Senior Members Team Duties

1) Purpose & Value

The Senior Members Team (SMT) serves as the cultural and ethical anchor of a Hindu arts centre. Its mandate is to protect authenticity, nurture talent, connect generations, and ensure the centre’s work is safe, inclusive, and sustainable. In short, they are stewards of tradition and mentors for tomorrow.

Core outcomes

• Cultural integrity in programming and pedagogy
• Strong mentorship pipelines for youth and emerging artists
• Safe, inclusive, and compliant operations
• Durable community trust and partnerships

2) Composition & Tenure

Profile & mix

• Elder artists/scholars (classical dance, music, visual arts, Sanskrit, aesthetics)
• Ritual experts (e.g., purohits/priests for festival authenticity and protocol)
• Cultural historians/archivists (oral histories, collections)
• Community leaders/patrons (fundraising, diplomacy)
• Inclusion advocates (women, youth liaison, diaspora perspectives)

Size: 5–11 members (odd number aids tie-breaks)
Tenure: 2–3 years, staggered for continuity; renewable once
Eligibility: Track record in Hindu arts/culture; alignment with centre values; no unresolved conflicts of interest

3) Core Responsibilities

A. Cultural Stewardship & Curation

• Define curatorial principles for festivals, residencies, and exhibitions
• Maintain authenticity while supporting innovation (e.g., contemporary responses to epics)
• Ensure appropriate use of sacred imagery and ritual materials

B. Mentorship & Education

• Pair senior members with youth/early-career artists (structured mentorship plans)
• Approve syllabi, masterclasses, and teacher qualifications
• Promote cultural literacy (rasa theory, iconography, aesthetics)

C. Community Engagement & Pastoral Care

• Represent the centre at community forums and interfaith dialogues
• Provide pastoral support during sensitive cultural or community moments
• Facilitate language access (Bangla/Hindi/Tamil, etc.) where relevant

D. Festival Direction & Ritual Oversight

• Guide protocols for Durga Puja, Saraswati Puja, Janmashtami, Pohela Boishakh, etc.
• Approve event sequencing, invocations, and sanctity of performance spaces
• Embed inclusive practices (gender equity, disability access, family-friendly timings)

E. Collections, Archives & Heritage

• Oversee documentation (oral histories, performance recordings, scripts)
• Approve preservation standards and loan/borrowing protocols
• Advise on provenance ethics and cultural IP

F. Governance, Risk & Safeguarding

• Advise Board/Management on child safety, workplace safety, and duty of care
• Manage conflicts of interest and annual declarations
• Co-own a risk register covering events, logistics, finance, reputational risk

G. Partnerships & Representation

• Cultivate ties with schools, universities, galleries, councils, and other faith/culture bodies
• Endorse artist exchanges and touring partnerships (locally and internationally)

H. Fundraising & Development

• Assist with grant narratives (heritage, education, intercultural goals)
• Engage patrons; shape donor circles and legacy gifts

I. Digital & Communications

• Approve cultural accuracy in websites, brochures, social media, and press notes
• Guide digital archiving and streaming ethics (rights, consent, context)

J. Monitoring & Evaluation

• Define quality benchmarks and audience feedback loops
• Sign off annual cultural impact report

4) Operating Model

Terms of Reference (sample)

• Mandate: Cultural integrity, mentorship, safeguarding, and strategic advice
• Authority: Advisory with clearly defined decision rights (binding on ritual protocol, advisory on budgets)
• Quorum: 50% + 1
• Cadence: Monthly during festival seasons; bi‑monthly otherwise
• Reporting: Written advice to Artistic Director/Board after each meeting

Decision Rights (examples)

• Binding: Ritual protocol, cultural authenticity standards, safeguarding red flags
• Joint (with management): Artist selection, season themes, archival access
• Advisory: Budget allocations, marketing strategies, venue selection

Meeting Essentials

• Standing agenda: Safety & safeguarding, upcoming programs, mentorship updates, partnerships, risk log, decisions, actions
• Records: Minutes within 5 working days; action tracker with owners & due dates

Conflict of Interest

• Annual and per‑meeting declarations; abstain from votes where conflicted
• Gift and hospitality register; thresholds and disclosure process

Succession & Inclusion

• Shadowing for youth observers; “associate senior member” track
• Balanced representation (gender, region, discipline, language, diaspora)

5) KPIs & Success Metrics

Program Quality

• Artist/teacher satisfaction ≥ 85%
• Audience cultural understanding uplift (pre/post survey)

Mentorship

• mentees matched; mentee progression (performances, scholarships)

Safeguarding & Risk

• Zero critical incidents; timely close-out of medium risks

Access & Inclusion

• % accessible events; participation by diverse age groups and backgrounds

Heritage & Archives

• items catalogued; % with contextual metadata; oral histories recorded

Partnerships & Funding

• Grants won; donor retention; co-presented events

6) Sample RACI (Responsibility Matrix)

Legend: R = Responsible, A = Accountable, C = Consulted, I = Informed

7) Onboarding Checklist (New Senior Member)

• Welcome pack (ToR, code of conduct, organogram, calendar)
• Safeguarding & child-safe orientation; incident reporting flow
• Conflict-of-interest and confidentiality agreements
• Briefings on current season, community demographics, and partner map
• Access to archives and style guides; digital tools training

8) Code of Conduct (Essentials)

• Respect & Dignity: zero tolerance for harassment or discrimination
• Cultural Care: handle sacred content with sensitivity
• Integrity: disclose conflicts; no undue influence in artist selection
• Safety: uphold child-safe and WHS standards; report concerns promptly
• Privacy & IP: seek consent; credit sources; protect personal data

9) Annual Planning Calendar (Example)

• Q1: Mentor matching; curriculum approvals; grant cycles
• Q2: Pohela Boishakh programming; outreach in schools; archive intake
• Q3: Residency/showcase prep; interfaith events; training refreshers
• Q4: Durga/Saraswati programming; annual impact review; succession planning

10) Templates (Quick Start)

Meeting Agenda (sample)

1. Welcome & Apologies
2. Conflicts of Interest
3. Safeguarding Update (incidents, mitigations)
4. Program & Curation Decisions
5. Mentorship & Education Updates
6. Partnerships & Grants
7. Archives & Documentation
8. Risks & Issues
9. Decisions & Actions (owners, due dates)

Report Back (one-page)

• Decisions made; rationale
• Risks flagged; required mitigations
• Items needing Board/Management sign-off
• Actions & accountability list

More information coming soon..