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What is the 'Fluid Structure'?
Ever since we began in 2012, In-Situ has been exploring different ways of working as a team that are a bit different to most workplaces. This now includes things like a flat pay rate*, a consensus culture, using coaching methodology in place of management, non-hierarchical job titles and the idea of 'Fluid Leadership', which allows space for individual development and working with people's strengths and interests. We also give one week every year for each team member to conduct their own research around their practice.
We try and build questioning and enquiry into what we do so we're constantly re-evaluating the way we do things. This includes being upfront and sharing our learning about the challenges of this practice as well as the plus points. We don't claim to have the answers, but we believe in working towards creating an inclusive working environment that values everyone equally, along every step of our work, all the time.
* As of April 2026 this is £31,837 pro rata, excluding trainees who are paid 'real living wage'.
We have made two series of films called 'Fluid Structures' to explore this further. If you're thinking of working with us, or interested in similar things, you might find these useful.
Fluid Structures Films
Fluid Structures, Series 2 (2025-26)
Film 1: Growing and Becoming
How can we support each other to explore purpose and possibility? What part does art play in shaping how we work together?
In this film the team think out loud about how they came into the organisation, how the structure has supported their creative development and reflect on the value of art in grounding and directing our values and visions for the future. (12 mins)
Film 2: Working Equally Across Difference
How did the staff structure come about? How has it evolved? How does the structure enable us to share leadership?
In this film the In-Situ team think out loud around experiences of working in partnership and collaboration within the community and local decision making settings.(15 mins)
Film 3: Working Across and Between
How can we model alternative forms of leadership? How can we empower each other to collectively bring about change?
In this film the In-Situ team think out loud around experiences of working in more hierarchical contexts and local decision making settings, and how our way of working translate outside of the team.
(13 mins)
Fluid Structures, Series 1 (2023-24)
Episode 1: Building a Different Way of Working
The first Fluid Structures film talks through the basics of the way the organisation is structured. (6 mins)
Episode 2: Enabling Collective Growth and Learning
Through the experiences and observations of team members, film two explores the challenges and benefits of working in this way, and asks questions that we as an organisation might take forward, which may also be of interest to consider if you are thinking about exploring new ways of working. (13 mins)
Episode 3: Being Present and Finding a Shared Sense of Value
The third film in this series explores questions of being present; with one another and within the community. Members of the team share their experiences of working across art practice and community work and within an embedded context, in which staff may also be residents in the locale, in which much of the work goes unseen.
The film raises questions around inclusivity in an interdisciplinary practice that values all contributions equally, and of boundaries and heathy ways of working when using values-based methodologies. (10 mins)
Fluid Structures
A note on the films
"These films are created as reflective practice for us to pool our collective thinking around our 'fluid structure'. Making the films is the start, but then sharing these with the staff, board and critical friends supports and informs new decision making and exploration. We hope that the provocations and our shared experiences and perspectives offer insights into the challenges and joys of a longterm, emergent process. The reflections from our unique setting are not intended as a how to guide, but we hope, offer a sense of collective possibility (in all its multi-layered complexity).
The process of making these films started with filming individual team members responding to a loose set of prompts, allowing for individual reflections, experiences and challenges to surface. These are then edited down, giving each person the opportunity to withdraw any of their footage. The final edit captures a moment in time of individual and collective thinking, with each film theme and its’ text provocations developed out of common themes or unique or newly articulated perspectives."
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