Bau’s Blaug
The latest news from “the Big Cheese” – Executive Director Bau Graves.
What’s the Plan?
On April 8, the Old Town School’s Board of Directors approved a far-reaching organizational Strategic Plan. The Plan provides a guide to our organizational priorities for the next five years. The process of creating it took more than a year and dozens of task force meetings involving many of the School’s faculty, staff and board members. This Strategic Plan articulates a vision of continuing growth and institutional maturity for our School, and outlines a broad consensus regarding the direction that we are headed. I think it is an inspiring document, and I know it will inform all of the central decision-making in moving the School forward. Here is a summary of its major points.
OLD TOWN SCHOOL OF FOLK MUSIC STRATEGIC PLAN SUMMARY
MISSION
The Old Town School of Folk Music teaches and celebrates music and cultural expressions rooted in the traditions of diverse American and global communities.
FIVE CORE VALUES
A Community of Learners. The Old Town School strives to create a community that consciously fosters a sense of belonging and the freedom to experiment that allow all to teach and learn together.
The Participatory Experience. The Old Town School is an ongoing exercise in participatory culture. It celebrates friendly, spontaneous and collaborative ways to enjoy the arts, encouraging the growth of the individual and enriching the world around us.
Inclusiveness and Diversity. The Old Town School is committed to diversity in the full range of its meaning, thriving on differences. The strength of this community is a collective strength; our work a common labor.
Creative Expression of Traditions. The Old Town School honors its folk heritage while embracing new traditions.
Openness. The Old Town School values broad, open and direct discussion about issues of importance to the School, and fairness in all of its interactions.
VISION: The Old Town School Experience 2015.
In five years, the Old Town School of Folk Music is a vibrant, fiscally-strong organization that combines the warmth and immediacy of shared arts participation with an efficient patron interface at every point of contact. The School actively engages a large and diverse constituency, in superb facilities, through program options reflective of the breadth of American vernacular culture and the world of music and dance. The School strives to be faithful to its founding principles and traditions, while continually embracing innovation, fostering its audiences and enhancing the depth and nuance of its offerings in the classroom and on the stage. Progress is grounded in the enthusiastic sense of community that is central to the School’s mission. Through thoughtful planning and continuous attention to the people who constitute this community, in 2015 the Old Town School of Folk Music offers an experience of discovery that is unique among cultural organizations: deeply rooted and intensely personal.
STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS and ACTION STEPS
A. Build capacity for future growth.
1. Invest in physical plant.
2. Enhance organizational capacity.
3. Build infrastructure and service systems.
B. Provide an outstanding educational experience.
4. Develop a cohesive curriculum development process.
5. Provide multiple opportunities for in-depth engagement.
6. Provide meaningful guidance and feedback to teachers.
C. Identify and cultivate new, diverse students and audiences.
7. Research and identify opportunities for areas of constituent growth and retention.
8. Develop cohesive strategic vision for outreach programs serving constituencies both within the School and in a variety of community and scholastic settings.
9. Pursue enhanced partnerships with a range of local organizations representing specific communities to develop and market relevant program initiatives.
D. Pursue effective, clear and accessible communication about all aspects of the School.
10. Improve internal communications.
11. Develop cohesive standards for external communications.
Filed under: Uncategorized by Bau | April 13, 2010 | Comments (0)
