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Staying Relevant: Toward an Understanding of Contemporary Cultural Leadership

Nanna Kann-Rasmussen & Maja Rudloff

Journal of Arts Management Law and Society2026https://doi.org/10.1080/10632921.2026.2628661article
ABDC C
Weight
0.50

What the paper says

This article examines cultural leadership in Denmark over a ten-year period (2013–2023), focusing on how leaders of publicly funded cultural institutions navigate changing conditions to secure legitimacy and maintain relevance. Drawing on 14 interviews and a focus group, the analysis combines institutional theory and pragmatic sociology to explore leaders’ perceptions of their stakeholder environment and their strategies for legitimation. The findings reveal two dominant interpretations of social relevance: cultural formation (Bildung) and instrumentality, reflecting broader shifts in cultural policy and societal expectations. By highlighting how leaders balance artistic integrity with demands for visibility, accountability, and societal contribution, the article contributes to understanding cultural leadership as institutional navigation in a dynamic policy landscape.

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Cite this paper

https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/10632921.2026.2628661

Or copy a formatted citation

@article{nanna2026,
  title        = {{Staying Relevant: Toward an Understanding of Contemporary Cultural Leadership}},
  author       = {Nanna Kann-Rasmussen & Maja Rudloff},
  journal      = {Journal of Arts Management Law and Society},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/10632921.2026.2628661},
}

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Staying Relevant: Toward an Understanding of Contemporary Cultural Leadership

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Evidence weight

0.50

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.