Leslie Jackson Chihuly of the Dale and Leslie Chihuly Foundation: “Why structure can be more liberating than confining”

Structure is more liberating than confining. In running a growing studio, I had to transition what resembled a start-up culture to a team that worked at scale. In the arts, structure is often perceived as counter to the spirit of creativity, but I’ve found that setting up an organizational system has allowed employees to collaborate and create better than before.

As a part of my series about strong female leaders, I had the pleasure of interviewing Leslie Jackson Chihuly, President & CEO, Chihuly Studio; Co-founder, The Dale and Leslie Chihuly Foundation; and Chair Emerita, Seattle Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors.

Leslie Jackson Chihuly is an American arts executive and philanthropist with a focus on democratizing access to the arts and to ensuring ongoing viability for artists and arts organizations. She is the president and CEO of Chihuly Studio, the working studio of American artist Dale Chihuly, and co-founder of the Dale and Leslie Chihuly Foundation.