Allied Arts Council of St Joseph MO

Arts Experiences

• Enhance the cultural climate of our community by increasing opportunities to participate in the arts.
o Encourage collaboration among member agencies.
• Expand opportunities to promote the arts in the business community.
o Create partnerships with businesses.
o Develop arts-based training programs.
• Develop new strategies to deliver arts experiences.
o Utilize the standing arts-based committees in developing a strategic action plan (new).
o Implement the strategic action plan to reach all populations in our community, including underserved.


Continuing Arts Experiences

● Trails West!®
● Beer Walk
● Sculpture Walk
● Artscape
● Artists in the Schools

Advocacy

• Build an active and engaged board that meets the needs of the organization.
o Continue working committees to ensure the success of the strategic plan.
 Recruit potential board members who are willing to work on projects.
• The Nominating Committee will recruit board members with interests in education and art and who have important business connections.
• Through a partnership with the Chamber of Commerce, continue to strengthen relationships with businesses.
o Develop arts-at-work programs. (new)
• Continue to provide opportunities to member agencies that strengthen their position in the community.
o Marketing
o Coordination
o Collaboration
o Communication


Ongoing Advocacy

• Local (Member agencies, City and County Government)
• State (Missouri Arts Council, Missouri Citizens’ for the Arts, Missouri Association of Community Arts Agencies, legislature)
• National (Kennedy Center, National Endowment for the Arts, Americans for the Arts, legislature)
Operations

• Develop a system to ensure adequate funds for the Arts Fund
o Increase the amount raised in the Arts Fund in order to increase benefits.
o Explore sustainable revenue streams. (New)
• Expand the Allied Arts Council’s Arts Fund Endowment.
o Continue to build an active committee for endowment fundraising. (New)
• Develop a system to ensure adequate funds for the Arts Council
o Continue to appoint a volunteer committee for fundraising. (New)
o Increase number of AAC patrons contributing to the annual Membership Drive. (New)
• Establish cash reserves for Allied Arts Council equal to six months of expenses.
• Develop a strategic approach to funding public art programs.
o
• Facilities (new)
o Develop a plan for updating and/or replacing fixed assets as needed. (New)
• Staffing (new)
o Develop a succession plan for use as needed. (New)
• Governance (new)
o Recruit and cultivate volunteers as board members as part of a succession plan for the Board of Directors. (New)
o Maintain and/or revise By-Laws of AAC (new)
o Implement the approved Strategic Plan. (New)
 Convene committees to develop action plans for implementation of the approved Allied Arts Council Strategic Plan. (New)

Standing Committees of AAC


• Nominating
• Finance
• Allocations
• Personnel
• Presidents’ Roun

Each committee is working to develop action items to reach the goals listed above.

We are blessed with a community that values the arts. The Arts Council programs enlist the use of over 2,000 volunteers each year and over 1,000 people support the Council programs through contributions. Over 150 businesses give money, time, and services to Council programs. The City of St. Joseph abates $2,100 in annual rent payments and contributes over $50,000 each year to the Arts Fund drive and Trails West!®. The Arts Fund, administered by the Council, provides a united campaign for six arts agencies and is supported by 96 businesses and over 800 individuals. Funding for Trails West!® comes from earned income, the City of St. Joseph, the Buchanan County Convention and Visitors Bureau, sponsorships and the Missouri Arts Council. Financial support for the Arts Education programs comes from earned income, the Arts Fund, private contributions, and the Missouri Arts Council. The St. Joseph Sculpture Walk is supported by the St. Joseph Downtown Community Improvement District, the City of St. Joseph, business sponsorships and private donations.

Although we have created an endowment fund, it has been more difficult that anticipated in raising the necessary funds and more importantly finding the right people to help raise the money.

The public art program has been very successful in attracting people to downtown St. Joseph, but the challenge is finding buyers for the sculptures and raising enough funds to sustain the project over time.