Public Discussion with Henry Timms, President and CEO of Lincoln Center, as part of the SNF-LC Agora Initiative

The SNF-LC Agora Initiative is a collaboration between SNF and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts that aims to help reexamine and redefine cultural engagement within public spaces.

Henry Timms discussed his work on the changing nature of power, and how this has led to the emergence of a “new power,” along with the implications, challenges, and opportunities it entails for culture and the notion of leadership, within the context of current global affairs. He also shared insights on leadership, organizational models, and audience development in the cultural sector, as well as on the changing role of cultural institutions within society at large.

Following a keynote speech from Timms, entitled New Power & Cultural Leadership, an open discussion took place between Timms, a group of panelists, and the audience. Panelists included Deputy Minister of Culture and Sports responsible for Contemporary Culture Nicholas Yatromanolakis, SNF Co-Chief Programs & Strategic Initiatives Officer Stelios Vassilakis, and SNFCC Managing Director Elly Andriopoulou. The discussion was moderated by Peter Jenkinson and Shelagh Wright.

The SNF-LC Agora Initiative began in late 2020 with a grant from SNF. Through the initiative, Lincoln Center’s iconic 16-acre Manhattan campus serves as an agora, a public gathering place at the heart of NYC’s civic life, through artistic and community activations. A centerpiece of the initiative is fostering a connection and collaboration between Lincoln Center in New York City and the SNFCC in Athens as both seek to reimagine and reactivate public spaces for a new era through international “Twin Agoras.”

The public discussion was part of this collaborative framework, that is centered on a visit to the SNFCC by Timms and a leadership team from Lincoln Center that aims to connect them with their SNFCC counterparts, and consequently foster the exchange of expertise and best practices, and the sharing of their respective experiences in creating spaces for people to gather and enjoy art within urban landscapes.

About Henry Timms
Henry Timms is the President and CEO of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. He is the creator of the largest global philanthropic movement in history, #GivingTuesday, which has generated over $7 billion in donations for good causes. He is also coauthor of the international bestselling book New Power: How Power Works in Our Hyperconnected World - and How to Make it Work for You, and former President and Chief Executive Officer of the 92nd St Y.

Henry serves the Harvard Kennedy School as a Hauser Leader and is a Senior Fellow at both the Center for Philanthropy and Civil Society at Stanford University and the United Nations Foundation.