This session aims to support leaders to better understand burnout and explore practical organisational approaches to preventing it.
About this event
Burnout is widespread across the museum and cultural sectors, particularly within management and leadership roles where people are dealing with limited resources, line management responsibilities, and competing priorities. This interactive online training session supports line managers and leaders to better understand burnout and explore practical, organisational approaches to preventing it.
Drawing on Clore/Arts and Humanities Council-funded research into burnout in the cultural sector, this session focuses on how organisational culture, leadership practices and ways of working shape people’s experiences at work; and gives practical advice for how to create cultures that prevent and reduce burnout.
Participants will explore:
What burnout looks like in museums and how it negatively impacts on people and organisations
The organisational and structural drivers of burnout in museums
The role of managers and leaders in shaping working cultures that prevent burnout and create more resilient organisations
Practical approaches to designing more resilient teams and organisations
The session combines short presentations with reflective activities and opportunities for discussion, supporting participants to apply the learning to their own roles and organisations. It will give space for participants to reflect, share experiences, and develop actions they can take to support the development more sustainable workplaces.
This training is designed for museum professionals in management and leadership positions who want to better support themselves and their teams, improve organisational resilience, and reduce the risk of burnout in the long term.
The event will be delivered via Zoom using a range of exercises and interactive features including Chat and Breakout Rooms, and will include a short break.
The session will not be recorded.
The event will be delivered via Zoom using a range of exercises and interactive features including Chat and Breakout Rooms, and will include a short break. Participants are encouraged to ask questions and actively participate in discussion. If you have any concerns about accessibility or usability for these features please contact enquiries@mdmidlands.org.uk
Trigger warning information: This session will deal with the topics and impacts of burnout, stress and mental health.
This event supports the Arts Council England Inclusivity and Relevance Investment Principle
About the trainer
Dr Laura Crossley is a workplace culture specialist and arts consultant with over 16 years’ experience working in and with the arts and museums sector. She has supported a wide range of organisations, including volunteer‑run, independent, Local Authority and national museums.
Laura’s experience as both a senior leader and an independent consultant, alongside her Clore/AHRC‑funded research into burnout in the cultural sector, gives her a deep, practical understanding of the everyday pressures facing museum professionals.
She specialises in burnout prevention and the design of workplace cultures that enable people and mission‑driven organisations to thrive. Her work supports leaders and managers to intentionally design workplace cultures that address the organisational and cultural factors that contribute to burnout, and create more resilient organisations.
Laura is a Clore Cultural Leadership Fellow and holds a PhD in Museum Studies from the University of Leicester.
www.weareculturebloom.com (Launching May 2026) / https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurafcrossley/
Who should attend?
This training is particularly aimed at people working in leadership and line management roles.
Maximum two delegates per organisation. Priority will be given to delegates from non-NPO and non-National museums in the Midlands which are Accredited or officially Working Towards Accreditation.
Please note: We require you to complete the full booking form in order to confirm your eligibility for the session. The main booking form questions will appear after you have been through the 'check out' process. If you do not complete this form we will be in contact and reserve the right to cancel your ticket if we do not receive a response.
Accessibility
This event will be auto-captioned through Zoom. If you would benefit from any other form of access support, including live captioning, please answer ‘yes’ to the access requirements question on the booking form and email the MDM team as early as possible stating the support you require.
All participants will receive an email containing a Zoom link to the training prior to the event. The email will be sent to the email address used for booking. If you have not received an email the day before the event please contact us.
Important Information
https://mdmidlands.org.uk/code-of-conduct
https://mdmidlands.org.uk/booking-terms-and-conditions
Contact Us
If you need any further information or would like to speak to a member of the team please contact us:
Enquiries@mdmidlands.org.uk
Closing Date:
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