leadership Programme in 2008, which focuses on leadership for social impact and works across sectors. Although related through the Foundation, the cultural-sector Clore Leadership Programme and Clore Social Leadership Programme are distinct initiatives. The available reference material does not establish a separate commercial ownership structure, listed status or financial model for the leadership programme. It is best understood as a philanthropic, fellowship-based leadership-development platform rather than a conventional commercial brand.
- 2017
Hilary S. Carty becomes executive director
[1]Hilary S. Carty takes up the executive director role in September.
- 2008
Sue Hoyle becomes director
[1]Sue Hoyle succeeds founding director Chris Smith in July.
- 2006
Short-course provision introduced
[1]The programme adds intensive residential courses to reach more participants beyond the annual fellowship cohort.
- 2003
Programme launched
[1]The leadership programme begins operating as a Foundation initiative for British cultural professionals.
- 2002
Programme founded
[1]The Clore Leadership Programme is founded to develop leaders and future leaders in the cultural sector.
- 2000
Clore Duffield Foundation is formed
[1]The Clore Foundation and Vivien Duffield Foundation merge to form the Clore Duffield Foundation, the philanthropic organisation associated with the programme.
Products and positioning
Selective, individually tailored leadership development for professionals and governing boards in the cultural sector, combining formal training with mentoring, coaching, secondments and research.
Leadership fellowship · 2002
Clore Fellowship
The flagship seven- to eight-month fellowship selects approximately 25 cultural professionals in a typical year. It combines tailored training, personal development, mentoring, individual coaching and extended secondments to organisations outside a Fellow's previous experience. The programme may also support post-fellowship research proposals involving the Arts and Humanities Research Council and higher-education supervision.
Residential leadership training · 2006
Clore Short Courses
Introduced from 2006, the short courses provide a more concentrated version of the Clore development experience. They are intensive residential programmes lasting approximately two weeks and are intended to extend access beyond the smaller annual fellowship group.
Governance development
Cultural Board and Trustee Training
The programme also provides development and training for members of boards and governing bodies of cultural organisations. This offering recognises that leadership capacity depends on both executive professionals and the trustees responsible for oversight, accountability and strategic direction.
Brand decisions
2008
Leadership transition from Chris Smith to Sue HoyleOtherBackground
Chris Smith had led the programme as its founding director since its establishment.
Action taken
Sue Hoyle succeeded Smith as director in July 2008.
Aftermath
The programme continued under new operational leadership while retaining its focus on cultural-sector leadership development.
2006
Expand from fellowships into short residential coursesStrategyBackground
The main fellowship provided intensive development for a relatively small annual cohort, creating a need for a format that could reach more cultural-sector participants.
Action taken
The programme introduced intensive two-week residential short courses based on elements of the Clore fellowship model.
Aftermath
The initiative broadened participation in Clore-style leadership development beyond the annual fellowship cohort.
Sources2 sources
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