Leila is Professor of Cultural Policy and Participation in the School of Performance and Cultural Industries at the University of Leeds.  She has significant experience working in the cultural sector as a producer, researcher, consultant and policy maker. Since entering academia her research has focused on cultural policy, participation, power and decision making, related to which she has sat on a number of national policy advisory boards and runs an international network and research centre. Her current research examines the benefits of identifying, acknowledging and learning from failure in the cultural sector