In Engage Now! I discuss the importance of making a public commitment to engagement. When new communities meet representatives of arts organizations they often assume the intent of the latter is to get them to buy tickets or make donations. That’s many people’s experience with the arts. Successful community engagement needs to be based on mutual benefit. An official statement of the organization’s reasons for engaging and a dedication to mutuality can be a starting point for building trust.
In recent months I’ve been asked several times for examples of such statements and, while there are some out there, I’ve decided it might be a good idea to share a template I’ve been working on.
XYZ Arts Organization’s Commitment to Our Communities
XYZ Arts, in living out its mission commitment to “[portion of mission statement that supports community engagement],” sees itself as a resource for improving lives in and strengthening the civic fabric of [city/geographic region]. [Art form we support] is, of course, valuable in and of itself; yet we also recognize its power as a tool for human betterment. Insofar as our resources permit, we seek to develop mutually beneficial relationships with individuals and organizations to help us further the public good. We will approach these relationships as learners, understanding that our expertise lies in [art form we support] and that our partners are the authorities in their fields of interest. Out of these relationships we will develop experiences in which [art form we support] supports community goals. We aspire to be a contributor to all things of importance to [city/geographic region] and to be recognized as a reliable and flexible collaborator on projects that make [city/geographic region] a better place to live.
Board of Directors
XYZ Arts
Date
It would, of course, be silly to copy this verbatim, simply filling in the appropriate words and phrases between the brackets. However, a statement coming from the governing body committing to the things included here would demonstrate a seriousness of purpose that could be significant in building trust with new communities.
And, this is a work in progress. I’m not only open but anxious to get feedback on improvements to this as a basis for future statements from arts organizations.
Engage!
Doug
Photo:
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