Culture Central to support colleagues working across the cultural sector in the West Midlands to ensure that we have a dynamic, resilient, equitable and inclusive sector.
Grow is our regional mentoring scheme that works across art forms, skills and experience levels.
Grow aims to connect those working in the cultural sector across the West Midlands with expert knowledge and skills to support the development of the whole ecology of culture for the benefit of the people and places of the West Midlands.
Whether you are an artist, creative, curator, arts administrator or cultural entrepreneur, this programme offers a unique opportunity to connect, learn, and grow with the guidance of cultural and corporate sector leaders and experts.
Logistics for the programme:
Grow is a rolling 4-month programme, that allows for sufficient time and flexibility for mentees to build trust and benefit from the mentorship experience. Our mentors all offer their time voluntarily and are made up of experts and leaders from across the cultural sector in the West Midlands.
We expect there to be a minimum of 4 sessions over the programme duration June – September with each session lasting for approximately 1 hour to include time for feedback from both mentor and mentee. These can be carried out in person or online, to suit any accessibility requirements (please specify preferences in the information forms).
How we do the matchmaking process:
Using the framework outlined in Figure 1, all mentors will be asked to identify their mentoring style during the application process. Based on your selected style, we will match you with a mentee whose needs align with your approach.
Figure 1: Grow Mentor Programme Framework
What next? 7 step process:
Please fill out either the mentor or mentee monitoring information forms linked here:
To join our community of mentors, please fill out the form linked here.
To join our community of mentees, please fill out the form linked here.
Culture Central will then do the behind-the-scenes work of making the perfect match based on your mentoring/mentee style and requirements
Mentor will receive a copy of the mentor toolkit
An online introduction will be done via email where the mentor and mentee will then arrange an initial check-in meeting to ensure they are able to support each other
The mentor is then required to inform Culture Central that the mentoring will be going ahead
A mentoring and confidentiality agreement will be sent to both the mentor and mentee before the session can go ahead, these forms will have to be signed and returned to Culture Central
Finally, it’s time to undertake your four mentoring sessions.
Refer to the Mentee Flowchart below for examples of how a mentor can support you:
Why become a mentor as part of Grow?
To make a meaningful impact - by sharing your expertise, knowledge and experience you can help mentees navigate challenges and unlock their full potential.
To foster professional growth - mentors often find that the experience enhances their leadership and communication skills, expands their networks, and keeps them engaged with fresh perspectives.
To make the sector a more equitable place - mentors play a pivotal role in fostering inclusivity, offering guidance and contributing to a more diverse creative community.
Build lasting connections that can extend beyond the mentoring relationship and lead to collaborations, partnerships, and friendships.
Actively shape the future of the cultural sector - a mentor’s guidance can influence trends, innovations, and the overall direction of the sector.
A flexible commitment to support the sector - your mentoring offer could take various formats such as one-on-one meetings, group discussions, workshops, or online interactions.
Recognition and exposure - as Culture Central develops Grow, we want to profile and acknowledge the valuable contributions that our mentors make, including features on our website, newsletters, and social media, as well as being included in CVs as a skill.
Join a community of mentors - mentors will become part of a community of like-minded individuals who are passionate about nurturing the next generation of cultural leaders, supported and developed by Culture Central.
For personal fulfilment - any mentors get a sense of personal satisfaction and reward that comes from witnessing mentees' growth and achievements, knowing they played a crucial role in those successes.
Who can be a mentee?
West Midlands based individuals who are either freelance or based within an organisation that are looking for advice, guidance or knowledge from a more experienced leader in the culture sector. No matter your career stage the mentoring opportunity is available to you.
Why become a mentee as part of Grow?
Unlock your potential
Unlock growth opportunities and advance your career with personalised guidance from experienced mentors from the cultural and corporate sectors.
Get one-on-one support tailored to your goals.
Build lasting relationships and expand your network while gaining invaluable insights.
Navigate your career confidently
Receive guidance in making informed career decisions.
Overcome challenges with the support of experienced mentors.
Skills boost, knowledge transfer
Enhance your skills and knowledge through hands-on mentorship.
Learn from real-world experiences to stay ahead in your field.
Connect and thrive
Build lasting relationships and expand your network while gaining invaluable insights.
Join a community of like-minded individuals.
Collaborate, share experiences, and grow together in a supportive environment.
Continuous learning, continuous success
Enjoy a continuous learning journey beyond a one-time experience.
Your feedback shapes the programme, ensuring it evolves to meet your needs.
Flexibility and accessibility
This work is funded as part of our Arts Council England IPSO work.
This project is ongoing. We look forward to sharing the outcomes and reflections as the cohorts progress.