In Autumn, 2020, the Wallace Foundation produced a five-part national webinar series, “Reimagining the Future of the Arts." The series brought together a diverse set of leading experts in the field to facilitate conversations around some of the most pressing issues facing the arts sector, grounded in research commissioned or supported by Wallace.
The Wisconsin Arts Board partnered with Arts Wisconsin to bring the multi-part discussion closer to home, and followed each of the Wallace sessions with a Wisconsin discussion via zoom, for a one-two informational punch at the pandemic.
The big question was and is: What will the future be like for nonprofit arts organizations? Strengthening community engagement, inclusion, and organizational health have long been on the minds of nonprofit arts leaders around the country. The global COVID-19 pandemic and the national conversation about racial justice and equity make such questions even more urgent.
The Wisconsin Arts Board partnered with Arts Wisconsin in an invitation to Wisconsinites to watch the Wallace sessions and then to join us to share ideas, information, and inspiration, in a series of conversations about the (reimagined) future of the arts, culture and creativity throughout our state.
(The Wallace Foundation delayed posting the recordings, so we postponed the WI sessions so that those who couldn't watch the Wallace session live had a chance to review the recording.)
- Wednesday, October 21, 2020. This first Wallace Foundation session examined “What audiences want from the arts as the pandemic rages on." Panelists in the first installment of Wallace's arts conversation series examined how COVID-19 and urgent conversations about racial justice are transforming the arts. Click here for the session recording.
- November 6, 2020 – The Wisconsin session examined this same question, informed by WI leaders and their perspectives and experiences to date.
- Thursday, November 5, 12-1 pm. Question: What can we learn about organizational health from “high-performing" and “turnaround" arts organizations? The session will begin with a brief overview of the study, The Alchemy of High-Performing Arts Organizations, which analyzes commonalities across two groups of high-performing organizations, offering insights into how they achieved organizational health by linking strategy and financial sustainability. Click here for the session recording.
- Two December sessions were devoted to this one topic:
- December 3, 2020 – part 1 - The Wisconsin session examined this same question, led by WI Arts Board staff who took participants through AEA's Toolkit and the choice of which scenario they each wanted to explore in-depth in part 2.
- December 18, 2020 – part 2 - The Wisconsin session examined this same question, led by WI Arts Board staff who took participants through scenario planning for their organizations via break out rooms and whole group discussion.
- Winter/Spring 2021. Questions: How can organizations respond to what their communities need most? What can the arts sector learn from arts organizations of color about community engagement and financial health?
- March 19, 2021 – The Wisconsin session examined this same question, informed by WI leaders and their perspectives and experiences to date.
Arts Organizations' Early Response to COVID-19 Uncertainty: Insights from the Field
AEA Consulting | The Wallace Foundation
Navigating Uncertain Times: A Scenario Planning Toolkit for the Arts and Culture Sector
The Wallace Foundation