Museums and Resilient Leadership 2016 - 2017 Application Questionnaire

About MRL

The Museums and Resilient Leadership Programme is a unique course designed to develop you as a new kind of leading cultural sector professional. The Programme draws on a wealth of knowledge and insight about leadership in the cultural, commercial and political spheres. It puts this learning at your disposal to help you become a leader for the 21st Century; resilient and entrepreneurial.

MRL commences on May 11 2016 and concludes in March 2017. It uses a highly innovative workshop format including two residentials, a number of site visits and an overseas study visit. The Programme offers a carefully developed blend of practice and theory drawn from the direct experience of the Faculty members of developing and running museums and arts organisations in the UK and internationally. 14 places are available; if you work in an arts or heritage organisation in England you are eligible to apply.

Commitment and Process

You are expected to prepare for and attend all 10 workshops and also to undertake your personally researched Overseas Study Visit. MRL will fund all of your travel costs in the UK and abroad up to a limit of £1,500.

You will be assigned a Mentor from the Core Faculty and there will be three ‘Mentorials’ over the course of the Programme; the dates for these will be arranged with your Mentor. You are expected to complete the online Personal Programme Log at least twice a month throughout the year, though you are free to make as many entries as you wish. The Log is structured to help with your Mentorials, to offer a space for reflection and thought and to chart your MRL journey. It is accessed through a password protected portal which is confidential to you and your Mentor.

Each workshop is carefully evaluated and there is a detailed followup questionnaire after each session.

Application Questionnaire

Before completing the questionnaire please go to the MRL website for further information about the Programme.

This questionnaire, when completed, is automatically emailed to Black Country Living Museum (BCLM) where it will be reviewed by the Programme Co-Directors and the CEO of BCLM. It remains confidential. 

The questionnaire is arranged over several web pages. Part of it contains structured questions and part asks for your own individual response in two areas; you should a) describe an achievement you are proud of and b) reflect on your career to date and say why you wish to apply for the MRL Programme. These two sections are limited to 200 words each.  

The questionnaire is important and we recommend you set aside some focused time in a quiet location to complete it. The questionnaire contains both multiple choice and free text answers; you should compose your two 200 word answers separately and copy and paste them into the appropriate answer boxes.  It is advisable to review the questionnaire first without making any entries, then return to the beginning to fill it in.  

You can go back at any time to edit your responses but once you hit the 'Done' button you cannot make alterations.