The Salzburg Global Forum for Young Cultural Leaders will bring together fifty young cultural
leaders from around the world at Schloss Leopoldskron in Salzburg, Austria for an intensive
leadership development program. The Salzburg Global Seminar, a non-profit organization
known for its global convening power, and National Arts Strategies, a non-profit organization
based in Alexandria, Virginia and specializing in leadership development for the cultural
sector, are teaming on this program which will provide a unique learning opportunity for
“next generation” cultural leaders from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. The goal of this annual
forum is to help young practitioners improve their leadership skills to enable them and their
cultural organizations to thrive in a field characterized by rapid change, uncertainty, and
limited resources. At the same time, the forum is intended to enhance international
understanding and cultural exchange and to strengthen the cultural sector worldwide
through a vital global network of young cultural leaders.
Co-Chairs:
Russell Willis Taylor, President and CEO, National Arts Strategies, Alexandria, Virginia,
United States
Mulenga Kapwepwe, Chairperson, National Arts Council, Lusaka, Zambia
Purpose and Objectives
Young cultural leaders represent and will drive the future of the cultural sector. It is their
vision, talent, energy, enthusiasm, and embracing of risk that will sustain and advance the
cultural life of our societies. The purpose of offering a leadership development program
precisely for these creative agents of change is to provide them with an opportunity for selfreflection,
professional inspiration, and intellectual renewal. The session is designed to give
the young cultural leaders a framework within which to seek answers to a series of
questions: What does it mean to be a cultural leader in this day and age? What are the
global and local contexts within which we as young cultural leaders are working? What
challenges are our cultural organizations facing? Why do the arts matter and how can we
communicate this within our communities? As young cultural leaders, how can we effect
change?
Together, the fifty young cultural leaders will seek answers to these questions and more,
share insights and learn from each other as well as from mentors and thought leaders who
will join the group in Salzburg. Over the course of the session, they will articulate their
visions for the future, evaluate the scope and scale of their missions, reflect on creating
value through their work, and hone their leadership skills. In the process, they will gather
strength, encouragement, and practical advice from international experts and their fellow participants, so as to return to their organizations with renewed commitment, a broadened
and more nuanced world view, and sharpened expertise.
