The Chol-Operative
Collaborative leadership in practice
The Chol-Operative is Chol’s collaborative leadership model.
Developed through ongoing reflection and practice since 2020, it aims to create more accessible, transparent and shared approaches to leadership whilst recognising differing levels of responsibility, accountability and experience across roles.
At its core is a commitment to equity of voice, collective creativity, shared learning and accessible leadership pathways.
In 2020, Chol began developing the Chol-Operative – an evolving organisational model shaped by collaboration, reflection and a desire to make leadership in the arts more accessible, transparent and shared.
The Chol-Operative grew from questions we were already exploring through our creative practice:
Who gets to lead?
Whose voices are heard?
How can organisations better reflect the values of co-creation, care and equity?
Over the last few years, we have been experimenting with collaborative leadership structures that aim to balance shared decision-making, sustainability, accountability and accessible pathways into leadership.
The model recognises that different roles carry different levels of responsibility, accountability and experience.
Whilst leadership is shared collaboratively across the organisation, responsibilities such as governance, legal accountability, financial oversight and strategic sign-off sit with Co-Directors.
Alongside this, the organisation is continuing to develop Associate Co-Director pathways – paid opportunities for emerging leaders to contribute to organisational thinking, programme development and strategic conversations whilst developing leadership experience within a supportive structure.
Rather than presenting the Chol-Operative as a fixed solution, we see it as an ongoing organisational journey.
We have always tried to be open about both the opportunities and challenges of collaborative leadership and remain committed to reflecting, learning and evolving as the organisation grows.
