PLANNING and ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Port Townsend Creative District

Port Townsend is home to a rich and varied array of arts and cultural activity. The designation by ArtsWA of a Port Townsend Creative District in 2020 further acknowledged the role of arts and culture in the community and strengthened a commitment to defining opportunities and goals for the future. The Creative District strives to support the creative economy in Port Townsend, with a focus on five artistic disciplines: visual, literary, performing, culinary, and makers arts. The Port Townsend Creative District, coordinated by the Port Townsend Main Street Program, selected AdvisArts to work with them in creating an Arts & Culture Plan focused on the Creative District and attentive to the entire City of Port Townsend.

Port Townsend Creative District

The U District Partnership

The U District Partnership (UDP) wanted to strengthen strategic approaches to arts and culture for Seattle’s University District during a period of unprecedented growth and change. AdvisArts worked with UDP and stakeholders from the neighborhood and the University of Washington in 2022-2023 to craft a vision and strategic direction for a University District Arts and Culture Initiative. This collaborative effort identifies a set of strategies to sustain and build robust arts activity and a strong creative culture for the University District.

The U District Partnership

City of Edmonds

An arts summit in 2013 attracted over 200 participants whose input shaped a community cultural plan update for which AdvisArts partnered with MIG, Inc. The City of Edmond’s Community Cultural Plan (adopted 2014) served to position cultural resources as community and economic building blocks, and this is reflected in the City Comprehensive Plan. AdvisArts worked with the Edmonds Arts Commission on a mini arts summit in 2015 to present updates on implementation. The City wished to further study the economic impact of arts and culture programs and businesses in Edmonds. AdvisArts partnered with BERK Consulting to develop the 2017 Edmonds Economic Impact of Arts and Culture Study, as well as a strategic business plan for Edmonds Public Facilities District/Edmonds Center for the Arts. In 2018, AdvisArts worked with city staff and community stakeholders to create a successful application as the first ArtsWA creative District in Washington and a work plan for implementation. AdvisArts subsequently facilitated a process for recertification of the Creative District in 2023 and setting the stage for Edmonds’ next cultural plan.

City of Edmonds

City of Newcastle

The City of Newcastle was incorporated only in 1994. Growing interest in enhancing the arts, culture, and heritage in this young city was bolstered by an opportunity to participate in 4Culture’s Creative Consultancy project, and work with Claudia Bach of AdvisArts. The first phase of a community cultural planning process took place in 2019 in collaboration with City staff, with representation from the City’s Community Activities Commission, and the recently created Newcastle Arts Council. This initial phase engaged community members in exploring options for arts and culture leadership and support in Newcastle, and included research on Newcastle’s arts and cultural assets and opportunities, as well as identifying community needs and priorities. Interviews, community meetings, and survey data all contributed to a foundation for the change envisioned in the community.

City of Newcastle
Newcastle Arts Council

Northwest African American Museum

The Northwest African American Museum (NAAM) opened its doors to the public in March 2008, the culmination of more than 30 years of discussions and planning. The first four years of public life set the stage in 2012 for reflecting on the experiences to date and developing a road map for the next five years for sharing the art, histories and culture of people of African descent. The process, facilitated by AdvisArts, included revisiting and revising the mission and vision and creating a statement of values along with defining strategic goals to guide the work of the board and staff. A planning team worked to assemble and analyze a diverse array of qualitative and quantitative data that had been gathered since the doors opened. The findings from this data served as a catalyst to robust conversations with NAAM Board and staff as well as a stakeholder group. The resulting plan reflects high aspiration for the museum tempered by an understanding of the challenges facing a young institution operated by a small staff.

Northwest African American Museum

The Vera Project, Seattle

AdvisArts worked with the founders of the Vera Project to develop a strategic plan following a successful inaugural year of providing all-ages popular music programs in partnership with youth in 2001. The planning brought new focus and direction to the initial energies and enthusiasms of committed community and music activists and resulted in The Vera Project Strategic Plan 2002-2006. This led to the development of A Business Plan for the Vera Project by AdvisArts that examined operational scenarios and opportunities for partnership with private and public funders. The Business Plan also included an audit of the organization’s fundraising and communications. The depths of the planning garnered significant support for the Vera Project as the organization developed new ways to serve urban youth through popular music and arts programs, and solidified Vera’s role as a national leader in this emerging field.

The Vera Project moved to its first long-term full-time venue at Seattle Center in 2007. AdvisArts worked with the organization’s leadership to develop a Bridge Plan during that transition, and in 2008 provided Vera with consulting services to support and facilitate The Vera Project Five Year Strategic Plan: 2008-2013 to guide Vera’s programming and organizational direction. The development of the plan involved staff, board and youth membership as well as extensive community participation. Evaluation of the first six years of Vera laid the groundwork for identifying challenges and opportunities in the Seattle Center venue. The process reflected constituent, stakeholder and outside community perspective on Vera’s value, programming, direction and mission and underscores Vera’s approach to creating a transformative, engaged community with youth at its center.

The Vera Project

City of Eugene, Oregon

The City Council of Eugene, Oregon initiated a Cultural Policy Review (CPR) process in 2006 to inform the future of the arts and cultural sector and define the role of the City’s Department of Library, Recreation and Cultural Services. Eugene is home to a rich variety of noted cultural offerings as well as the site of the University of Oregon, and the city has a strong identity related to both the arts and outdoor recreation. Claudia Bach, AdvisArts Principal, worked with WolfBrown on this year-long community cultural planning process that involved nearly 3,000 Eugene residents through extensive interviews, focus groups, community dialogue sessions, and a cultural census survey, in addition to a facilities inventory and assessment. The results include a major report outlining five goals and sixteen strategies involving the public, the private sector, and city government; and an extensive technical volume. The plan was accepted by the Eugene City Council in July 2007 and implementation continues with significant activity around joint public private efforts to support the arts and culture in the community.

City of Eugene, Oregon

Centrum, Port Townsend, WA

Nearing its 40th anniversary as a noted gathering place for intergenerational music festivals and workshops, Centrum was poised to look back as well as plan for an invigorated future. AdvisArts worked with board and staff to develop a five-year strategic plan that reflects the characteristic of this organization that offers a broad range of cultural programming in the extraordinary setting of Fort Worden State Park. The process included assessment of data and evaluations from many years of programs, a reexamination of mission, vision and core values, and the definition of strategic goals across the organization for the next five years. This formed the foundation for the development of two-year objectives for each of the goals, supported by tools for implementation. The planning process was designed to strengthen internal collaboration and communication, enhance clarity with external stakeholders, and provide a flexible roadmap for the organization’s next five years.

Centrum

Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience

The Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience (WLM) opened a significantly expanded new facility in late spring 2008 in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District. This unique museum engages multiple Asian Pacific American communities and the larger public in exploring issues related to Asian Pacific Americans. In preparation for the transition to their new home, WLM undertook a planning process to identify the human resource needs of its more than four-fold increase in size, greatly expanded programming, and increased administrative and operational activities. AdvisArts Consulting worked with a WLM’s Expansion Staffing Planning Team in an intensive process involving the full staff and board, and supported by WLM’s grant as an Americans for the Arts Exemplar institution. The goal was to capture the important ideas, attitudes and characteristics that make WLM an “exemplar” and to provide the Museum with a sustainable staffing structure. An Expansion Staffing Plan set the stage for the Museum’s growing contribution to local, regional and national understanding and appreciation of the cultural, historic and creative contributions of Asian Pacific Americans. Additional Board retreat facilitation and executive coaching was coordinated with implementation phases.

Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience