A new evaluation report has found that the ACCELERATE programme made a significant positive impact to the lives and careers of Australia's Indigenous cultural leaders.
ACCELERATE was a tailored leadership skills development programme for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people working in the creative industries. The British Council Australia and the Australia Council for the Arts have commissioned this impact evaluation of the ACCELERATE programme for Indigenous cultural leaders which ran with seven cohorts and achieved 35 alumni from 2009 to 2016.
ACCELERATE was developed to empower Indigenous artists and creatives, as a response to the lack of representation of Indigenous Australians in positions of influence within the creative sectors.
The programme drew on the UK’s experience in cultural leadership programmes, giving participants access to intensive leadership development residentials, tailored leadership programs, mentoring with respected UK cultural leaders, and professional placements in targeted UK organisations.
ACCELERATE strengthen cultural connections between Australia and the UK, giving Australian participants access to a wealth of UK knowledge. The bespoke matching of participants with organisations developed a healthy number of lasting institutional connections. Additionally, the ACCELERATE programme has been successful in empowered participants with the skills to drive their careers.