Strategic Plan
Introduction
To begin the planning process all members were surveyed to find out the interests of our members and the things they liked about the association and areas for improvement. Then a motivated group of members met with the Board to talk about the results of the membership survey and the direction the Art Association should take. They looked at all the results and the comments made by respondents. Then they thought about what they’d like the Association to be like in five or more years’ time and what would be required to achieve that vision. In the survey members overwhelmingly approved the direction in which the Association is headed; the proposed vision and mission are therefore refinements of the present mission statement rather than radical ideas.
The Survey Results
The survey showed that the present membership comprises both artists who are primarily interested in displaying their work in the Uptown Gallery (these “hanging” members are referred to as Gallery members in the strategic plan) and members whose primary interests are in networking with, and learning from, other artists. Although both the Association and the Gallery were rated highly in the survey, the comments accompanying the ratings had several suggestions for improvement. These were all discussed at the planning meeting.
It was also notable in the survey that members were mostly pleased with all the educational offerings. Over a quarter of the respondents attend monthly meetings. These were rated very highly. People were also pleased with the lectures, workshops and demonstrations held the year before, as well as the ongoing classes. However, less than one-tenth of the responding members go to classes. They are twice as likely to attend lectures and Saturday workshops. They were split evenly on whether the Association should hold workshops with nationally recognized artists. Opportunities for painting and drawing together were popular as were social events. Any suggestions for improvement were posted and discussed at the planning meeting.
Members surveyed were satisfied that the Association was moving in the right direction. At the planning meeting the Board and Association members present tried to define and refine this direction. They worked on where the Association should be in five to ten years’ time and some of the necessary steps to get there. These form the basis of the strategic plan, and has been refined by discussions with the Board and members since the planning meeting.
The Intent or Vision Statement
The first part of the plan is the Intent or vision and the purpose or mission of the Association. The intent statement is the picture of what we want the Association to look like in five (or perhaps ten) years. It is of an Association that can credibly represent itself as encompassing all two and three dimensional static visual arts, the artists in the area producing them and the supporters of these arts. It is of an Association promoting these arts throughout the community and educating the community about these arts. It is of an Association not bounded by the confines of the classroom or the Gallery but one that takes art out into the community, to people young and old.
This statement is the reference point for all that follows; if a proposed action or activity is not in keeping with the vision it should not take place, unless the Association revises the intent.
The Purpose or Mission Statement
The purpose statement describes what the Association does to support the intent. The first paragraph in this section is the purpose statement; it is followed by a brief description of the present operations of the Association. These statements are useful in keeping the Association on track and in describing the Association to potential members, donors and grant awarding bodies.
The Goals and Objectives
Goals are a broad statement of what needs to be done to fulfill the intent and the purpose. Objectives are the actions needed to achieve the goals. They are focused on the future so they generally do not include the present operations of the Association. If objectives need to be set for these operations, they are set using the intent statement as the guide.
After the plan is finalized down to the objectives level, the objectives will be broken down even further, to the actions to be taken. Then if necessary these are broken down again into steps and a date will be attached to it, saying when it will be completed. Only by finishing each step is the action done. Each action done brings the objective closer.
The long-range plan is for the Association to be an active, integral part of the community. It takes a fresh look at art education and art appreciation. The plan recognizes an increasing need to refocus on all its members and the services they want. The plan asks a permanent Gallery committee to oversee Gallery policy implementation for the Gallery, including its day-to-day operation. The committee would also be responsible for policy development, but Gallery policy would be approved by the Association Board. This would allow the Association Board to concentrate on the Association as a whole: the activities other than art sales and display plus the infrastructure to support them.
The plan is for the Association to be the organization that represents every one of the static visual artists in its service area and to be the organization to join if you are a supporter of the static visual arts.
In other words, its artists produce aesthetic works in all kinds of two- and three-dimensional media such as:
painting, collage, drawing, photography, folk art media (most of the present Gallery members);
clay art (we have new members who are clay artists);
sculpture – glass, metal, wood and stone (we have members who produce art in these media);
mobiles.
Members may be working at any level in these and similar media. They may be established artists or beginning artists. Student artists at the local colleges and university as well as senior high school students are welcome as members. The Association facilitates their participation.
To attract members working or beginning to work in some of these media may require providing workshop space and equipment for such artists. This may mean a larger workshop area. Learning from other artists is a prime reason for non-displaying artists to join the Association, so there is an emphasis on education and networking.
Another emphasis in the plan is the recognition of the need to have as members the area artists who have their own gallery or are represented by commercial galleries other than the Uptown Gallery. The future Gallery will look more like these galleries, but there is a consensus to build on the local aspect of the artist membership of the Association.
To serve the Association’s members, the Gallery displays aesthetic art in various two- and three-dimensional media. It does not display crafts or utilitarian art such as wearable art. The consensus is that the Gallery should look like an art gallery, not a gift shop, but should build on the local “hometown” aspect of the artists. Three dimensional art needs more floor space than two dimensional art; the Gallery may need to be expanded to accommodate them. The location of the Gallery on Main Street is unchanged in the plan; the only way it can be made bigger is by moving the workshop space. The Association is asked to find out if moving the workshop space is feasible. It is important to have this space convenient and handicapped-accessible so using space above or below the gallery is ruled out. Whether or not the Gallery expands, its appearance is enhanced. The workshop space is optimally used.
The physical presence of the Uptown Gallery and the workshop space is one way to support art and artists and put art into Franklin, but there are other ways to foster art appreciation such as talking to classes in the schools, teaching classes at the senior centers or talking to civic clubs. The Association looks for opportunities to do these and to partner with other non-profits to bring art to their users and supporters. Increasing support from sponsors, either individual or corporate, also helps to bring art into the community. Offering open educational meetings and workshops, some for young people, brings a knowledge of art and artists’ techniques to the area.
The Association recognizes the unfavorable economic conditions and that new revenue sources are required to ensure the future of the Association and the Gallery. It uses marketing to promote the Association and the Gallery and development to acquire funds to support its activities. It has a variety of memberships and donor categories to promote giving.
The Association recognizes its members are the most important resource of all. It meets as many of their wants and needs as it can. It promotes their art and represents them on the internet, in organizations and at events as appropriate. It provides a welcoming, inspiring atmosphere and opportunities to network and socialize with other artists.
The Board and its responsibilities
In the plan the goals and objectives are arranged under functional headings. These are: membership, community partnerships, education, the Gallery, marketing, facilities and development. As each of these areas of responsibility is critical to achieving the vision they are represented on the Board of the Association.
Often in organizations the most critical functions are given to Vice Presidents. In the proposed structure for the Board, the vice presidents are responsible for marketing and development and for education. The Board, with its committees and responsibilities, would look like this:
President (Board, Strategic Planning)
Immediate Past President (Historian, Parliamentary Procedures)
Secretary (Minutes, Communications, Phone Committee, Newsletter)
Treasurer (Budget, Financial Reports, Tax Returns, Audit)
VP - Education (Meeting presentations, Workshops, Classes and Interest groups)
VP - Marketing and Development (Marketing, Event Publicity, Fundraising, Grants, Internet and websites); Community Partnerships (Charitable work, Speaker’s Bureau, Community Art displays).
Gallery Director (Gallery Committee - Arts Center Policy and Operations - Display, Sales, Calendar coordination, Offsite sales and shows,
Membership (Membership, Social and Meeting Refreshments, Sunshine, Library and other services to members)
Facilities (Maintenance & Development of Arts Center Gallery, Meeting Area, Workshop area, Offsite display panels)
The Board responsibilities include ongoing functions of the Association, such as the social committee and library under membership. The main differences are those arising by necessity from the plan. The Gallery committee and a few other committees are chaired by Board members but in most cases the Board members appoint chairpersons of the committees and oversee the work they do. Some chairpersons may be asked to attend Board meetings and over time it may be prudent to add some chairpersons to the Board, in particular some of those under the vice-presidents.
This is a strategic plan to be accomplished over a period of five years to ten years or more; it will not be done this year or next. Each year committees and functions have steps to accomplish rather than entire goals. However, to make the plan achievable, members need to help in the Association’s work by serving on committees and by doing necessary jobs.
Our Strategic Plan adopted in 2010
Intent
Macon County Art Association is the community for artists and art patrons in Franklin, North Carolina that promotes two- and three-dimensional visual arts and encourages emerging artists of all ages.
Purpose
Macon County Art Association is a nonprofit organization committed to:
Providing a collective for artists in Franklin, Macon County and the surrounding area;
Our members strive to enrich the community through art education by offering opportunities such as lectures, workshops, ongoing classes for children and adults, and scholarships. We also currently host a weekly open Painters’ Group and Drawing Group, sponsor monthly educational meetings and participate in fundraising opportunities for our local school arts programs and other charities. The Macon County Art Association welcomes and encourages the general public to attend these events.
Macon County Art Association owns and operates a gallery, Uptown Gallery, and provides other opportunities for its members to exhibit and sell art at offsite and outdoor shows. These opportunities for artists also provide revenue to the organization to support its programs, scholarships and charitable work.
Long Term Goal for 2010 - 15
To be the premier visual arts organization in Franklin, Macon County and the surrounding area.
A. Membership Goal: Expand membership
Macon County Art Association will expand membership so that:
Objectives
B. Education Goals
Macon County Art Association will continue to provide art education for people in Franklin, Macon County and the surrounding areas, as well as networking and mentoring opportunities for artists.
B1. Provide art education
The Association will provide educational opportunities in art through lectures, demonstrations, workshops and ongoing classes to working artists, hobby artists and emerging artists of all ages.
Objectives
Give support to teachers and facilitators by
B2. Provide networking and mentoring opportunities for artists
Macon County Art Association will help artists in Franklin, Macon County and the surrounding area learn from each other, develop support groups and network with each other.
Objectives
C. Gallery Goals
The Gallery will become an Arts Center, offering excellent inside and outside display and sales opportunities to Gallery members.
C1. Inside Sales Goal: Provide excellent display and sales opportunities within the Gallery for participating members of its cooperative.
The Gallery of Macon County Art Association is the Uptown Gallery, 30 East Main Street in Franklin. The Gallery is run as a cooperative gallery displaying and selling works by Gallery members of the Association.
Objectives
C2. Outdoor Sales Goal: Provide excellent sales opportunities for participating members of its cooperative.
Gallery members of the Association will have the opportunity to display and sell their work at outdoor shows such as the ones currently held in Highlands and at festivals and events in the Macon County area.
Objectives
D. Marketing and Development Goals
The marketing goals of Macon County Art Association are to heighten and improve the image of the Association whilst supporting the Association’s goals. The marketing goals similarly promote the Gallery and its activities.
D1. Improve recognition and image of the Association in Franklin, Macon County and the surrounding area arts and other communities
Objectives
D2. Heighten recognition and image of the Gallery in Franklin and surrounding area arts and other communities
Objectives
D3. Develop the Macon County Art Association and Uptown Gallery website(s)
The Macon County Art Association website will promote the Association, its members and activities.
The Gallery website will promote the Gallery, Gallery members and Gallery activities. The website(s) will be accurate, up-to-date resources for Association members and the community.
If separated, the websites will be linked to one another.
Objectives
D4. Development and Fundraising Goals
Macon County Art Association will partner with government, businesses, professionals and individual sponsors to provide funding for the mission and goals of the Macon County Art Association and the associated gallery and exhibitions.
D4A. Develop fundraising programs and events
Objectives
D4B. Obtain grant monies for activities
Objectives
E. Community Partnerships Goal: Increase awareness of art and artists
Macon County Art Association will find partners in Franklin, Macon County and the surrounding area to
Objectives
F. Facilities Goal
The facilities used by Macon County Art Association will be improved to support the Membership A, Education C and Gallery D Goals. Facility improvement will
Objectives
To begin the planning process all members were surveyed to find out the interests of our members and the things they liked about the association and areas for improvement. Then a motivated group of members met with the Board to talk about the results of the membership survey and the direction the Art Association should take. They looked at all the results and the comments made by respondents. Then they thought about what they’d like the Association to be like in five or more years’ time and what would be required to achieve that vision. In the survey members overwhelmingly approved the direction in which the Association is headed; the proposed vision and mission are therefore refinements of the present mission statement rather than radical ideas.
The Survey Results
The survey showed that the present membership comprises both artists who are primarily interested in displaying their work in the Uptown Gallery (these “hanging” members are referred to as Gallery members in the strategic plan) and members whose primary interests are in networking with, and learning from, other artists. Although both the Association and the Gallery were rated highly in the survey, the comments accompanying the ratings had several suggestions for improvement. These were all discussed at the planning meeting.
It was also notable in the survey that members were mostly pleased with all the educational offerings. Over a quarter of the respondents attend monthly meetings. These were rated very highly. People were also pleased with the lectures, workshops and demonstrations held the year before, as well as the ongoing classes. However, less than one-tenth of the responding members go to classes. They are twice as likely to attend lectures and Saturday workshops. They were split evenly on whether the Association should hold workshops with nationally recognized artists. Opportunities for painting and drawing together were popular as were social events. Any suggestions for improvement were posted and discussed at the planning meeting.
Members surveyed were satisfied that the Association was moving in the right direction. At the planning meeting the Board and Association members present tried to define and refine this direction. They worked on where the Association should be in five to ten years’ time and some of the necessary steps to get there. These form the basis of the strategic plan, and has been refined by discussions with the Board and members since the planning meeting.
The Intent or Vision Statement
The first part of the plan is the Intent or vision and the purpose or mission of the Association. The intent statement is the picture of what we want the Association to look like in five (or perhaps ten) years. It is of an Association that can credibly represent itself as encompassing all two and three dimensional static visual arts, the artists in the area producing them and the supporters of these arts. It is of an Association promoting these arts throughout the community and educating the community about these arts. It is of an Association not bounded by the confines of the classroom or the Gallery but one that takes art out into the community, to people young and old.
This statement is the reference point for all that follows; if a proposed action or activity is not in keeping with the vision it should not take place, unless the Association revises the intent.
The Purpose or Mission Statement
The purpose statement describes what the Association does to support the intent. The first paragraph in this section is the purpose statement; it is followed by a brief description of the present operations of the Association. These statements are useful in keeping the Association on track and in describing the Association to potential members, donors and grant awarding bodies.
The Goals and Objectives
Goals are a broad statement of what needs to be done to fulfill the intent and the purpose. Objectives are the actions needed to achieve the goals. They are focused on the future so they generally do not include the present operations of the Association. If objectives need to be set for these operations, they are set using the intent statement as the guide.
After the plan is finalized down to the objectives level, the objectives will be broken down even further, to the actions to be taken. Then if necessary these are broken down again into steps and a date will be attached to it, saying when it will be completed. Only by finishing each step is the action done. Each action done brings the objective closer.
The long-range plan is for the Association to be an active, integral part of the community. It takes a fresh look at art education and art appreciation. The plan recognizes an increasing need to refocus on all its members and the services they want. The plan asks a permanent Gallery committee to oversee Gallery policy implementation for the Gallery, including its day-to-day operation. The committee would also be responsible for policy development, but Gallery policy would be approved by the Association Board. This would allow the Association Board to concentrate on the Association as a whole: the activities other than art sales and display plus the infrastructure to support them.
The plan is for the Association to be the organization that represents every one of the static visual artists in its service area and to be the organization to join if you are a supporter of the static visual arts.
In other words, its artists produce aesthetic works in all kinds of two- and three-dimensional media such as:
painting, collage, drawing, photography, folk art media (most of the present Gallery members);
clay art (we have new members who are clay artists);
sculpture – glass, metal, wood and stone (we have members who produce art in these media);
mobiles.
Members may be working at any level in these and similar media. They may be established artists or beginning artists. Student artists at the local colleges and university as well as senior high school students are welcome as members. The Association facilitates their participation.
To attract members working or beginning to work in some of these media may require providing workshop space and equipment for such artists. This may mean a larger workshop area. Learning from other artists is a prime reason for non-displaying artists to join the Association, so there is an emphasis on education and networking.
Another emphasis in the plan is the recognition of the need to have as members the area artists who have their own gallery or are represented by commercial galleries other than the Uptown Gallery. The future Gallery will look more like these galleries, but there is a consensus to build on the local aspect of the artist membership of the Association.
To serve the Association’s members, the Gallery displays aesthetic art in various two- and three-dimensional media. It does not display crafts or utilitarian art such as wearable art. The consensus is that the Gallery should look like an art gallery, not a gift shop, but should build on the local “hometown” aspect of the artists. Three dimensional art needs more floor space than two dimensional art; the Gallery may need to be expanded to accommodate them. The location of the Gallery on Main Street is unchanged in the plan; the only way it can be made bigger is by moving the workshop space. The Association is asked to find out if moving the workshop space is feasible. It is important to have this space convenient and handicapped-accessible so using space above or below the gallery is ruled out. Whether or not the Gallery expands, its appearance is enhanced. The workshop space is optimally used.
The physical presence of the Uptown Gallery and the workshop space is one way to support art and artists and put art into Franklin, but there are other ways to foster art appreciation such as talking to classes in the schools, teaching classes at the senior centers or talking to civic clubs. The Association looks for opportunities to do these and to partner with other non-profits to bring art to their users and supporters. Increasing support from sponsors, either individual or corporate, also helps to bring art into the community. Offering open educational meetings and workshops, some for young people, brings a knowledge of art and artists’ techniques to the area.
The Association recognizes the unfavorable economic conditions and that new revenue sources are required to ensure the future of the Association and the Gallery. It uses marketing to promote the Association and the Gallery and development to acquire funds to support its activities. It has a variety of memberships and donor categories to promote giving.
The Association recognizes its members are the most important resource of all. It meets as many of their wants and needs as it can. It promotes their art and represents them on the internet, in organizations and at events as appropriate. It provides a welcoming, inspiring atmosphere and opportunities to network and socialize with other artists.
The Board and its responsibilities
In the plan the goals and objectives are arranged under functional headings. These are: membership, community partnerships, education, the Gallery, marketing, facilities and development. As each of these areas of responsibility is critical to achieving the vision they are represented on the Board of the Association.
Often in organizations the most critical functions are given to Vice Presidents. In the proposed structure for the Board, the vice presidents are responsible for marketing and development and for education. The Board, with its committees and responsibilities, would look like this:
President (Board, Strategic Planning)
Immediate Past President (Historian, Parliamentary Procedures)
Secretary (Minutes, Communications, Phone Committee, Newsletter)
Treasurer (Budget, Financial Reports, Tax Returns, Audit)
VP - Education (Meeting presentations, Workshops, Classes and Interest groups)
VP - Marketing and Development (Marketing, Event Publicity, Fundraising, Grants, Internet and websites); Community Partnerships (Charitable work, Speaker’s Bureau, Community Art displays).
Gallery Director (Gallery Committee - Arts Center Policy and Operations - Display, Sales, Calendar coordination, Offsite sales and shows,
Membership (Membership, Social and Meeting Refreshments, Sunshine, Library and other services to members)
Facilities (Maintenance & Development of Arts Center Gallery, Meeting Area, Workshop area, Offsite display panels)
The Board responsibilities include ongoing functions of the Association, such as the social committee and library under membership. The main differences are those arising by necessity from the plan. The Gallery committee and a few other committees are chaired by Board members but in most cases the Board members appoint chairpersons of the committees and oversee the work they do. Some chairpersons may be asked to attend Board meetings and over time it may be prudent to add some chairpersons to the Board, in particular some of those under the vice-presidents.
This is a strategic plan to be accomplished over a period of five years to ten years or more; it will not be done this year or next. Each year committees and functions have steps to accomplish rather than entire goals. However, to make the plan achievable, members need to help in the Association’s work by serving on committees and by doing necessary jobs.
Our Strategic Plan adopted in 2010
Intent
Macon County Art Association is the community for artists and art patrons in Franklin, North Carolina that promotes two- and three-dimensional visual arts and encourages emerging artists of all ages.
Purpose
Macon County Art Association is a nonprofit organization committed to:
Providing a collective for artists in Franklin, Macon County and the surrounding area;
- Promoting art and art appreciation through education and exhibition;
- Supporting the work of artists and art endeavors such as the school arts programs
- Supporting the work of other nonprofit organizations through art.
Our members strive to enrich the community through art education by offering opportunities such as lectures, workshops, ongoing classes for children and adults, and scholarships. We also currently host a weekly open Painters’ Group and Drawing Group, sponsor monthly educational meetings and participate in fundraising opportunities for our local school arts programs and other charities. The Macon County Art Association welcomes and encourages the general public to attend these events.
Macon County Art Association owns and operates a gallery, Uptown Gallery, and provides other opportunities for its members to exhibit and sell art at offsite and outdoor shows. These opportunities for artists also provide revenue to the organization to support its programs, scholarships and charitable work.
Long Term Goal for 2010 - 15
To be the premier visual arts organization in Franklin, Macon County and the surrounding area.
A. Membership Goal: Expand membership
Macon County Art Association will expand membership so that:
- The Association is representative of the entire artist community in Franklin, Macon County and the surrounding area.
- The Association includes the supporters of the visual arts in Franklin, Macon County and the surrounding area.
- The Association’s continuing operating funds are increased to help support the Association’s objectives.
Objectives
- Attract more established artists such as those with their own galleries.
- Remove barriers to membership for working artists by offering regular weekend and evening events.
- Delineate membership categories to allow continuing support from students, artists and individual and corporate patrons.
- Revise the by-laws to encourage working artists and others unable to attend monthly meetings to join the Association.
- Develop membership materials consistent with these changes and the goals of the Association (see Marketing Objective E1.1).
- Partner with artists with their own studios and workshops to offer programs there.
- Expand and diversify membership to include more sculptors and artists working in clay and other three-dimensional media, folk artists and other nontraditional artists, printmakers and photographic artists.
- Improve Gallery Display areas for three-dimensional art (see Gallery Objective D5).
- Provide facilities for working in three-dimensional as well as two-dimensional media (see Facilities Goal F).
- Attract student members; provide opportunities especially for students.
- Remove barriers to membership for student artists by offering regular weekend and evening events.
- Delineate membership categories to allow continuing support from students, artists and individual and corporate patrons.
- Revise the by-laws to encourage students unable to attend monthly meetings to join the Association.
- Attract benefactor members who support the visual arts.
- Delineate membership categories to allow continuing support from individual and corporate sponsors.
- Delineate gifting types and levels.
- Define recognition for benefactors.
- Attract Gallery members by defining Gallery membership category and better distinguishing Gallery operations from those of the Association.
- Establish governance for the Gallery operations (see Gallery Goal D1.1).
- Improve Gallery facilities (see Facilities Goal F).
- Hold annual juried competition.
B. Education Goals
Macon County Art Association will continue to provide art education for people in Franklin, Macon County and the surrounding areas, as well as networking and mentoring opportunities for artists.
B1. Provide art education
The Association will provide educational opportunities in art through lectures, demonstrations, workshops and ongoing classes to working artists, hobby artists and emerging artists of all ages.
Objectives
- Continue to hold regular education meetings, ongoing classes and workgroups, workshops and demonstrations.
- Diversify the type and the times of these offerings in support of Membership Objective A1.1.
- Diversify the places education meetings and workshops are held by partnering with member artists with their own studio or workshop in support of Membership Objective A1.5.
- Promote these activities (see Marketing Goal E1).
- Develop funding in support of these as appropriate (see Development Goals G1 and G2).
- Provide excellent teachers and facilitators for classes and workshops.
Give support to teachers and facilitators by
- Advertising and promotion of classes and workshops (see Marketing Goal E1).
- Low-cost facility provision as appropriate.
- Generous honoraria as appropriate.
- Provision of supplies as appropriate.
- Grant writing assistance (see Development Goal G2).
- Provide excellent meeting, teaching and workshop facilities in all media (see Facilities Goal F).
B2. Provide networking and mentoring opportunities for artists
Macon County Art Association will help artists in Franklin, Macon County and the surrounding area learn from each other, develop support groups and network with each other.
Objectives
- Hold monthly meetings and provide other opportunities for artists to network.
- Continue to provide special interest groups with opportunities to network and self-mentor such as the Thursday Painters Group and the Monday Drawing Group. Identify other special interest groups and meet their needs as membership expands.
- Identify artists willing to mentor emerging artists and facilitate mentoring.
C. Gallery Goals
The Gallery will become an Arts Center, offering excellent inside and outside display and sales opportunities to Gallery members.
C1. Inside Sales Goal: Provide excellent display and sales opportunities within the Gallery for participating members of its cooperative.
The Gallery of Macon County Art Association is the Uptown Gallery, 30 East Main Street in Franklin. The Gallery is run as a cooperative gallery displaying and selling works by Gallery members of the Association.
- The Gallery will provide an accessible and inviting environment emphasizing the community centered nature of the Gallery and the Association.
- The Gallery’s external and internal appearance will be up-to-date and professional, providing excellent display opportunities for two- and three-dimensional works of art.
- Sales staff will be artists featured in the cooperative and trained to offer friendly and knowledgeable help to customers, thus facilitating sales.
Objectives
- Establish Gallery Governance Committee. The Committee shall have the responsibility for all inside and outdoor sales venues to Gallery members.
- Revise Gallery procedures to facilitate Gallery Members’ participation in the Gallery (see Membership Goal A).
- Provide professional-level customer service training for gallery personnel.
- Investigate other available locations and investigate relocating the meeting and workshop space so that the Gallery display area can be expanded (see Facilities Goal F).
- Appearance and display (see Facilities Goal F2):
- Update the image of the Gallery to reflect the vision of the Association.
- Identify opportunities to promote the gallery and increase membership of the Gallery and the Association (see Membership Goal A and Marketing Goal E1).
- Make the Gallery more identifiable.
- Expand display opportunities for three-dimensional artists and for larger works of art.
- Hold special shows and open houses.
- Partner with other organizations for themed shows.
- The Gallery Committee and the Marketing Director will work together to identify other opportunities to promote the Gallery.
C2. Outdoor Sales Goal: Provide excellent sales opportunities for participating members of its cooperative.
Gallery members of the Association will have the opportunity to display and sell their work at outdoor shows such as the ones currently held in Highlands and at festivals and events in the Macon County area.
Objectives
- Develop a working group or subcommittee of the Gallery Committee to be responsible for all outdoor sales.
- Investigate alternative venues for the outdoor shows in Highlands.
- Find a venue for an offsite show and sale in Franklin related to a gem show or other event.
- Determine objectives for shows at festivals and special events in Franklin including the Scottish Festival, Heritage Festival and Pumpkin Fest.
- Investigate representing the Gallery and members at festivals in Clayton and other nearby communities.
- Write a plan for each of these events.
D. Marketing and Development Goals
The marketing goals of Macon County Art Association are to heighten and improve the image of the Association whilst supporting the Association’s goals. The marketing goals similarly promote the Gallery and its activities.
- The perception of the Macon County Art Association by artists and the community at large will be boosted.
- The image of the Association will be changed to include art forms other than photography and painting.
- Opportunities for recognition will be identified and used as appropriate.
- The Association will be consistently represented using the marketing materials and approaches developed.
D1. Improve recognition and image of the Association in Franklin, Macon County and the surrounding area arts and other communities
Objectives
- Develop a logo and marketing materials consistent with the Association’s status as the premier art organization in Franklin, Macon County and the surrounding area to support development, membership, education and other activities of the Association.
- Ensure that these materials are used exclusively in promoting the Association’s operations.
- Identify all marketing venues and opportunities for promoting the Association.
- Identify the Organization’s activities needing marketing support and match them to available marketing opportunities. Ensure that all the Association’s programs, workshops and other educational activities are promoted.
- Liaise with artists, other arts organizations, civic and charitable organizations and help develop cooperative marketing programs.
D2. Heighten recognition and image of the Gallery in Franklin and surrounding area arts and other communities
Objectives
- Develop marketing materials for the Gallery and ensure that these materials are used exclusively in promoting the Gallery’s operations.
- Identify all marketing venues and opportunities for promoting the Gallery.
- Identify the Gallery’s activities needing marketing and match them to available marketing opportunities. Ensure that all the Gallery’s activities are promoted.
- Liaise with the merchants’ and civic associations and help develop cooperative marketing programs.
D3. Develop the Macon County Art Association and Uptown Gallery website(s)
The Macon County Art Association website will promote the Association, its members and activities.
The Gallery website will promote the Gallery, Gallery members and Gallery activities. The website(s) will be accurate, up-to-date resources for Association members and the community.
If separated, the websites will be linked to one another.
Objectives
- Develop an appearance and functions consistent with the image of the Association and of the Gallery.
- Provide a method for communicating with the Association.
- Provide information on the Association’s and the Gallery’s locations.
- Give information on all Association activities such as meetings, classes and workshops for at least three months into the future.
- Give information on other arts activities in the region.
- Provide access to the Association’s newsletter and other publications as appropriate.
- Provide a link to Association members’ websites.
- Provide up-to-date information on the Gallery, Gallery members and activities as appropriate.
- Provide links to sponsors and other organizations as appropriate.
D4. Development and Fundraising Goals
Macon County Art Association will partner with government, businesses, professionals and individual sponsors to provide funding for the mission and goals of the Macon County Art Association and the associated gallery and exhibitions.
D4A. Develop fundraising programs and events
Objectives
- Develop a gifting program for individuals and businesses
- Develop a memorial gifting program.
- Plan promotion of the Association at community events and help solicit sponsors and donations.
- Help establish benefactor membership category (see Membership Objective 5).
- Develop fundraising events.
- Identify potential benefactors and sponsors and approach them for funding.
- Offer incentives for sponsorship.
- Identify special needs, programs and events of the Association for sponsorship opportunities.
- Identify potential sponsors for these needs, events and programs.
- Identify partners for fundraising events as appropriate.
D4B. Obtain grant monies for activities
Objectives
- Identify potential granting organizations:
- Governmental institutions and programs;
- Foundations;
- Businesses.
- Identify programs, workshops and other Association activities for funding.
- Identify Gallery needs for funding.
- Write grants to fund appropriate Association and Gallery objectives.
E. Community Partnerships Goal: Increase awareness of art and artists
Macon County Art Association will find partners in Franklin, Macon County and the surrounding area to
- Promote awareness of art and artists working in the area.
- Bring art appreciation to people in the area.
Objectives
- Establish a Speaker’s Bureau to make speakers and topics available for civic, business and professional organization meetings, schools and colleges.
- Identify display opportunities for member artists in locations such as the airport, colleges, businesses and other locations.
- Manage these locations so that the Art Association and its members are represented according to the Association’s goals and so that the participating community members are satisfied with the results.
- Make display backdrops for these areas as necessary (see Facilities Goal 2.4).
- Provide lighting for displays as necessary (see Facilities Goal 2.4).
- Make members aware of any security issues they might encounter.
- Develop and distribute an updated art map to create awareness of the association’s Gallery, its various displays and its member artists’ studios in Franklin, Macon County and the surrounding area.
- Develop an art tour and other events to create awareness of member artists.
- Contribute time and art to charitable organizations in furtherance of the Association’s goals.
- Support the Zonta Evening of Art and Chocolate auction or other charitable events, according to all the Association’s goals.
- Develop projects to raise funds for charity such as the hand painted Christmas ornaments (half the profit went to Shop with a Cop, half to the Association).
- Participate in other community organizations’ and civic events (see Membership Goal A and Marketing Goal E1).
- Have information display booth at Franklin festivals and other events as appropriate.
- Have information display booth at other community’s events, such as those in Clayton, Highlands, Dillsboro, and at college events as appropriate.
- Use the Association’s and its members’ marketing materials exclusively and appropriately.
F. Facilities Goal
The facilities used by Macon County Art Association will be improved to support the Membership A, Education C and Gallery D Goals. Facility improvement will
- Heighten and enhance the image of the Association and of the Gallery.
- Make the Gallery more identifiable from the street.
- Enhance teaching and group activity space.
- Expand teaching and group activity capabilities.
- Provide display areas that complement the diversity and high caliber of the Gallery members’ art whilst providing an inviting and friendly place for
Objectives
- Provide excellent meeting, teaching and workshop facilities in all media.
- Find an accessible venue for classes and workshops other than the Uptown Gallery space.
- Equip venue for classes, workshops and group activities.
- Provide facilities for working in three-dimensional as well as two-dimensional media.
- Provide facilities for working from live models.
- Provide facilities to aid two-dimensional artists prepare work for display including art printing and photography.
- Acquire funding to support increased workshop space and enhanced workshop facilities such as kilns, printing presses and photographic printing (see Development Goal G).
- Improve Gallery facilities.
- Update facade.
- Buy a new awning.
- Update the Gallery identification on the window (new lettering, relocate lettering to make it visible to passersby on Main Street).
- Update window display area.
- Develop and implement a cost-effective plan to improve the internal appearance of the Gallery (see Gallery Goal D1.5).
- Find alternative to pegboard such as wallboard or gallery panels.
- Improve lighting.
- Develop and implement a cost-effective plan to improve the display capabilities of the Gallery.
- Increase/install display areas for 3-D art and large pieces of art.
- Expand display space into meeting area when other venue for Association activities is secured.
- Renovate present meeting area to match Gallery.
- Replace tile with carpet as needed.
- Update facade.
- Provide display panels and lighting as required to allow Gallery members to display at designated offsite locations.
