THE PROCESS

West Michigan Symphony’s 2020-2023 Strategic Plan is being developed in two phases. Phase I took place from July to December, 2019. Staff and board members from WMS and its subsidiary, The Block, began by conducting a SWOT Analysis (Appendix I) over multiple summer sessions by both boards and the staff.

In October, a meeting of the boards and staff, facilitated by consultant Paula Kendra, was held at the Annis Water Resources Institute. This session included a review of the SWOT and a brainstorming process that resulted in drafts of Vision and Mission statements. A Task Force consisting of staff and board members from both organizations was appointed to carry the work forward.

The group, meeting biweekly from mid-October through mid-December, finalized a Vision Statement encompassing the broader organization. It elected to craft separate Mission statements for WMS, The Block, and the menu of education programs mounted by each division.

The Task Force then began developing the topline goals of the Strategic Plan. We spent an entire meeting on a “blue sky” generative discussion that resulted in a white board full of creative ideas for achieving the vision.

Kendra and Executive Director Andy Buelow then shaped the results into a series of draft goals (broad statements of what we want to achieve) and grouped them in six pillars:

• Artistic Vibrancy

• Music Education

• Community Engagement

• Audience Development

• Fund Development

• Infrastructure

The Task Force reviewed the results, made a number of important changes, and then adopted the final resulting set of goals. The staff was then charged with drafting objectives (quantifiable outcomes) to accomplish each goal. The group met for a final session in mid-December to review, modify, and ultimately adopt the resulting series of objectives. This marked the completion of Phase I.

Phase II will consist of developing the work plans—in the form of strategies and tactics—within each objective. In some cases this will be a staff-driven activity; in other areas, one of the WMS Board’s three standing committees, or the full Block board, will take the lead. The entire strategic plan will be divided up into annual work plans for completion by 2023. The Board will review progress at least biennially.

For a diagram outlining the Strategic Planning hierarchy of steps, see Appendix II.

Artistic Vibrancy

GOAL I:

Plan Programming that attracts and inspires people at all levels of familiarity with the art form

• Develop an inclusive artistic planning model that guides performance outcomes

• Balance mission-critical works with “single-ticket friendly” programming

GOAL II:

Transform concerts into events that captivate audiences and become the “talk of the town”

• Broaden audience touchpoints during concert week beyond the performance itself

• Plan at least one annual marquee or signature event that stretches our capacity: artistic, production, listener or other

Artistic Vibrancy: a framework for assessing the organization’s impact in a holistic manner, beyond static definitions of excellence. It provides a tool for gathering useful internal and external feedback, facilitating reflection, growth and change. For an outline of our Artistic Vibrancy Framework, see Appendix III.

Music Education

GOAL I:

Work toward eliminating barriers to participation in music education activities for all the community’s youth

• Develop marketing strategies to reach underserved youth with existing education programs

• Begin the collaborative work towards creating an El Sistema type program in Muskegon

• Develop and identify financial support to allow free access to education programming

GOAL II:

Expand program geographic footprint to include under-served areas of West Michigan

• Identify under-served geographic areas and develop relationships with new school districts

• Bring a WMS Education program(s) to an area we currently do not reach

GOAL III:

Develop adult programs that deepen music appreciation and participation

• Establish a ‘rusty musicians’ program for adults who play(ed) an instrument

• Maximize opportunities for additional adult engagement around current concerts

• Develop marketing strategies to inspire these adults to become season ticket holders

El Sistema (the system): An instrumental music program for marginalized children, originating in Venezuela and championed in the US by LA Philharmonic conductor Gustavo Dudamel. El Sistema-inspired programs offer free classical music education that promotes human opportunity and development for students from underserved backgrounds. El Sistema youth orchestras provide intensive weekly after-school music instruction and free use of an instrument in a supportive, nurturing environment.

Community Engagement

GOAL I: Expand relationships and relevance through strategic collaborations

• Be a visible leader at the table as the community strives to address its challenges and build widespread, shared prosperity

• Partner with other area arts and culture organizations to elevate sector relevance through creative placemaking

GOAL II:

Work toward diversifying the organization at all levels to accurately reflect the community

• Build an open Board, staff and volunteer culture that welcomes and embraces a plurality of backgrounds, life experiences and ethnicities

• Plan concert seasons to reflect diversity through programming choices and guest artists

• Support local, regional and national efforts to increase access to music opportunities

Community engagement: a dynamic relational process that facilitates communication, interaction, and involvement between an organization and a community for a range of social and organizational outcomes.

K.A. Johnston

Audience Development

GOAL I:

Expand organizational visibility and reach; cultivate new audiences

• Develop programs and incentives that appeal to younger and more ethnically diverse audience members

• Expand marketing initiatives that target neighboring communities

• Overcome attendance barriers for classical aficionados who don’t currently attend (“aware non-attenders”)

GOAL II:

Build audience loyalty and sense of community

• Optimize patrons’ entire concert experience—from point-of-sale to post-concert (concierge approach)

• Make Symphony performances “the place to be” in Muskegon

• Develop ancillary events and benefits that acknowledge and celebrate milestones in patrons’ relationship to organization and deepen their identification with WMS

To attract and retain new audiences, arts organizations need to stop selling excellence and start brokering relationships between people and artists.

Diane Ragsdale, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

For a diagram of the Patron Loyalty Ladder, see Appendix IV