Leading Collaborative Governance in the Cultural. Sector: The Participatory Cases of Korean Arts Organizations

Governance research in the arts has focused predominantly on boards of directors and organizational dynamics. By incorporating a wider view of governance as a process involving multiple actors and a concern for public benefits, this multi-level study connects the roles of arts organizations in collaborative cultural governance processes. By using an integrative framework for collaborative governance, the study derives data from case studies of two arts initiatives in Korea: Homeless Ballet Education and the Ecomuseum project on Daebu Island. The findings highlight the leadership behaviours of arts organizations and indicate key actors in the collaborative cultural governance. Autonomy, artistry and mutuality are found to meet the conditions under which arts organizations are likely to be lead organizations. However, collaborative governance calls for differing leadership roles, depending on the type of arts organization. This study not only makes a contribution regarding the under-researched link between arts organizations and collaborative governance but also provides insights into the role of arts and culture leadership in a complex social issue.