The Monthly discusses running the Imagine Belfast Festival with Festival Director Mags White-O’Kane – Part 2 – The question of women, under representation and cultural management

Did being a women taking on a new managerial role of a major festival cause you any difficulties?

I thought things might have been a lot worse. Part of me has experienced that sense of what people call “imposter syndrome” in the past, and I really don’t like that phrase, where I wondered if I was the right person for the job. I think that on balance I knew I was ready for this challenge, and everyday sexism doesn’t bother me as much as it used to! Luckily the founding Director and the Board agreed, and the recruitment process was very straightforward (and even enjoyable!)

It has to be said that there are some amazing women in the industry, including Kathryn McShane at the Black Box, Sarah Jones at the Science Festival, Charlotte Dryden at the Oh Yeah Centre, who are in major management positions, but they are all very down to earth and they were already representing women pushing forward. While I have never said to these people they were role models, looking at their careers, I feel now I really understand the importance, and the power, of representation even more.

Would you consider yourself as part a new generation of cultural administrators taking over from those people who were part of the expansion of cultural activities during the early Peace Process years?

I am 46 years old but I still feel like a “young ingénue” with regards managing the cultural space. I do think there are quite a few younger people coming through who are aiming to make a contribution to how culture is expressed, and how that expression is managed, and their perspective is a little different from the perspective of people from the previous generation. I would certainly see myself in that space.

However, I should say society is changing so much that I look at my children’s generation and they are a lot more confident in terms of expressing their opinions than I ever was. We just weren’t raised that way. The wonderful young people coming up behind me I think will have quite a different approach to mine, and the people of my generation.