Guerrilla Tactics is one of the biggest events in the RIBA calendar. The two-day conference provides a wealth of insightful information, all focusing on the interests of small practices.
The RIBA is now seeking applications for the post of Creative Director of Guerrilla Tactics 2019. This is an opportunity to make the event your own by devising the conference’s theme, developing the programme of speakers and shaping its content.
Working closely with the Guerrilla Tactics steering group and the RIBA team, the Creative Director will be primarily responsible for identifying session topics, selecting appropriate speakers and briefing, assisting and liaising with participants.
The event will focus on essential business skills for architects, and how they can develop their practices through innovation. Given the challenges that the industry faces in 2019, with the economic uncertainty occasioned by the UK’s departure from the EU, it is all the more important that the conference equips practices with strategies to survive and thrive.
The steering group have expressed an interest this year in receiving proposals on the themes of:
- money (this might include topics such as fees, fundraising, or cashflow)
- business opportunities (in housing, for example)
- collaboration (with an emphasis on accessing new opportunities)
- learning from feedback (from clients, stakeholders or collaborators)
- architects as entrepreneurs (including architects as developers), with an emphasis on how small practices' performance can be enhanced by innovative approaches.
However, the group remains open to receiving proposals around other themes which combine the aspirational with business effectiveness and innovation.
Last year’s theme was ‘Expanding Practice’. Creative Directors Pooja Agrawal and Finn Williams, Co-Founders of Public Practice, brought together a broad spectrum of speakers, including architects, planners, developers, politicians and estate agents, to examine how architects can step beyond design and widen their influence, not just within the construction process but in wider society.
"I hope we demonstrated how planning, viability and procurement are not just barriers but can be part of our repertoire as architects," explains Williams. "By learning these languages, you can expand your agency as an architect, as a practice and broaden your mix of work."
"One of the most enjoyable experiences of the conference was the online live interaction with the audience," remarks Agrawal. "Our advice for the next Director is to be creative about how the audience engages and interacts with the conference, and to involve them with the live discussion as much as possible."
Delegates were able to feed-in questions for speakers, vote on polls, determine planning consent on a mocked-up Planning Committee and even choose a winning tender bid, having been given a demonstration of the selection process using three actual applications.
Annabelle Tugby, a member of the RIBA’s Small Practice Expert Advisory Group, brought her entire team to the conference. "We found the section on planning to be most valuable and relevant to our current projects," she enthuses.
"It was really useful to see the role-play of a Planning Committee with ‘behind the scenes’ commentary. They explained each role and the reasoning behind their comments. It provided a great explanation of the process."
These are the kind of valuable insights that Guerrilla Tactics can provide. Delegates receive insider knowledge directly from the individuals and institutions that their business depends on, as well as useful tips and strategies from practices at all levels.
The Creative Director role requires a commitment of up to 15 days between March and November 2019, including attendance at monthly steering group meetings. A fee of £5,000 will be paid in instalments.
Further details of the Guerrilla Tactics 2019 Creative Director role and job description are now available.
Applicants must include a completed proposal form (downloadable from the RIBA job description) for this year’s theme, along with a short CV, submitted to practice@riba.org. Deadline for submissions has been extended to midnight on Sunday 3 March.
Thanks to Pooja Agrawal and Finn Williams, Co-Founders of Public Practice; and Annabelle Tugby, Director, Annabelle Tugby Architects.
Text by Neal Morris. This is a Professional Feature edited by the RIBA Practice team. Send us your feedback and ideas.
Posted on 31 January 2019
