Arts Midwest Strategic Plan 2015 2017
Arts Midwest Strategic Plan 2015 2017 Executive Summary In 2013, Arts Midwest engaged our Board of Directors, our nine State Arts Agency Executive Directors, senior staff, and Arts Midwest constituents in a review of our strategic direction. Our process acknowledged our myriad operations and programming efforts over the past few years, which have successfully resulted in stronger approaches to delivering high-quality arts programs; managing our financial, communications, and technological systems; serving our member state arts agencies; and engaging audiences across the Midwest, the nation, and the world. Informed by these accomplishments, we critically examined our 2012 2014 Strategic Plan, retooling our approaches as necessary to ensure that our vision and processes continue to be relevant to our region, act as a catalyst for growth and achievement, and provide a yardstick against which to measure our progress. The following 2015 2017 strategic plan outlines a blueprint for our programs, operations, and evaluation processes for the next four years. It retains our commitment to a vibrant Midwestern region filled with strong communities and a creative workforce. It renews our values, vision, and mission statements, which continue to be vital and relevant to our work. And it extends our organizational goals, which remain essential to guiding our decision-making, our programming, and our evaluation. Since our 2012 2014 plan was originally designed to become a six-year framework for our activity, this next plan does not craft an entirely new direction for our organization. It does, however, offer new strategies and metrics designed to ensure that Arts Midwest is well-informed by data, flexible to the needs and priorities of our member states and program constituents, and prepared to face the work ahead. We look forward to the coming years and to continuing to serve artists, arts organizations, and residents across our region and our world. Values Vision Mission Goals Creativity is essential; All communities deserve meaningful creative experiences; All people have the capacity for creative expression; Midwest creativity shapes our nation s culture and vitality-and, The exchange of ideas and creative experiences inspires curiosity and understanding. Our vision is that through a region-wide renewal of its historic commitment to creativity and innovation, the Midwest will prosper and remain a healthy vital place in which to live. Our mission is to promote creativity, nurture cultural leadership, and engage people in meaningful arts experiences, bringing vitality to Midwest communities and enriching people s lives. Nurture Cultural Leadership Engage People in Meaningful Arts Experiences Model, Promote, and Advocate for the Midwest s Cultural and Creative Vitality Sustain and Strengthen Arts Midwest Arts Midwest Strategic Plan 2015 2017 Page 1 14
ArtsLab participants hard at work honing business models, developing partnerships, and refining their strategic roles. Goals and Strategies Nurture Cultural Leadership Utilize a diverse array of mechanisms, (including executive director summit meetings, SAA job-alike convenings, research, and network and resource development), to provide state arts agency leadership renewal and development opportunities at multiple levels across the agencies. Engage People in Meaningful Arts Experiences Continue to create and support diverse, highly valued programs, providing opportunities for people to engage with arts and culture. Model, Promote, and Advocate for the Midwest s Cultural and Creative Vitality Nurture a culture of innovation within Arts Midwest to encourage, recognize, and reward individual and team efforts which result in new and beneficial program and/or systems enhancements. Sustain and Strengthen Arts Midwest Ensure that Arts Midwest is robust, sustainable, and that we have the capacity we need to succeed in reaching our goals. Arts Midwest Strategic Plan 2015 2017 Page 2 14
Participants in Arts Midwest s pilot program, Future Leaders Network, established to foster emerging leaders in the arts and create a growing network of professional support and collaborations. Goal I: Nurture Cultural Leadership Strategies & Tactics Utilize a diverse array of mechanisms, (including executive director summit meetings, SAA jobalike convenings, research, and network and resource development), to provide state arts agency leadership renewal and development opportunities at multiple levels across the agencies: Conduct at least two state arts agency executive director summit meetings each year for peer-to-peer sharing and support. o Focus one segment of each summit on a seminar/dialogue with an outside content specialist chosen in collaboration with the SAA Executive Directors. o Gather feedback from participants following each summit to gauge effectiveness and impact, as well as to garner new ideas for future sessions. Conduct at least one state arts agency summit in Washington, DC every 18 months for executive directors and chairs to strengthen relationships between our states, the NEA, national service organizations, Congress, and other potential funding partners for the states (e.g., Departments of Agriculture, Interior, Transportation, etc.) o Document key results of these gatherings and disseminate back to state arts agency participants for additional follow up. o Create an ongoing communication mechanism between Arts Midwest (on behalf of its states) and DC-based participants to nurture the relationships. o Gather feedback from participants following each summit to gauge effectiveness and impact, as well as to garner new ideas for future sessions. o Track resulting program or project activity to measure effectiveness of the networks. Conduct up to two state arts agency program staff convenings each year for peer-topeer sharing and support. o Ensure that at least fifty percent of each gathering incorporates a seminar/dialogue with an outside content specialist chosen by the state arts agency participants in concert with Arts Midwest staff. Arts Midwest Strategic Plan 2015 2017 Page 3 14
o Gather feedback from participants following each convening to gauge effectiveness and impact, as well as to garner new ideas for future sessions. Conduct bi-monthly state arts agency executive director teleconference meetings each year to provide peer-to-peer support around legislative issues, national trends, etc. o Survey the state arts agencies well in advance of the teleconference to ensure greatest participation and engagement, as well as to determine special focus issues for the call. o As topics warrant, open these calls to other key state arts agency staff and/or board leadership. o Gather feedback from participants annually to gauge teleconference effectiveness and impact, as well as to garner new ideas for future sessions. Drawing whenever possible upon existing resources, provide periodic reports for our member states on topics of particular concern to them (e.g., public funding trends viewed through a regional lens, new SAA structural models, legislative trends, etc.) o Gather feedback from participants annually to gauge usefulness of these reports, as well as to garner new ideas for future reports. Develop the financial, human, technology, and network resources required to expand a nextgeneration version of ArtsLab to a broader segment of the Arts Midwest region. Utilize evaluation documentation from prior and current ArtsLab cycles to develop a case statement for a potential expansion of the program beyond its current geographic scope. Develop a plan for a streamlined, next generation version of the program to be implemented regionally. o Identify sub-region(s) of the Midwest in which to pilot this next generation ArtsLab. o Identify, cultivate, and secure the necessary funding to launch a pilot. o Implement the pilot. Evaluate and test both the impact of the new model on participants and the model s efficiency and sustainability. Re-tool, refine, and determine next steps. Develop the additional financial resources required to pilot, refine, and launch a comprehensive Building Public Will campaign on behalf of the arts. With leadership from our member state arts agencies, as well as other public and private sector arts leaders, Arts Midwest undertook initial research into the feasibility of creating a Public Will Building campaign for the arts in 2012. While initial funding for a pilot venture has been secured, the remaining funds are still under development. Identify and recruit a core leadership team and key partners to help guide the campaign, and to assist in the fundraising efforts. Secure the additional resources necessary to launch a pilot and testing model. Conduct the pilot phase research and testing in three to four geographically and demographically disparate cities or regions (both within and beyond the Midwest). Share initial research findings and potential implementation plans with other relevant organizations and potential partners to ensure efficient, non-redundant efforts. Based on results, refine the project and work to secure the funds required to launch the campaign at a national level. Arts Midwest Strategic Plan 2015 2017 Page 4 14
As part of an Arts Midwest Touring Fund engagement, elementary school students learn about and listen to the sounds the cello from a member of Aelous Quartet at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Association in Notre Dame, IN. Goal II: Engage People in Meaningful Arts Experiences Continue to create and support diverse, highly valued programs, providing opportunities for people to engage with arts and culture. Strategies & Tactics Arts Midwest programs both those designed and initiated by our organization and those managed in collaboration with the National Endowment for the Arts reach more than one million people each year. To strengthen that audience s experience, all of our programs either incorporate or require educational and/or audience engagement components. Some, such as Arts Midwest World Fest, Caravanserai: A place where cultures meet, and The Big Read, utilize significant educational residencies and rich contextual background to strengthen the audience's understanding of and engagement with the cultural forms being presented. These ventures require significant resources (either financial, human, or both), to succeed. In order to continue such programs in the future, Arts Midwest will need to grow and diversify its funding base; explore and invest in new approaches to program delivery; and employ continuous improvement practices in all program management activities. In the period covered by this plan, Arts Midwest will focus on the following strategies: Enhance and strengthen our programs which deliver, or support the delivery of, high-quality arts programming to audiences regionally, nationally, and internationally. Specifically, Arts Midwest Touring Fund will: o Annually provide funding to community presenting organizations in each of our nine states in support of touring performing arts events. o Based on research conducted in September 2013, explore re-calibrating program guidelines to better serve audiences across our region. o Conduct further outreach to underserved regions or communities across our nine states to extend the impact of the program. o Continually refine its application and reporting processes to strengthen grantee experience and satisfaction. Arts Midwest Strategic Plan 2015 2017 Page 5 14
o Strengthen reporting processes to assess the program s impact on the communities supported. Arts Midwest World Fest will: o Over the course of a two-year cycle, provide four weeks of educational residency and performance activities by international music ensembles in underserved communities in each of our nine states. o Support learning opportunities for children and adults who engage with these residencies through accessible, online resources. o Evaluate online resources and usage o Based on findings, enhance online resources to increase overall usage o Develop new evaluation mechanisms for the program which will measure the program s impact on participating students, teachers, audience members, and artists. o Analyze and report on findings to board and key stakeholders. o Explore opportunities to extend the reach of the program beyond the nine participating communities in each cycle via collaborative projects with Midwest world music festivals; add-on residency weeks with other states or communities; or other special projects. o Renew existing and identify, cultivate, and secure additional funding in support of the program. Caravanserai: A place where cultures meet will: o Annually, provide two and one-half weeks of educational residency, performance, and film screening activities by two different international music ensembles and one filmmaker in four to five communities across the United States o Support learning opportunities for children and adults who engage with these residencies through accessible, online resources. o Strengthen overall usage of the program s online resources as a means of enhancing the program s impact. o Continue to utilize robust and comprehensive evaluation mechanisms for the program which measure the program s impact on participating students, teachers, audience members, and artists. o Analyze and report on findings to board and key stakeholders. o Explore opportunities to extend the reach of the program beyond the primary host communities via collaborative projects with world music festivals; add-on residency engagements with other presenting organizations; or other special projects.. o Renew existing and identify, cultivate, and secure additional funding in support of the program. Pending funding and approval by the National Endowment for the Arts, Shakespeare in American Communities will: o Annually provide major funding to 30-40 theater companies across the United States to encourage performances and educational opportunities for middle- and high-school students. Strive to fund theater companies from all regions of the country, including the Midwest. o Support learning opportunities for students and teachers through the use of online resources about Shakespeare. Arts Midwest Strategic Plan 2015 2017 Page 6 14
o o Continually refine the program s application and reporting processes to strengthen grantee experience and satisfaction. Assess and report to key stakeholders on the program s impact on the theater companies and communities supported. Pending funding and approval by the National Endowment for the Arts, The Big Read will: o Annually provide funding to approximately 75 non-profit organizations across the United States to support community-wide reading programs. Strive to include nonprofit organizations from all regions of the country, including the Midwest. o Support learning opportunities for students, teachers, and the general public through the use of extensive online resources about more than 30 works of literature. o Strengthen the visibility of program participants, and the understanding of opportunities a community-wide reading program presents, by continually enhancing the program s robust online presence. o Broaden the voices and genres represented on The Big Read booklist by adding new titles annually o Continually refine the program s application and reporting processes to strengthen grantee experience and satisfaction. o Assess and report to key stakeholders on the program s impact on the theater companies and communities supported. Continue to support ongoing exhibition projects and initiate collaborative processes with museums and/or other visual arts organizations to conceive and produce at least two exhibitions over the next four years to reach audiences regionally, nationally, and/or internationally. Monitor Modern Spirit: The Art of George Morrison, documenting audience reach and impact, as well as benefit to participating institutional partners, host sites, and sponsors. Evaluate impact and success of exhibitions exported to People s Republic of China (Identity and the American Landscape: The Photography of Wing Young Huie and The Sum of Many Parts: 25 Quiltmakers in 21 st Century America) Undertake a series of dialogues with key potential collaborators to explore appropriate exhibition content, presenting venues, funding partners, etc., and report on findings. Depending on recommendations: o Identify necessary human resources to manage process o Develop project prospectus (i) and test with collaborators, potential venues, and funders. o Engage external curatorial, educational, and advisors. o Identify, cultivate, and secure additional funding in support of the program. o Launch exhibitions. Strengthen the regional and national delivery infrastructure for performing arts touring through our annual Arts Midwest Conference. Through strategic site selection, effective cost controls and pricing, and careful schedule management, ensure that the Conference remains geographically and economically accessible to our market. Retain and grow Conference participation. Arts Midwest Strategic Plan 2015 2017 Page 7 14
o Maintain the perceived high value of the Conference among existing and potential attendees. o Seek opportunities for the Conference to serve a broader constituency, either from within current participant organizations, or from other non-participating groups. o Monitor feedback data on a year-on-year basis to gauge overall perceived value, track participation retention, trends, etc. Expand earned revenue from the Conference, within parameters of the market. Renew existing and identify, cultivate, and secure additional funding in support of the Conference. Continually explore new program concepts or opportunities which are congruent with our mission and support the goal of engaging people in meaningful arts experiences. Arts Midwest Strategic Plan 2015 2017 Page 8 14
Lakota flute player, dancer, and storyteller, Kevin Locke, shares photographs with students at the Da Mai Di village in Kunming, China as part of a residency with Arts Midwest s Native American / China Exchange program in spring 2014. Goal III: Model, Promote, and Advocate for the Midwest s Cultural and Creative Vitality Strategies & Tactics Nurture a culture of innovation within Arts Midwest to encourage, recognize, and reward individual and team efforts which result in new and beneficial program and/or systems enhancements. Incorporate problem-solving and innovation more clearly into our annual performance review process. Establish a quarterly innovator award for an employee or team of employees whose creative idea(s) lead to a program enhancement, greater systems efficiency, new funding resources, etc. Spotlight organizational innovation and creativity in monthly board reports, at board meetings, etc. Utilize a diverse array of communication vehicles to increase field and constituent appreciation for successful and beneficial innovations implemented by and/or catalyzed by Arts Midwest. Identify and communicate broadly about innovation taking place within our own programs. o At least once each quarter, produce a spotlight feature on our website focusing on programmatic innovations, or innovations taking place within constituent organizations as a result of our programming. Identify opportunities for Arts Midwest and its programs to be featured in regional, national, and international forums. o Negotiate with NASAA to spotlight innovation at Arts Midwest (and the other Regional Arts Organizations) in the same manner they do for SAAs. o Submit proposals to present at critical national conferences including Grantmakers in the Arts, Association of Performing Arts Presenters, etc. Arts Midwest Strategic Plan 2015 2017 Page 9 14
o Encourage broader staff participation in panel discussions, workshops, conferences, etc. in the region and beyond. Identify and promote creative excellence and innovation taking place in the Midwest. Develop unique opportunities within the Arts Midwest Conference to feature or spotlight innovative presenters and exemplary artists from our own our region. o Explore the potential of re-positioning the David J. Fraher Future Leaders Fund into a similarly named innovation or creativity award. o Consistently feature all-conference presentations by Midwest artists whose work connects with audiences and communities in new and powerful ways. Develop and implement a "Made in the Midwest" brand that could be used to spotlight creative or innovative excellence from the region via our web site and social media platforms. o Recruit a team of "curatorial advisors" (from both urban and rural communities) to identify Midwestern businesses, organizations, and individuals whose work reflects the excellence of the region's creative heritage and creative future. o Create promotional sponsorships with innovative heritage or up and coming Midwestern brands and creative entrepreneurs. Partner with our member SAAs to build appropriate relationships with economic development and tourism offices to support and extend our work in this area. Engage with existing creative industry or innovation projects (such as those underway in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Illinois) to identify best practices in this field and determine how models can be shared regionally. Explore an appropriate alliance or role with the Creativity World Forum project (Chaired by WI-ED George Tzougros) to strengthen our visibility in this arena. Arts Midwest Strategic Plan 2015 2017 Page 10 14
With highly skilled and deeply passionate staff, Arts Midwest is able to deliver and support high-caliber arts experiences in communities regionally, nationally, and globally. Goal IV: Sustain and Strengthen Arts Midwest Ensure that Arts Midwest is robust, sustainable, and that we have the capacity we need to succeed in reaching our goals. Strategies & Tactics Renew, strengthen and diversify Arts Midwest s governance. Maintain an active, board-led Nominating Committee which regularly seeks input from other board members, and supports the overall governance process. Develop a diverse matrix of potential candidates who can be nurtured over time to assume vacancies on the board. Regularly analyze our board composition to assess its overall diversity (age, race, gender, geographic); its relationship to our constituencies; and its network assets. Continue to strengthen the board orientation and mentoring programs put in place in 2012. Support board learning and engagement by ensuring that a significant portion of each board meeting is dedicated to an in-depth exploration of either an Arts Midwest program, a trend in the field, or a critical policy issue facing our organization. Conduct an annual self-review for the board to assess each member s understanding of their role, their engagement, and their capacity to serve, as well as to seek improvement suggestions which strengthen our governance. Continue to strengthen our financial position and financial management. Develop with the board s finance committee an annual set of target levels for unrestricted net assets, year-to-year operating surpluses (or planned losses); and days of cash on hand, to more actively monitor fiscal health, as well as to ensure appropriate allocation of resources between program support and reserves. o Maintain finance dashboards on a quarterly basis to track ratios, days of cashon-hand, administrative ratios, etc. Arts Midwest Strategic Plan 2015 2017 Page 11 14
Based on framework provided by our strategic plan, and with input from our Finance Committee, develop and monitor annual budgets for board approval. Provide month-end financial data to senior managers and board treasurer on a timely basis to ensure effective oversight. Report on quarterly results to the Finance Committee, and through them, to the full board. Support a full and comprehensive annual audit and A-133 Compliance Audit, and ensure that the audit is presented directly to the board s Finance and Audit Committee. Review the SAA-membership dues/investment plan to determine its current appropriateness. Employ, train, support, and fairly compensate the staffing resources required to meet our plan s goals. Ensure that our personnel policies support job and career growth within our organization, to every extent possible. Ensure that there are current and accurate job descriptions for each position within the organization. Conduct annual performance reviews on timely basis. Regularly benchmark our compensation and benefits package against organizations of similar size and scope, both locally and nationally. Budget for and support formal and informal development and training opportunities for all staff through workshops, seminars, participation in conferences, etc. Advance organizational data and technology systems to the next level of maturity. Building on research conducted during FY 2014, select and install a new, comprehensive data management system o Train staff to manage and operate the new system o Monitor the effectiveness of the system to ensure data integrity, security, and ease of use for internal and external users. Research, and if feasible, implement advanced technology solutions to support panel processes Continue to update and maintain our ongoing technology plan to accommodate ongoing changes in communications and technology Plan for succession at all levels of the organization. Ensure that the Nominating Committee has up-to-date job descriptions for the roles of Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary, with a clear outline of the skill-sets and background which are required for each role. o Ensure that the Nominating Committee has an active leadership development plan for board members, with a goal of growing each member s leadership potential within the organization. Develop new and forward-looking job descriptions for the President/CEO and Vice President positions. o Identify the attributes, experience, skill sets, and network the organization will need in a new President/CEO. Develop and adopt at board level succession plans for the President/CEO position for both emergency and planned transitions. Arts Midwest Strategic Plan 2015 2017 Page 12 14
Strengthen Arts Midwest s revenue diversification through increasing earned and contributed non-national Endowment for the Arts revenues. Explore opportunities to maximize earned revenue through new or continuing programs. o Establish baseline levels of current earned revenue. o Monitor and evaluate return on an annual basis. Maintain existing funders (corporate, foundation, and individual) at or above current investment level. o Continue to communicate Arts Midwest value as an investment. Identify, cultivate, and secure new and additional funding at a level sufficient to support of program activities set forth in this plan. Identify, cultivate, and secure new and additional general operating funders. Explore feasibility and appropriateness for planned or endowment giving. Arts Midwest Strategic Plan 2015 2017 Page 13 14
Photo credits Cover page, from top: Photos by Joshua Feist: Arts Midwest Conference 2014; Paulo Padilha and Group workshop at North High School in St. Paul, MN; Photo courtesy of the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines: San Jose Taiko conducts a workshop as part of an engagement with the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines, in Des Moines, IA. Page 2: Photo by Ackerman and Gruber. Goal I/page 3: Photo by Joshua Feist. Goal II/page 5: Photo by Pam O'Rouke, Courtesy of Fischoff National Chamber Music Association. Goal III/page 9: Photo by Stephen Manuszak. Goal IV/page 11: Photo by Joshua Feist. Arts Midwest Strategic Plan 2015 2017 Page 14 14