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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 4 MISSION The Lakeville Area Arts Center promotes cultural enrichment and provides artistic experiences for the community. VISION The Lakeville Area Arts Center provides an environment that fosters creative expression and offers a myriad of artistic and educational opportunities for the community. 2019-2023 Strategic Plan Strengthening our community commitment to the arts. Expand the capacity of our art facilities. Partner with local government and businesses to build community art excitement. Deepening participant engagement, retention, and volunteerism. Form a vibrant volunteer community. Diversify our marketing practices. Increase connection and follow-up communications with participants. Reaching new participants with expanded programming. Develop art experiences beyond the Arts Center. Diversify the programming within the Arts Center. Lakeville Area Arts Center Lakeville Area Arts Center | Strategic Planning Transcript 2019 In May 2019, the LAAC staff, advisory board, and friends board gathered for strategic planning. Participation was substantial. Nineteen staff and board members worked together for two days. Facilitated by Aurora Consulting using consensus group processes, the following results are the work of the participants during the retreat. A summary is below. The full results follow. The boards prepared for strategic planning by reviewing the current downtown development guide update. Then on day one they discussed the current reality of LAAC and developed a practical vision of the next five years. On day two they identified barriers that stand between them and their vision and created directions and strategies for the next five years. Following the two boards will each create a first-year implementation plan. Summary Results Practical Vision Barriers Strategic Directions In the next 5 years, we want to see… What is blocking us from moving towards our vision? What innovative and substantial actions will we do? • Increased revenue, value, and programming through expanded partnerships • An engaged volunteer council • Vibrant art campus with expanded and improved facilities • LAAC promoting art beyond our campus • Human diversity and inclusion in our programming and participation • Expanded innovative programming in unexplored mediums • Unified stakeholders to avoid overlap • Our brand inspires engagement • Robust increase in membership • We have not yet defined our plans, processes and opportunities • Current space limits new/different opportunities • Staff and volunteer task management is undefined • Marketing expansion falls short of program opportunity • Under-utilization of outside/untapped resources Strengthening our community and commitment to the arts • Develop and execute a plan to expand the capacity of our facilities • Create art excitement with local government and businesses Driving user engagement, retention, and volunteerism • Create an engaged and effective volunteer community • Strengthen our marketing practices • Increase member/user engagement through follow-up, connection and communication Reaching new participants through expanded programming • Engage the community beyond the Art Center • Diversify the programming available in the Art Center Current Reality Summary WHERE ARE WE NOW? BASIC DATA What are some of the facts and data that reveal our present? • Communication o Stand-alone website? o More exposure/promotion of activities/opportunities • Historic venue o The Avenue o Community o Outdoor art walk • City, donor, volunteer support • Community gem that is vibrant and well-used • Growth potential for performance attendance • Limited expansion potential o Gazebo/bandshell o Purchase of building from school district? ACCOMPLISHMENTS What are some recent accomplishments? • Facility: Conversion of an historic church into a facility for visual and performing arts • Partnerships (city, friends, Lakeville Liquors) have contributed to the success of the Arts Center • Use of facility by community organizations (Rotary, Lions, Chamber, Art Festival, area residents) • Programming: growth in visual and performing arts (good variety) TRENDS What trends assist our work? What trends resist our work? • Technology (assist) o Used for logistics (i.e. ticket sales, marketing, administration, becoming a member) o Incorporate into art as a valued medium (classes, exhibitions) • Downtown Development and Lakeville partnerships (assist) o Increased strength and interest in forming partnerships with nonprofits and businesses CHALLENGES What challenges concern us as we move forward with planning? • Financial resources are needed to improve staff development, to educate elected officials and the community at-large about the LAAC and increase volunteers and membership • Financial resources are needed to address a multitude of facility needs including space, maintenance and equipment • The lack of accessible programming including financially, geographically and culturally diverse • To better utilize and define responsibility of boards (friends and advisory) ADVANTAGES What strengths, benefits, and advantages give us confidence as we move forward with planning? • Strong support system: LAAC staff, advisory, city council, friends, volunteers • Alignment with community interests and revitalized downtown • Iconic/historic facility – anchors downtown • Demonstrated response to program offerings Full transcript available. Practical Vision WHAT DO WE WANT TO SEE IN PLACE IN 5 YEARS AS A RESULT OF OUR ACTIONS? Vibrant art campus with expanded and improved facilities LAAC promoting art beyond our campus Expanded innovative programming in unexplored mediums Human diversity and inclusion in our programming and participation An engaged volunteer council Robust increase in membership Increased revenue, value, and programming through expanded partnerships Our brand inspires engagement Unified stake- holders to avoid overlap • Additional classroom space • More space for classrooms and gift shop • Enhancements to support structural integrity (loading dock and storage) • Art gift shop • Increased space for programming • Parking and transportation • Artist lofts and programming space • Dedicated art campus • Acquire the ALC via public schools donation • Art around town • New art walk and festival span all of downtown • An outdoor performance facility • Arts on the go! • Outside performance space • Brought art out into the community • Additional public art • Increased outreach through transport and “Art Bus” • Music education and appreciation • Technology lab/space for creating digital arts/ graphics • Our film festival is a huge draw • Artist incubator programming • Outdoor concert series • We host travelling Broadway shows • A seasonal weekly outdoor concert series • Diversified programming for new audiences • Diverse offerings to include other cultures • Increased cultural diversity in programming and participation • Added instructors to diversify programs • 5-10 affordable programs per year (no cost or low cost) • A large pool of volunteers to support programm ing and events • Larger number of volunteers coordinate d by new staff • Structured volunteer group and opportuniti es • 1,000 membership s through onboarding “consumer to member” process • Increased membership and sponsorships • Membership 500% increase • Increased partnerships driving creative programming and revenue • Art partnerships with businesses • Digital marketing quick-hit playful strategy • Better outreach to increase awareness and participation • All communit y education art venues combined and aligned with LAAC Barriers Summary WHAT IS BLOCKING US FROM MOVING TOWARDS OUR VISION? Staff and volunteer task management is undefined Marketing expansion falls short of program opportunity We have not yet defined our plans, processes, and opportunities Under-utilization of outside/untapped resources Current space limits new/different opportunities • Unbalanced/unclear staff vs. volunteer responsibilities • Haven’t identified all of the needs for volunteers • Current staff is multi- tasking • Haven’t replicated the volunteer model of the Art Festival across the LAAC year • Small staff doesn’t have clear delineation of responsibilities for community outreach and volunteers • Uncoordinated community network and partners • Marketing is secondary to operations and programming • Exhausted marketing and efforts and dollars • Our focus on Lakeville’s major market segment • Limited exposure beyond downtown and people already involved • Programming that appeals to a specific demographic • Not having fully articulated expansion plan • No plan to expand funding resources (taxes, FLAAC, program revenue, grants) • Lack of an onboarding and follow-up process and strategy • Underdeveloped outreach plan • Numerous interests/ideas for competing resources • Small number of strong partnerships • Current funding relies primarily on local property taxes • We have a risk-averse mindset due to fear of return on investment • We have maximized available space for current programming • Maximizing the use of Arts Center keeps us from outside opportunities • Restrictive and limited space Strategic Directions Develop and execute a plan to expand the capacity of our facilities • Program management has dedicated office • Staff develop programming, financial growth, document • Identify expansion needs • Create subcommittee to tour art facilities to develop expansion plan • “Field trips” to other art venues • Create gift shop with art supplies for sale to public • Discussion with city to buy ALC building to expand campus • Identify missed revenue opportunities • Focus group for art campus option Create art excitement with local government and businesses • Host events for current partners and invite new partners • Develop working relationship with nearby communities and Chambers • Strategic planning with community partners for synergy • Downtown businesses, co-ops/sponsorships • Define why art (creativity) is important (valuable) to our community Strengthening our community and commitment to the arts Strengthen our marketing practices • Market events and activities at Art Festival • Develop an outreach plan (forums, town halls, ambassadors) • Ongoing marketing/communication internships • Friends Board meet with city marketing staff • Focus group to develop digital strategy • Develop a more comprehensive, focused marketing plan • Better utilization of Arts Center marquis and others in town to advertise current events and thank partners Create an engaged and effective volunteer community • Create a committee on committees to triage ideas • Write an MRAC grant to fund volunteer coordination • Hire a volunteer coordinator • Research and develop program to hire volunteer coordinator and marketing director • LNHS and LSHS honor society classroom/theater volunteer opportunities • Create a volunteer task list • Identify volunteer tasks and pool Increase member/user engagement through follow-up, connection, and communication • Develop onboarding process for all visitors to the Arts Center • Offer season ticket options • Survey Art Center users • Promote Art Center memberships at events • Develop outreach campaign for LAAC membership Driving user engagement, retention, and volunteerism Engage the community beyond the Art Center • Use community art as a new engagement tool (contest, scavenger hunt) • Mobile art classes • Music in part • Purchase a traveling art bus • Art crawl, gallery night Diversify the programming available in the Art Center • Host Penumbra performance • Plan two “riskier” events • Research to identify and bring in greater diversity of programming Reaching new participants through expanded programming