PART III: Leadership Challenges in Cultural and Event Management – An International Call for Better Practices

This is a blog post that is a part of a blog series. The first blog discusses a study related to management in the culture and events sector and the discussion it has sparked. The second blog delves into the need for management competence. The third blog explores the topic internationally in English.

This is the third part of a three-part blog series based on research done by Humak masters students who dived into leadership challenges in Finland’s cultural and event management sector. While the first two parts focused on local findings, this English-language post opens the discussion internationally, exploring how these challenges resonate globally and what we can learn from each other.

Recent research from Humak’s master gdaduates Marika Häkkilä and Melissa Heininen reveals systemic issues that likely extend far beyond national borders. Their Master’s thesis “Towards Socially Sustainable Leadership: Leadership Culture in Cultural and Event Management and Its Development Towards Social Sustainability” commissioned by TAKU ry (Trade Union for Art and Culture Professionals in Finland), exposes critical gaps in leadership preparation and organizational support across the cultural sector.

From Expert to Leader Without Training?

One of the most striking findings mirrors what many international cultural organizations experience: 41% of managers in supervisory roles had no formal leadership training. This pattern of promoting subject matter experts into management positions without adequate preparation appears widespread across creative industries globally.

“In our industries, people typically move into leadership positions from specialist roles without formal management skills, competency, or training. That’s why we regularly see cases in our field involving misconduct, poor financial management, or similar issues. It’s not due to malicious intent but incompetence,” explained one supervisor from the visual arts sector.

Resource Scarcity: The Root of Multiple Problems

As a supervisor to the mentioned research, I asked Marika Häkkilä what was her personal biggest ‘aha moment’ in this research?

Marika Häkkilä’s response reveals a crucial insight that transcends cultural boundaries: “Having worked in the cultural and event sector for ten years, I wasn’t surprised that the biggest challenge was rush and workload relative to resources (73.8% of survey respondents). However, it was eye-opening to see how rush and work fragmentation form the root cause of many other leadership problems.”

The research revealed a cascading effect:

• Time pressures prevent managers from being present for their team members (34.4% of respondents).
• Manager wellbeing suffers (31.1% of respondents).
• Despite good intentions toward human-centered and participatory leadership, constant rush prevents socially sustainable management practices.

This creates a structural problem that cannot be solved by individual prioritization alone—it requires organizational-level solutions.

Illustration image. iStock.

Legal Knowledge Gaps

26% of respondents identified lack of understanding of employment legislation as a major challenge. This finding highlights a concerning trend where cultural organizations may inadvertently—or sometimes deliberately—fail to comply with labor laws.

“A big problem is that people in leadership positions in cultural and event industries don’t necessarily understand legislation and what the law requires,” noted one music and events industry manager.

Organizational Support: The Missing Foundation

Perhaps most troubling, 70% of survey respondents had received no orientation to supervisory work from their organizations. This lack of institutional support leaves new managers isolated and unprepared.

Clear job descriptions, defined areas of responsibility, and explicit goals were often absent, creating additional challenges across many organizations.

Signs of Positive Change

Despite these challenges, the research uncovered encouraging developments: “I think there’s been a huge change in quite a short time. In recent years, there’s been a lot of discussion about how even though we work with passion, that can no longer be used as an excuse to exploit anyone’s physical or psychological stamina,” shared one industry professional.

International Implications and Opportunities

These findings raise important questions for cultural organizations worldwide:

How can we better prepare creative professionals for leadership roles?

• Implement leadership development programs specifically designed for the cultural sector
• Create mentorship networks connecting experienced and emerging leaders
• Develop industry-specific management curricula

What organizational structures support sustainable leadership?

• Establish clear onboarding processes for new managers
• Define explicit roles, responsibilities, and expectations
• Provide ongoing professional development opportunities

How can we address resource constraints systematically?

• Advocate for realistic staffing levels relative to organizational goals
• Develop sustainable business models that prioritize both mission and staff wellbeing
• Create industry standards for workload management

Illustration image.

Building International Networks for Change

The cultural sector’s challenges transcend national boundaries, making international collaboration essential. By sharing research, best practices, and innovative solutions across borders, we can accelerate positive change industry-wide.

Organizations like Humak University of Applied Sciences are committed to fostering this international dialogue. Through partnerships and knowledge exchange, we can develop more effective leadership development programs and organizational practices.

Join the Global Conversation!

How have you experienced leadership challenges in the cultural and event sectors internationally? What innovative solutions have you seen implemented? We invite practitioners, student researchers, and organizational leaders to share their experiences and insights with us.

This research represents just the beginning of a crucial conversation. By working together internationally, we can build more sustainable, supportive, and effective leadership cultures throughout the creative industries.

Writers:

Laura Päiviö-Häkämies
Principal Lecturer, Humak University of Applied Sciences
laura.paivio-hakamies@humak.fi

Dr. Laura Päiviö-Häkämies has worked as a principal lecturer in cultural production at Humak since 2018. She previously worked in industry management positions from 1998 onwards, including as Secretary General of an international organization, Cultural Director for the City of Kotka, Education Culture & Youth Director for Mynämäki Municipality, Managing Director of Kotka Maritime Festival, and Managing Director of Turku Music Festival. Through these roles, she has observed industry leadership culture from the perspectives of practitioner, researcher, and supervisor of graduate students working in the field.

Marika Häkkilä
Cultural Producer (Master’s degree)
hakkilamarika@gmail.com

Marika Häkkilä is a cultural producer whose mission is to promote social sustainability in creative industries. During her ten-year career as a producer, she has worked in the event and media sectors, examining leadership culture from both employee and supervisor perspectives.

Read more:

Marika Häkkilä ja Melissa Heininen 2025, Towards Socially Sustainable Leadership: Leadership Culture in Cultural and Event Management and Its Development Towards Social Sustainability  (2.9.2025) See abstract in English, see references.

Block, Lory 2003. The leadership-culture connection. An exploratory investigation. Leadership & Organization Development Journal 24: 5/6, 318-334. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235263491_The_leadership-culture_connection_An_exploratory_investigation (2.9.2025)

Buckingham, Marcus 2019. What is the next step to becoming a better leader? (Video). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBzvL7SqUDw

Buckingham, Marcus 2018. Lie 1: People Care Which Company They Work For. (Video). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVC8x5HfvKM (2.9.2025)