Transform National is inviting four visual arts organisations across England to become host organisations for paid Associate Executive Director (AED) placements. The programme aims to create meaningful opportunities for Global Ethnic Majority and Disabled, Deaf and Neurodivergent emerging leaders to develop their experience and progress towards executive leadership, while supporting organisational learning and change.

In partnership with New Art Exchange (NAE), CVAN England and Disability Arts in Shropshire (DASH), and supported by Arts Council England and Art Fund, the programme brings together paid leadership placements, mentoring, professional development and organisational learning. At the heart of Transform National is a commitment to developing people and organisations together. We recognise that leadership does not happen in isolation. It is shaped by the organisations we work within, the people we work alongside and the places and communities we are connected to.

Through the programme, participating organisations will welcome an emerging Associate Executive Director to explore an area of organisational practice, contribute new perspectives and develop recommendations that can support future change.

What the programme offers

Participating organisations will benefit from:

• A paid Associate Executive Director (AED) placement focused on an agreed area of organisational development.
• Mentoring, peer learning and professional development for the appointed AED.
• Workshops led by New Art Exchange and DASH to strengthen inclusive leadership, governance and workplace culture.
• Opportunities to learn alongside other participating organisations, sharing experiences and approaches to organisational change.
• Independent evaluation and opportunities to contribute to shared resources and learning across the national visual arts sector.

A focused opportunity for organisational development

• Each participating organisation will identify one meaningful area of its practice for the AED to review during their placement.
• This could include governance, financial planning, income generation, people management, accessibility, partnerships or another area relevant to the organisation’s development.
• The AED will explore the agreed area, engage with relevant people and information, and develop recommendations to present at the end of the programme.
• Organisations will be expected to share these recommendations with their board and actively consider opportunities for implementation.

We recognise that not every recommendation will be feasible. However, each recommendation should receive meaningful consideration with a clear response outlining what can be taken forward, what requires further exploration and what cannot be implemented, including the reasons why. The intention is to create space for emerging leadership to contribute to organisational thinking, while supporting organisations to reflect on and strengthen their practice.

People, place and leadership

Transform National recognises the importance of place in shaping leadership opportunities and organisational change. We want AEDs to develop their leadership experience within organisations connected to the places and communities in which they live and work. Recruitment will therefore seek to connect emerging leaders with host organisations in the same or a nearby geographical area. We are interested in how organisations understand their relationship with their local communities, the people they engage with and the opportunities they create for leadership to develop.

Who should apply?

We welcome applications from visual arts organisations based in England whose boards and senior leadership teams are committed to supporting emerging leadership and reflecting on their organisational practice.

We are particularly interested in organisations that:

• Have a meaningful area of organisational practice they would like an AED to explore.
• Are open to learning, reflection and considering changes to how they work.
• Can provide the guidance, access and support needed for an emerging leader to develop.
• Recognise the value of developing leadership opportunities connected to their local area, people and communities.
• Are willing to contribute to shared learning with other participating organisations and the wider sector.

Key dates

• Open call launches: Monday 26 October 2026
• Information session: Wednesday 4 November 2026
• Application deadline: Monday 23 November 2026
• Interviews: Monday 30 November 2026
• Host organisations notified: w/c 7 December 2026  

How to apply

We encourage interested organisations to read this Host Organisation Information Pack before applying. This provides further information about the programme, the commitments involved and what to expect.

An Easy Read version of the information pack is also available here to make the information more accessible.

Information session 

We will host an online information session where prospective organisations can learn more about Transform National, meet programme representatives and ask questions.

• Date: Wednesday 4 November 2026
• Time: 2 – 3pm (UK time)

If you’d like to attend the session, please contact Indy Sira (indy@cvan.art) for more details. 

Submit an application

Applications should be submitted using the online application form by Monday 23rd November 2026 by 12 noon (UK time).

• Transform National – Host Organisation Application Form 
• Application Questions – Reference Copy (download here) – for reviewing the questions and preparing your responses only

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• We’ve put together a set of FAQs to answer common questions about the programme and application process. Please access the FAQs here

Questions or Accessibility Support – If you have any further questions, would like to discuss whether the opportunity is right for your organisation, or need accessibility support with your application, please get in touch with Indy Sira at indy@cvan.art.

What happens after you apply?

• Applications will be reviewed against the programme’s agreed eligibility and selection criteria.
• Shortlisted organisations will be invited to an interview to explore their interest in the programme, their proposed area of organisational development and their capacity to support an emerging Executive Director.
• Successful organisations will receive further information about agreements, onboarding and the next stages of Transform National.

We look forward to hearing from organisations interested in supporting emerging leadership and exploring what meaningful organisational change could look like in their own context.