Digital leadership in practice

For Meike Veldhuijsen, director of KOP (Kunstenaars Ontwikkel Platform, or ‘artists development platform’), the main reason to pursue digital transformation is to maintain contact with the organisation’s young target group. ‘Stichting KOP works with starting artists in the first five years after their graduation. To continue to reach and involve this group, digital transformation is vital. A core value of our organisation is community building: linking together makers, partners and other stakeholders. We are looking for ways to make these connections more systematic and more sustainable, for instance by setting up a digital database and an online community platform.’ 

Sharifa Balfour, director of Saba Archeological Center Foundation/Saba Heritage Center, similarly has the target group in mind, which in her case consists of the wider public: ‘My primary motivation for utilising digital tools and platforms is to enhance public access through our website, social media channels, and YouTube. I’m also committed to boosting engagement across these platforms while prioritising the preservation of Saba’s cultural heritage.’  

On Saba there is indeed another and urgent issue concerning the preservation of cultural heritage: ‘Future-proofing is a key focus, given Saba’s vulnerability to hurricanes and the increasing impact of climate change on weather patterns. These factors make the island more susceptible to natural disasters, [therefore] it’s crucial that the digitisation of Saba’s heritage and the use of technology become top priorities.’

A digital leader's skills

A leader in the cultural sector needs to have various competencies. But what are the specific skills required for digital leadership? Sharifa Balfour: ‘I place strong emphasis on strategic thinking, adaptability, and clear communication.’

Both Sharifa and Meike emphasise the importance of collaboration. For Meike this means working with networks and enlisting external expertise where necessary. Sharifa agrees: ‘Equally important to me is fostering collaboration by bringing together individuals with diverse digital skills and perspectives, and creating a space where experimentation and learning are valued.’

Finally, both directors note the importance of developing digital literacy, both for themselves and their team. Wilja Jurg, director of Tetem, also sees this as very important: ‘You need to make sure that the digital strategy is embedded in all parts of your organisation. One of our questions in performance interviews is: how are you dealing with the digital transformation? We give people room to develop and invest considerably in our staff’s competencies.’

Strengthening the mission

Wilja states that a digital strategy contributes to building an agile organisation. ‘It is very much to every cultural organisation’s benefit to have a robust digital strategy. It makes you more flexible, and adds a lot in terms of efficiency. One of the most important things is that it can help you become a principled, transparent and accountable organisation. And that’s something that both the public and the staff are entitled to expect.’

 Sharifa adds: ‘We align our digital initiatives and projects with our core mission by ensuring they serve the community and support education, engagement, and cultural connection. Our digital efforts act as a bridge for, enhancing, not replacing authentic cultural experiences. For our visitors, these tools improve accessibility and offer new ways to engage with our work. For Saban's in the diaspora, they provide a meaningful way to reconnect with their heritage and culture, no matter where they are in the world.’

Tips for digital leadership in the cultural sector

Digital transformation is not just about technology, it's primarily about people. Three directors share their insights and advice for those looking to strengthen their digital leadership. Their main message? Start small, think big, and above all, do it together.

Meike advises to start small. ‘Digital leadership can easily sound rather grand and technical, but you don’t need to turn everything upside down all at once. Start with what you need right now, or what you miss in your daily operations – and then build further from there. Small but concrete steps are often much more effective than grand plans that remain on the shelf.’

Sharifa also started with small, achievable projects and explains: ‘I also like to think strategically and sustainably about projects that may intersect with each other, and which kinds of equipment and digital programs are not only cost-effective for the organisation to purchase and use for many years to come, but can also be used for different projects.’

So start small and learn from that, recommends Wilja: ‘Research doesn’t need to culminate in success, it’s alright to fail, and you never know what it might lead to.’

The directors also point to the importance of working on the basis of your mission, and using this as a guideline for your digital development. They also mention the importance of the knowledge and skills that already are available within the organisation. As Sharifa says: ‘Most importantly, invest in your human resource: digital transformation is as much about culture and mindset as it is about technology.’ Meike: ‘Be sure to talk to people in your network. Ask colleagues how they use digital tools, and what works and what doesn’t. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel, and the best ideas are often closer at hand than you might think.’

Finally, two practical pieces of advice. Meike: ‘Include a paragraph about digital strategy in every project plan, by default. If you consider from the very start how digital tools can contribute to visibility, public reach or knowledge sharing, then it will quite naturally become a standard part of how you work.’

Wilja: ‘Of course it’s not enough just to have a digital strategy – the proof of the pudding is in the implementation. So you need to make sure that it is embedded in all parts of your organisation: in your policy, your performance figures, your people and the realisation.’