Australian arts leaders debate optimal tenure lengths amid sector challenges

ArtsHub surveyed Australian artists and arts workers on how long arts leaders should stay in their roles, revealing consensus and divergent views. Many criticize the typical four-year term for state festival directors as too short to achieve measurable results, with suggestions of five to eight years. Conversely, overly long tenures (averaging 10.9 years for small-to-medium performing arts artistic directors) can cause stagnation and block career progression for younger artists. Some argue the focus should be on performance and relevance rather than duration, while others highlight that long tenures can consolidate taste and access, leading to informal gatekeeping. Recent Australian fixed-term contract legislation (effective December 2023) limits contracts to two years, complicating longer appointments. Regional and community contexts often require longer leadership for trust-building. The debate includes recent departures: Sydney Dance Company's Rafael Bonachela (2028 after 19 years), Dancenorth's Kyle Page and Amber Haines (2025 after 11 years), and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra's Sophie Galaise (2024 under controversy).