The Project

“The Project” Pilot

The Project pilot is an opportunity designed for and by leaders of arts and culture organizations committed to the deep work of equity and systems change.

It’s time to move away from the problematic paradigms we’ve inherited: traditional hierarchies, cultures of burnout, unsustainable practices for people and planet, organizations that aren’t truly accountable to the people they serve, and perpetuating paradigms inherently linked to whiteness and patriarchy even as we say we want to do things differently.

“The Project” Pilot

The Project pilot is an opportunity designed for and by leaders of arts and culture organizations committed to the deep work of equity and systems change.

It’s time to move away from the problematic paradigms we’ve inherited: traditional hierarchies, cultures of burnout, unsustainable practices for people and planet, organizations that aren’t truly accountable to the people they serve, and perpetuating paradigms inherently linked to whiteness and patriarchy even as we say we want to do things differently.

The Project

But how do we actually do this?

 

NAS has spent the past 3 years working with a team of co-creators from across the arts and culture world to explore exactly that: what do we collectively need to move away from and towards, and how we might create an offering that helps leaders and organizations do this work with authenticity and accountability? This is how The Project pilot was born, and like all nascent entities, it’s still growing and evolving.

What we know so far is that it will be an opportunity for leaders looking to join us in this journey of moving away from what is and towards what might be. Together, we will build a supportive community of practice that brings together an intentionally diverse gathering of identities, abilities, and lived experiences. We will dive deep into the ways we and our organizations engage with race, capitalism, the environment, and more. In doing so, we will work to make conscious choices that bring us into right relationship with ourselves, our teams, the people we serve, and the earth.

To do this work, we will leverage tools and knowledge rooted in both research and lived experience. And we–NAS–will provide financial support to participating organizations because we value the time and energy that is necessary for such deep work. Because all too often programs like this center one leader within an organization and we know authentic change is the work of many, we plan to include the multitude of leaders within organizations (teams, boards, etc.) to join in the learning, effort, and accountability.

About “The Project” Pilot

As we work to build out the continually growing and evolving container for this work, at its core are 3 key programmatic elements

  1. Seven Full Group Sessions (2 In Person and 5 Online): These sessions are our opportunities to gather as a group for powerful shared learning and exploration across key themes central to our journey of change
  2. Peer Exchange Groups (PEGs): PEGs are smaller, curated groups within the pilot facilitated by NAS coaches designed for goal-setting, deep work, reflection, and accountability. You can learn more about PEGs here.
  3. Asynchronous Learning & Work: In addition to the sessions and PEGs, each of us will be accountable to ourselves, our organizations, and one another in continuing our learning and growth between our moments of gathering: implementing new policies and practices within our organizations, exploring different ways of thinking and doing. And we’ll set up an online Hub to serve as a portal for easy communication and knowledge sharing to support one another along the way.

The work of systems change needs to happen at every level – from the deeply personal to the universal. To honor this, we are building out tools and processes for The Project pilot that will help us all – as individuals, organizations, and as a cohort – evaluate where we are at the start of our journey, articulate where we want to be, and monitor and share our progress along the way. In doing so, our intention is to create real movement: authentic change within ourselves, our organizations, and our communities.

The Pilot Journey

2023

 

November – February

Recruitment of Our Pilot Cohort

2024

 

April 17

Pilot Launches with a Welcome Party including orientation materials, introductions to the cohort, tools, and an opportunity for self/organizational assessment

April

Peer Exchange Groups – PEGs – Begin (Meetings Bi-Weekly Online) 

June 17-18

Session 1 (Online)

September 15-18

Session 2 (On Land: Windham, New York)*

November 13-14

Session 3 (Online)

2025

 

January 12-13

Session 4 (Online)

April 21-22

Session 5 (Online)

August

Session 7 – A Closing Celebration & Exploration of What’s Next (On Land: In Person at a TBD Location)* 

Financial Equity & Accessibility

We deeply value the time and energy it takes to show up to this work, so rather than charging for participation and inhibiting access, we’re partnering with funders such that we can offer support instead. Each participating organization will receive $10,000 to help offset their investments of team time, energy, and travel. We know that this dollar amount won’t fully cover the substantial investment participants are making, but we’re hoping it will lighten the load and make this journey more accessible for those called to it.

Want to Join Us for the Project Pilot?

This is not a traditional application process – it’s a mutual selection process meant as an opportunity for organizations to self-reflect and earnestly explore amongst themselves and with NAS whether this pilot is the right fit at the right time. Our goal and north star in curating the pilot cohort is to create a powerful community of practice that intentionally centers diverse identities, perspectives, and lived experiences.

While we wish we had unlimited space for all to join, because this is a pilot, it feels important to intentionally limit the size for this first cohort. As such, we will be in touch with all organizations that express interest by or before mid-March 2024. It is our hope to be able to include many more people and organizations in this opportunity in the years ahead.

Reflection forms for the 2024-2025 cohort of The Project are currently closed.

 

Why Co-Creation?

At NAS, we’ve made a fundamental shift over the last few years in the way we design and implement programming. We believe deeply in the need to move away from hierarchical leadership and decision making. We know that lived experience matters, and trust that leaders in arts and culture understand what they need far better than anyone else does. As such, we no longer see it as our role to create programming for arts and culture leaders. We are focusing our efforts instead on building programming in partnership with those we serve: tapping the wisdom of the collective and facilitating the generation of ideas that our team can help bring to life.

The Project is the first offering by NAS that has been designed fully through co-creation, and we’ve learned a lot along the way. For an in-depth look at the process and lessons learned, visit What the Heck is Rainbow Sprinkles? An NAS Journey to Shifting & Sharing Power. And for a more recent look at how the program has continued to evolve, visit The Project: Undoing, Redoing, and Shifting Unjust Systems.

Meet The Project’s Leadership Team & Co-Creators Here

You are…

An organization based in the United States or Canada with leaders already deep in the work of moving towards more just, equitable, and sustainable practices seeking community, resources, support, and accountability

You will…

Join us as co-creators in this pilot rather than consumers, helping to shape what this program is and will become

You’ll explore…

New ways of being, thinking, and doing

You’ll build…

A community of practice that you can learn with and from to support you on your journey

What Are We Working Towards?

We know that the way things are isn’t working, but we can’t make change without first identifying what we need to leave behind and where we want to go. In working with our co-creators, the following emerged:

 

It is our intention for The Project pilot to help us move away from…

Cultures of burnout and trying to do everything all the time; Categories of “White” and “everyone else”; Ableism; Cults of charismatic leaders and leadership models lacking trust and accountability; Rigid hierarchies; “One size fits all” leadership support focusing only on the executive director; Every organization having its own back office; Traditional unaccountable/non-transparent boards of directors that center their own priorities over organizational and communal ones; Interests of the wealthy as a driver; Curatorial lenses as ego; Essential teams being considered “just staff”; Growth for growth’s sake; 20th century succession models; Logic/business models that serve only the few; And business as usual.

And instead move towards…

Holistic approaches to running organizations; Co-leadership and other distributed leadership models; Embracing all the many ways to be in connection and collaboration with community; Boards of directors that are made up of and/or accountable to supporters, artists, and staff; Leadership training that focuses on the community/ecology, not just the executive director; New succession models; Networked solutions; Models of mutual aid and coalition building; Missions rooted in a deep understanding of community needs, and mindful of changes over time; Willingness and ability to pivot; Advocacy and activism around policy (financial, tax, immigration, intellectual property, etc.); Sustainable timelines and operations for both people and planet; And artistic choices that make the world a better place.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does my organization join this pilot?

Organizations who would like to join the pilot should complete a Reflection Form by February 19, 2024.

The Project Pilot does not have a traditional application process – it’s a mutual selection process meant as an opportunity for organizations to self-reflect and earnestly explore amongst themselves and with NAS whether this pilot is the right fit at the right time. NAS will read through submitted Reflection Forms and reach out to continue the conversation with organizations that feel like a potential fit.

All organizations who complete a Reflection Form will hear back from NAS by mid-March 2024.

How do I know if my organization is a fit for this pilot?

In considering whether your organization would be a good fit, we invite you to:

  1. Assess where you and your organization are in your work regarding race, capitalism, patriarchy, and other systems of oppression. Look honestly at the identities and lived experiences of your team. This pilot will brings together an intentionally diverse gathering of identities, abilities, and lived experiences. It will be a space for deep work and therefore requires a pre-existing understanding of the unjust systems we’re working to move away from.
  2. Think about your organization’s goals and priorities. Ideally, participation in this pilot will help you achieve them, rather than pull you away from them.
  3. Consider your personal and organizational threshold for discomfort. We’re creating something new and different and there will definitely be bumps along the way as we travel the road ahead. We’ll also be challenging ourselves and one another to be, do, and think differently. How will that feel for you and your organization?
  4. Explore the idea of participation with your team. Unlike many leadership programs, this isn’t just for executive directors. We invite you to share program information and discuss whether this feels like the right opportunity and the right time.
What are the expectations of joining this pilot?

We ask those who join us to show up fully and prioritize your involvement. This is deep work that is dependent on presence, thoughtfulness, commitment, and accountability. Given that, our expectation is that each participant plans to attend all relevant online and in person full group and PEGs sessions. Further, we expect all participants to be accountable to themselves and the group in between sessions such that the work continues outside of the times we are gathered.

As we name these expectations, we hold two truths: that all participants being present and accountable is deeply beneficial to everyone individually and collectively, and also, that all of us are human and things happen. As is necessary with all important tensions, we honor both truths and will do our best to navigate them as a community.

Lastly, because this is a pilot and all participants are joining us as co-creators, we hope and expect that those participating will share feedback early and often. By doing so, all involved can proactively contribute towards making this experience a meaningful one for all involved.

What are the details of the in-person gathering?

The first in person session in September 2024 will take place in a TBD location in New England. The second in person session will take place in August 2025 at a location TBD. Stay tuned for more details on location as we have them. We invite all participating organizations to bring 2-3 team members to attend each on land session.

Will there be opportunities to participate in the future, beyond the pilot?

As we prepare for the start of this pilot, we hold deep curiosity and excitement over what will emerge on the other side of it. Within the pilot cohort, we’ll work together to determine what might best support the group when the pilot comes to a close, and we’re looking forward to exploring the possibilities. And outside the pilot cohort, we’re already dreaming about what the future of The Project holds beyond this pilot cohort, but we have a lot to learn before any decisions and plans are made.

We’re trying something new and we don’t know what the future holds. What we do know is that we have an opportunity and responsibility to support arts and culture leaders in the work of systems change, and will continue to build out co-created programming that does so, so stay tuned.

What are the details of the financial support?

By partnering with funders and tapping into NAS’s financial reserves, we are able to offer each participating organization $10,000. This payment will be made directly to the organization.

My organization has no board of directors, but we have a fiscal sponsor

If your organization does not have a board of directors, but is supported by a fiscal sponsor, you are still eligible to participate in The Project. A representative of your fiscal sponsor should take the place of the board member’s role of participating in the program alongside the organization’s executive director. When completing the Reflection Form, please swap the fiscal sponsor in for the role of a board member where indicated.

Is The Project available to organizations outside the United States?

Participation in The Project is only available to organizations based in the United States, including its territories, and Canada at this time. If you are interested in future iterations of The Project being available in other countries please let us know at team@artstrategies.org

The Project is possible through the generous support of

Barr Foundation
Mellon Foundation