Organisation
Bureau Bureaucrats
Each bureau is steered by a dedicated bureaucrat, who shoulders the responsibility of orchestrating the diverse projects and activities that define each site. Their mandate encompasses a broad range, from pioneering innovative projects, forging meaningful partnerships, to the essential task of local fundraising and community participation.
While the bureaucratic role is laden with significant duties, it is conceived as a transient position, limited to five-year tenures. This design ensures an ongoing influx of fresh ideas, innovative leadership approaches, and an ever-evolving network for the Talents. Recognising the multifaceted nature of the role, the bureaucratic position can be co-shared among two or three individuals, each contributing part-time, thereby pooling diverse strengths. The bureaucratic position is accompanied by a remuneration package that mirrors its importance, with a monthly compensation of €7000. Depending on the bureau's magnitude and financial dynamics, there's an option to appoint an operational manager to support the bureaucrat in ensuring fluid operations.
In its pursuit of bureaucrats, Future Archaeologies prioritises individuals who resonate with the organisation's ethos, with a spotlight on experience that can be a spark for the Talents' and Catalysts’ growth.
Bureau Managers
To ensure the individual bureaus and its Poets are managed and supported in a fluid a continuous manner it is essential to have a local Bureau Manager. The manager will ensure that the daily of the bureau is taken care of and will also ensure that it is a safe-space for development alongside the local bureaucrat. The manager will be remunerated at the same rate as the local catalysts in order to establish a parity between the two. The role also constitutes overseeing the practical elements of the application and admission processes, function as a liaison and controller of the local Temporal Project and oversee the purchase of materials for the bureau.
Executive Committee
The birth of new projects and the forging of partnerships at Future Archaeologies are contingent upon the endorsement of the executive committee. This elite group, consisting of seven members, plays a decisive role in the organisation's trajectory. The committee is composed of:
The incumbent Executive Director of Future Archaeologies.
A duo from the vibrant body of Talents.
Two seasoned cultural professionals, committed to a four-year tenure.
A historian, bringing depth and context, engaged for a four-year term.
An art conservator, ensuring the preservation of artistic integrity, on a four-year engagement.
Local Board of Directors
The strategic compass of Future Archaeologies is guided by its various Board of Directors. Each attached to a individual bureau, this quintet consists of one member from the bureau’s pool of Poets, the local Bureaucrat, two members from the local cultural domain (or from the partnership organisation) and a final member with foundational or cultural government background. The local board is designed to root the individual bureau in its unique environment and circumstances, remain relevant to its locality and be in continuous dialogue with its surroundings.
Strategic Board of Directors
The strategic compass of Future Archaeologies is guided by its Board of Directors. This quintet, with one member taken from the organisation's Bureaucrats, one from the organisation’s Poets and three luminaries from the cultural domain, is chosen for their profound relevance and alignment with the organisation's mission and vision.
Executive Committee
The executive committee consists of all current bureaucrat and poet members of the combined Local Boards of Directors and meets three times a year. The committee will vote and verify recommendations from the Strategic Board of Directors as well as make suggestions, motions and commentary to it. The Executive Committee will, if possible meet in person every four years, otherwise it will convene, discuss motions and cast its votes in a digital format.
Advisory Board
Future Archaeologies envisions a robust advisory board, comprising nine distinguished individuals. This board is the organisation's intellectual reservoir, offering invaluable insights into prospective projects, collaborations, partnerships, and a plethora of activities. The advisory board will make direct suggestions to both boards and the Executive Committee.
Best Practices
Transparency and Accountability
Open Reporting: Regularly publish financial, operational, and impact reports from Bureaus and organization to ensure stakeholders are informed about the organisation's activities, financial health, and the tangible outcomes of its initiatives.
Ethical Standards: Uphold the highest ethical standards in all operations, ensuring that all activities align with the organisation's mission and values.
Diversity and Inclusion
Representation: Prioritise diversity in all hiring, board appointments, and project teams, ensuring representation from various backgrounds, cultures, genders, and perspectives.
Inclusive Programs: Design programs and initiatives that cater to diverse audiences, ensuring that all voices are heard and valued.
Continuous Learning and Innovation
Professional Development: Organise regular training sessions, workshops, and conferences for Bureaucrats, staff and members to stay updated with the latest in their respective fields.
Stakeholder Engagement
Feedback Loops: Establish mechanisms to gather regular feedback from Poets and stakeholders, including the community, partners, beneficiaries, and employees.
Collaborative Partnerships: Foster partnerships with other organisations, academia, and the private sector to leverage collective strengths.
Sustainability
Eco-friendly Operations: Adopt environmentally responsible practices in all operations, from resource usage to project execution.
Long-term Vision: Ensure that all projects and initiatives have a long-term vision, focusing on sustainable impact rather than short-term gains.
Digital Transformation
Tech Integration: Leverage technology to streamline operations, enhance stakeholder communication, and expand the organisation's reach.
Data-driven Decision Making: Use data analytics to inform decisions, measure impact, and identify areas of improvement.
Global Expansion and Funding
At the forefront of Future Archaeologies' vision is its ambition to cast a global net, establishing bureaus across the tapestry of the world. These bureaus, strategically placed in varied geographies, are not just physical entities but symbols of the organisation's commitment to capturing and celebrating the rich mosaic of global cultures. Each bureau serves as a beacon, illuminating the nuances of its locale while contributing to a broader, panoramic cultural dialogue.
The financial foundation underpinning these global outposts is robust and resilient. While the organisation's diverse projects form the core of its funding, there's a concerted effort to augment this through external channels. Philanthropic endeavours, collaborations, and productions play a pivotal role, ensuring that the financial health of the bureaus remains buoyant. This multifaceted funding approach ensures that the organisation's aspirations are not just dreams but achievable realities.
Yet, even as Future Archaeologies stretches its wings across continents, its core ethos remains unwavering. The organisation is resolute in its mission: to provide coveted spots within its Poets programmes, to continually rejuvenate its archives, and most importantly, to foster a dialogue with the future. This dialogue is not a mere exchange of words but a profound conversation with the youth of a time always a century removed from the present. Every transmission produced is a message, a legacy, directed at this distant youth. It's a testament to the organisation's foresight, ensuring that the voices of today resonate with and inspire the generations of tomorrow, especially those who stand a hundred years apart from the creation of each transmission. In this endeavour, Future Archaeologies is not just preserving the past or celebrating the present; it's actively sculpting the future, ensuring that the nominees for transmissions are always speaking to, guiding, and inspiring the youth of a world yet to unfold.
Managing Growth
As Future Archaeologies expands, managing growth becomes paramount.
Scalable Infrastructure: Invest in infrastructure that can accommodate growth, be it digital platforms or physical spaces.
Feedback Mechanisms: Regularly solicit feedback from both internal and external stakeholders to identify areas of improvement and expansion.
Financial Prudence: Ensure a robust financial model that can support growth while maintaining the organisation's stability.
Talent Acquisition and Retention: As the organisation grows, so does its need for skilled individuals. Prioritise hiring and retaining top talent to drive the organisation forward.
Regular Review: Conduct periodic reviews of the organisation's mission, vision, and objectives to ensure they align with the growth trajectory and make necessary adjustments.