CI to Eye with Monica Holt Alex Sarian on the Audacity of Relevance
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Nov 20, 2025 Alex Sarian, President and CEO of the Werklund Centre and author of The Audacity of Relevance, explores the evolving role of arts in society. He emphasizes that relevance is a responsibility, urging cultural leaders to listen to communities rather than relying on fixed mission statements. Alex discusses the transformative $700M expansion of the Werklund Centre, positioning it as a hub for both culture and community engagement. He advocates for programming that truly reflects what people value and shares insights on fostering collaboration in the arts sector.
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Ask One Transformative Question
- Regularly ask: 'What does the world need right now that we are uniquely positioned to do?'
- Use that answer to craft a living value proposition alongside your mission statement.
Book As Project Safeguard
- Alex wrote The Audacity of Relevance to prevent the expansion becoming just 'a shiny new building.'
- The book documents behind-the-scenes thinking and urges philosophical and programmatic transformation.
Crisis Reveals Preexisting Weaknesses
- Pandemic-era challenges exposed long-standing sector weaknesses, not new problems.
- Alex calls for cultural leadership to navigate crises rather than framing the sector as solely a victim of external trends.
