What life is really like as an artistic director

Running your own arts company is a dream job for many but it's not all champagne openings and calling the shots. Four of those who have made it to the top share the challenges of actually doing the job.
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Training as an actor or designer does little to prepare artistic directors for the non-stop challenge of leading a creative team, setting a strategic vision; answering to board members and managing budgets.

As Stephen Page, Artistic Director, Bangarra Dance Theatre, told a packed audience at the Sydney Opera House, this week: ‘You don’t go to university for this sort of job.’ 

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Christine Long
About the Author
Christine Long is a Sydney freelance journalist.