OCL Masterclasses

Upcoming Masterclasses

Yolanda Vazquez leading classroom sessions with cultural leaders

Oxford Cultural Leaders Masterclass

The Art of Influence

Don't just learn about influence. Practise it.

How do you build support for a difficult decision, bring a board or funder with you, or create a shared direction when interests compete? 

Influence is central to cultural leadership, particularly when navigating competing interests, priorities and perspectives. This Masterclass explores how to understand what motivates others, recognise sources of power and build relationships and coalitions that help you move important work forward. 

Join Yolanda Vazquez, a longstanding member of the Oxford Cultural Leaders faculty, for a highly interactive day exploring leadership and influence through Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. The play provides a shared starting point for examining power, persuasion, and the impact we have on others. 

What you'll explore

Through practical exercises, discussion and feedback, you will explore:

  • Political intelligence and influence in the cultural sector.

  • Building relationships and coalitions within the sector and beyond.

  • Navigating power, purpose and values.

  • Developing emotional intelligence.

  • Communicating with confidence and impact.

  • Reflecting on your leadership approach and influence.

What you'll take away

Through practical exercises, discussion and feedback, you will explore:

  • Fresh perspectives and practical approaches to strengthen your leadership.

  • Space to reflect, experiment and receive feedback in a highly interactive setting.

  • Meaningful connections with experienced peers from across the cultural sector.

  • Insights you can apply to the challenges facing your organisation.

The Art of Influence brings our established experiential learning approach into an intensive one-day format for alumni and leaders new to OCL.

Places are limited to ensure meaningful interaction and peer learning.

Event details

15 March 2027  |  In person, Oxford

Time: 10am - 4.30pm

Location: Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

Full price: £675

Earlybird: £600 Available until 31 December 2026

OCL Alumni Discount available, please check your inbox for details

Refreshments and lunch are included. Low-cost Oxford college accommodation may be available for those travelling from further afield, subject to availability.

Praise for OCL's Leadership Sessions

Yolanda brought the simply extraordinary course to life. Feeling that I wasn't an inspirational enough leader was one of the reasons I wanted to attend the course. Yolanda helped me unlock that.

Sandra, Director of Visitor Engagement,
St Paul's Cathedral

The opportunity for learning and development at such a high level and focused on the culture sector is rare and very rewarding.

Jeremy, Head of Finance,
National Museums Scotland

Mythodrama [by Yolanda Vazquez] was particularly memorable as it offered a unique and immersive way to explore leadership dynamics and personal behaviours, making the learning both engaging and deeply insightful

Armindokht, Relationship Manager,
Arts Council England 

Coming Soon in 2027

Group classroom image

The Art of Collaboration

Online | Date to be announced

Cultural leaders increasingly work across organisational, sector and community boundaries, often with differing priorities and limited resources. How can we build partnerships that are meaningful and worthwhile for everyone involved? 

This Masterclass will explore what helps collaboration thrive, from building trust and finding shared purpose to navigating differences and sustaining productive relationships. 

Register your interest

ocl relational leadership3

Relational Leadership

In person, Oxford | Date to be announced

Leading cultural organisations means navigating complex relationships with staff, artists, boards, funders and communities, often with competing expectations and strong personal investment. How do you build trust, manage tensions and maintain productive relationships while making difficult decisions?

Building on OCL's emphasis on self-awareness and reflective practice, this Masterclass will explore how greater understanding of ourselves and others can strengthen relationships, improve communication and help us lead with empathy and confidence.

Register your interest

Pegram Harrison Teaching on the 2025 OCL Residential Programme

Leading Culture in the Age of AI

In person, Oxford | Date to be announced

How do we lead our teams and organisations through changes that challenge familiar ways of thinking and working? AI is already reshaping how culture is created, experienced and managed, raising important questions about creativity, authenticity, ethics and the future of cultural organisations.

Using AI as a live example, this Masterclass will explore the questions disruption raises for our organisations and our own leadership.

Together, we will consider how to make space for different responses, challenge assumptions and support experimentation. It is an opportunity to reflect with peers on what needs to evolve, what we might preserve and how to move forward without having all the answers.

Register your interest

About Oxford Cultural Leaders

With over a decade of experience, Oxford Cultural Leaders (OCL) has helped senior leaders in arts and culture strengthen their leadership practice and navigate the complexities of the sector. A partnership between the University of Oxford's Gardens, Libraries and Museums (GLAM) and Saïd Business School, OCL brings together deep cultural-sector knowledge, world-class thought leaders and experts, and a global network of over 300 alumni leading across the sector.

Our ambition is to grow leadership capacity across arts and culture, helping cultural leaders thrive as custodians of art, heritage, history and cultural experiences.

Drawing on over ten years of working with cultural leaders, we've carefully curated a series of one-off Masterclasses addressing the challenges, emerging issues and opportunities that matter most to the sector right now. Each session responds to current insights and needs, offering a timely opportunity for deeper exploration.

Delivered in Oxford and online, each masterclass is a one-off experience, offering highly interactive learning experiences, combined with practical exercises, discussion and reflection alongside experienced peers.

Whether you're returning to OCL or joining us for the first time, this is your chance to challenge your thinking, sharpen your leadership skills and discover new ways to lead.

Who are the Masterclasses for?

Our Masterclasses welcome senior professionals and established leaders across the arts, cultural and heritage sectors, including Chief Executives, Executive and Artistic Directors, Heads of Department, senior managers, and others with leadership responsibilities. 

You do not need to have attended an Oxford Cultural Leaders programme before. Alumni and leaders new to OCL are equally welcome. If you are unsure if this is this the right fit for you, please feel contact us ocl@glam.ox.ac.uk.