Society of Arts and Crafts

While we are proud of our current programming and its impact, we know unequivocally that we have the ability, drive and obligation to do more to meet the needs expressed by the community. Increasing the visibility and support of craft artists and expanding educational opportunities are paramount to the sustainability of our field. SAC’s vision is to expand our reach and become the center of a thriving community of artists and allied professionals, and be a relevant contemporary craft organization on par with other major cultural institutions in the Boston area, a destination for artists, craft collectors and general enthusiasts. To assist in achieving this vision, SAC identified five strategic themes to use as a road map.Strategic Theme I - ProgramsGoalEstablish SAC as the most important multi-program organization for contemporary craft in New England by revamping existing programs and initiating new ones that will reach a larger community and enhance the impact of our mission.Strategic Theme II - FacilityGoalRelocate SAC to a larger facility that will allow us to expand our programs and provide enhanced services for artists and the community. The new facility will position SAC as the premier craft destination in New England.Strategic Theme III - DevelopmentGoalExpand and implement donor opportunities to generate sufficient funding to materially advance SAC’s planned growth.Strategic Theme IV - Branding/MarketingGoalDevelop a clear, comprehensive and compelling identity to expand the audience for SAC’s programs and increase the audience for contemporary craft.Strategic Theme V - GovernanceGoalDevelop and maintain an effective, informed and committed Board of Directors whose governance and support roles will guide the growth of SAC.

Strategic Theme I - Programs

Objectives
• Increase attendance at CraftBoston by 10% and assess the CraftBoston business model annually aimed at increasing profitability within the next 18 months.
• Increase the number of artists benefiting from SAC’s professional development, grants, fellowships, sales and exhibition opportunities.
• Develop and curate exhibitions that provide maximum opportunities for education and outreach.
• Significantly expand education offerings directed at serving all facets of the craft community.
• Achieve profitability in the Retail Gallery within the next three years.
• Utilize website and e-commerce platforms more effectively to support all SAC’s programmatic objectives.

Strategic Theme II - Facility

Objectives
• Develop a detail plan outlining how the new facility will best support our members, artists, the public, and is financially sustainable within the next six months.
• Purchase or identify a lease, for an appropriate facility within the next 18 months.
• Move into a +/-10K sq. ft. facility that meets our requirements for visibility, accessibility, affordability and program goals within the next three years.

Strategic Theme III - Development

Objectives
• Task the development committee to expand membership, annual appeal, planned giving and friends programs to align fundraising initiatives with program goals.
• Identify one or more supporters who will pledge at least 20% of the project budget for a new facility within the next 18 months.
• Recruit board candidates with capacity to support ongoing growth within the next two years.
• Expand the artist award fund in order to increase the grant size for 2016.
• Develop programs or activities, to create new sources of earned income within the next two years.

Strategic Theme IV - Branding/Marketing

Objectives
• Form a Branding Task Force to rebrand the organization within the next year.
• Develop a comprehensive rebranding strategy and launch rebranding program within the next 18 months.
• Integrate comprehensive marketing plan with rebranding to maximize growth within the next two years.

Strategic Theme V - Governance

Objectives
• Create of culture of continuous improvement by developing processes of self-assessment that inform all aspects of our organization.
• Implement new ways to improve board effectiveness and the quality of the board meetings and committees within the next 12 months.
• Develop a schedule to review and update as necessary all organizational policies within the next six months.
• Develop a young Trustee, young Resource Council and Artist Trustee specific annual giving policy within the next 12 months.
• Improve diversity on board (age, artist, gender, ethnicity, giving capacity), within the next two years.

After a century of a proven commitment to craft, SAC has earned a reputation as a vibrant and edgy organization that is well regarded by its cultural peers, trusted to work honestly and diligently on behalf of artists, and is a resource for expert knowledge in the field of contemporary craft. The key to SAC’s success is, in part, its holistic approach to its mission. Our non-profit business model incorporates elements typically associated with museums, commercial galleries, large-scale craft shows and educational organizations. We believe that in order for the craft community to thrive, students, artists, collectors and the public must be connected to each other. SAC fosters these connections by acting as a cultural liaison through our staff, board, artists, donors and supporters. SAC prides itself on providing the opportunity for relationships between artists and the general public in a knowledgeable, patient and approachable manner. Our team is a vibrant group of creative individuals who consider craft to be a fundamental part of their core value system. All programming at SAC welcomes dialogue to best promote an understanding of and engagement with craft.

SAC's ultimate intended impact is to increase the audience for craft. With this result in mind, we have made great progress. Currently, our Retail Gallery represents and sells the work of approximately 250+ artists from across the country.The Exhibition Gallery Program includes 4-5 curated exhibitions annually, with a range of artwork from functional to sculptural and from traditional to contemporary. Exhibitions are designed to include a balance of one-person, themed group, and/or award recipient shows and represent a range of career levels from emerging to established. Currently, we are traveling Wendy Maruyama: Executive Order 9066 exhibition to more than five venues across the country.Craftboston Spring and Craftboston Holiday are our annual juried indoor craft shows with a total of 300 exhibiting artists, a lecture series and the Artist Mentor Program. The Craftboston shows provide artists with a professional venue and access to exhibit and sell their work to more than 10,000 craft enthusiasts.The biennial SAC Artist Awards support the work of New England craft artists. Three artists each receive a $3,000 cash award and participate in a group exhibition at SAC’s gallery. To date, $94,000 has been distributed. The John D. Mineck Furniture Fellowship ($25,000 annually) encourages and supports a young-in-career furniture artist. To date, $125,000 has been distributed. The Education Program includes artist lectures and presentations, day and weekend craft tours, staff led tours of our exhibitions for teens through adults, and guests who are blind and visually impaired and/or deaf and hard of hearing. SAC also has a strong Internship Program with recent interns hailing from 10 colleges and post-graduate programs from around the country.The SAC Mentor Program, launched in 2005, offers assistance and training for emerging artists in marketing, legal and insurance issues, portfolio development, pricing, selling, and booth design. Central to the program is a multi-year association with CraftBoston. Recognized for its innovative approach, the Mentor Program combines SAC’s resources with those of CraftBoston. Artists selected to participate in this program will be provided information and training from professionals in the field, and subsidized booths at CraftBoston Holiday.The primary obstacle to growth for SAC is space. SAC has leased a 2,000 sq ft brownstone on three levels for the past 40 years. Neither the Exhibition Gallery, nor the Retail Gallery are accessible. SAC has adapted to its space limitations by conducting many of its programs at off-site locations and by scaling down the scope of its programming.Ideally, SAC will be in a position to move to a more appropriate facility in the near future. Thus ensuring that programmatic decisions can be made less on limitations and more on possibilities.