How does the Creative Partnership work?
Photo by Isaiah Tanenbaum from Flux’s production of Jason Tseng’s Rizing.
REMINDER: WHAT IS FLUX’S CREATIVE PARTNERSHIP?
Flux Theatre Ensemble is led by our Creative Partnership. As Creative Partners (CPs), we practice shared leadership through consensus-based decision-making, collectively held resources and labor, and artistic collaboration. There are no fixed executive or artistic director positions. Instead, CPs move in to and out of leadership roles depending on the project, with other CPs consenting to those temporary roles. In this way, the power of leadership is not fixed and exploitative, but rather relational and abundant—a resource we all contribute to and draw from. All major decisions are made through a voting process within the Creative Partnership.
HOW DOES THE CREATIVE PARTNERSHIP WORK?
It is committed: All CPs contribute meaningful leadership to the Ensemble. In Flux, leadership is a resource we all contribute to and draw from, and meaningful leadership looks different for each of us. Our leadership manifests through acts of artistry, care, labor, and laughter.
As a Creative Partner, you can expect to be in regular communication with other CPs. We hold one-hour virtual meetings once a week, bi-weekly Core Work creative sessions, and use Discord, email, text messages, and Google Docs as primary modes of communication. We hold a week-long Annual Retreat once a year at Little Pond.
We don’t expect CPs to attend everything, but rather trust each other to strike a balance that works best for each of us. CPs prioritize Flux, but never at the cost of their own wellness. Our Core Value of Collective Care means we value CP rest and renewal.
It is based on shared power: Key decisions are made through voting processes that treat all CP votes equally, and collaboration is a core value that permeates all our work. Transparency is an important part of sharing power, and while not every CP needs to closely follow every Flux project, it should be easy for them to access it.
It is built on belief in each other: The season discussion includes an honest conversation about the artistic needs of each CP. Because this is a partnership, this conversation should naturally lead to creating artistic opportunities for each CP. This discussion of artistic opportunities balances the needs of individual artists with the overall needs of the Ensemble, with CPs expected to be mature contributors to that discussion.
It is maintained by trust: Our Core Value of Consent and Agency means we practice consent for major decisions while also trusting each other to make decisions within individual projects. This trust manifests through temporary project-based leadership roles like lead organizer, lead artist, director, designer, and playwright. This trust also means that when a CP or collaborator says a process or choice is harmful, we believe them and address it.
New CPs will be connected to a CP buddy who will provide guidance and support throughout the first few years. CPs recognize that it can take several years for new CPs to learn the ropes and find where they best shine within the Ensemble, and we endeavor to be supportive and transparent during that process.
The primary rights of Creative Partners are voting rights. All CPs vote in all major decisions the Ensemble makes. The current decisions that require a CP vote are as follows: season selection of plays; season theme; directors for full productions; budgets; performance space; performance schedule/calendar; new CPs and removing CPs; changing mission and core values; and adding or subtracting programming. While most of the votes require a majority or supermajority, adding or removing CPs requires consensus.
GO DEEPER
SEED: A PATHWAY TO CREATIVE PARTNERSHIP || HOW DOES THE CREATIVE PARTNERSHIP WORK?
WHO ARE THE CURRENT CREATIVE PARTNERS? || WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF THE CREATIVE PARTNERSHIP?
