Services

Services

I am an advisor, strategist and facilitator.

I specialise in helping people at cultural organisations unlock the potential of digital in all its many forms, ensuring it aligns with their mission, engages their audiences, and empowers their teams.

If you're reading this you probably don't need convincing about the importance and potential of this sort of work, but maybe you also don't have the capacity or experience to pursue it alone, or know how best to get started. That's where I can help.

My work usually focuses on three main types of engagement:

  • Advise and Connect: Providing clear, actionable guidance and acting as a trusted sounding board. I can connect you with the people, tools, and ideas that will help maximise the impact of your digital work.
  • Evaluate and Focus: Assess what’s working and what isn’t. Identify priorities and help you to focus your energy and resources effectively.
  • Imagine and Inspire: Take the chance to think differently. Evaluate possibilities and opportunities, energise your teams, and explore new ideas. Turn thinking into meaningful action.
“Ash has been an incredibly valued thought partner for the best part of a decade. He brings a tidal wave of energy and enthusiasm to strategic work, alongside a keen intelligence rooted in years of experience and pragmatism. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him.”
Andrew Leveson
Royal Shakespeare Company - Executive Director

How we could work together

Below are a few specific examples of ways I work with clients.

If what you need isn’t quite described here please do just get in touch for a chat, I’m always interested in new conversations; you can book a call or drop me an email ash@ashmann.co.

Fractional leadership

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Embed strategic digital expertise into your team

The cultural sector suffers from a shortage of leaders with senior digital expertise and experience.

I can work with you and your team(s) adding capacity and experience to ensure the digital layer to your planning, thinking and execution is effectively considered.

These engagements usually take the form of a number of days a month and are agreed on a 3-month rolling basis.

Sounding board/'critical friend'

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A senior peer to refine ideas, sense-check direction and identify opportunities

When it comes to digital initiatives, cultural leaders rarely have experienced senior peers discuss and explore their ideas with in detail.

Get an experienced second opinion, refine your thinking, identify and validate opportunities, get to the best and most achievable version of an idea.

Understand how best to approach a digital project, assess potential suppliers and partners, or get buy-in from your board or funders.

Health-check assessment

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Evaluate your digital strengths and gaps

Rigorous and actionable assessments of your organisation or team’s digital maturity.

I can help you evaluate your team roles, skills and structure, your systems and processes, your internal culture and ways of working, and the effectiveness of your current digital infrastructure and experiences.

Supplier review & procurement support

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Make sure you get the best value from your digital suppliers

I have heard cultural organisations’ frustration that they don’t feel they are getting the best return on their investments in their supplier relationships.

Over the years, I have been in exactly that situation myself.

Having been on both sides of this relationship, as both client and supplier, I can help you get the most out of your digital supplier relationships, review value for money and impact, ensure that your internal processes and people are aligned to maximise effectiveness.

I can also support you when it comes to evaluating, briefing, and appointing new suppliers.

Transformation and maturity programmes

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Build long-term digital capacity

Digital maturity and literacy is an existential challenge for the cultural sector.

Working with experienced Associates, we can design a tailored programme for your organisation that will accelarate your digital maturity and help spark (and sustain) genuine digital transformation.

Workshop facilitation

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Engaging, productive discussions that drive action

If you want to prepare for a new project, explore new ways of working, ideas, or engage your team or stakeholders in discussions about change, new ideas, or working differently.

I am an experienced facilitator who can ensure that everyone's voices are heard, and that the conditions are created for productive conversations.

I also have an extensive network from which I can bring in engaging, expert speakers across an array of different topics to inspire and educate your teams, and encourage reflection and discussion.

FlightPlan: feasibility & validation sprints

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Test ideas before you invest

Cultural organisations are understandably nervous about investing large amounts of time and money into new initiatives, especially when it comes to digital initiatives where they may have a limited track record and understanding of what’s possible.

Talking with cultural leaders I have also heard about the challenge of being able to rapidly respond to opportunities as they arise amidst the pressure of sustaining business as usual.

I can put together and lead an expert team with exactly the skills and expertise you need on a case-by-case basis.

These intensive, focused, and time-limited ‘sprints’ (usually around 6 weeks in length) allow you to shape an idea into something testable to validate with users which in turn allows you to clearly understand and evaluate if an idea is worth further time and investment.

It also gives you a clear understanding of exactly what further investment would be required (in terms of money, skills etc) to bring the idea to fruition.

It provides you with a proof of concept prototype and clear next steps to use for conversations about further investment with your board, partners, or funders.

Ash is that rare breed of expert operator: someone who combines empathy and emotional intelligence with acute operational experience and technical expertise. His leadership and dedication to solving systemic challenges in the arts and cultural sector is inspiring. He's also a joy to work with!
Aled John
FT Strategies - Director, Deputy Managing Director