Alexandria, VA – April 16, 2024 – NAS is thrilled to share the names of the 17 organizations participating in The Project, a pilot designed for and by arts and culture leaders committed to the deep work of systems change. Supported by Barr Foundation and The Mellon Foundation, The Project is NAS’ first fully co-created offering, and gives participants the opportunity to work together in moving away from the problematic paradigms we’ve collectively inherited and towards a more equitable and sustainable future.
“We are at a pivotal moment in the arts and culture sector,” said NAS CEO and President Gail Crider. “The Project represents a collective step forward in redefining leadership and organizational practices. By fostering a space for deep, meaningful engagement with the pressing issues of our time, we are setting the stage for authentic, systemic change. We are immensely excited for this cohort and look forward to seeing the innovation and growth that will emerge from this collaborative effort.”
After a months-long mutual selection process, the pilot cohort will set off this week on an 18-month journey together. The work will begin with opportunities for reflection, exploration and connections: giving all individuals and organizations participating space and tools to connect to one another and to deepen their understanding of their current relationship with race, power, capitalism, the environment, and more. From there, participants will continue articulating and working towards what they want these relationships to become, with NAS and the community offering tools, resources, and gatherings for shared learning, support, and accountability.
The Project is designed as a community of practice, bringing together a group of people with intentionally diverse identities, abilities, and lived experiences. Because authentic change is the work of many, each participating organization will have multiple team members take part in the pilot to join in the learning, effort, and accountability. This means that there aren’t just 17 organizations participating, but over 50 individuals.
The full group will gather seven times over the course of the next year and a half, five times virtually and two in-person. In between these gatherings, participants will have opportunities to continue their learning individually and together, and will also take part in smaller coach-facilitated Peer Exchange Groups (PEGs) designed to offer support in working towards their goals and navigating challenges. The intention in this design is to create deep, authentic movement: supporting individuals in their own growth such that they can transform their organizations, and ignite change in their partners and the communities they serve.
Thanks to the support of Barr Foundation and Mellon Foundation, each organization participating in the pilot will receive $10,000 to help offset the investment of their time, energy, and travel to make this transformative work possible.
“Our longstanding partnership with NAS has always been about pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the arts and culture sector,” said SueEllen Kroll, senior program officer for Arts & Creativity at Barr Foundation. “The Project is a bold step into new territory, and we are thrilled to support it and the exceptional cohort NAS has gathered. The learnings from The Project’s pilot will surely bring new possibilities and new ways of working to transform the arts field.”
The pilot cohort of organizations joining The Project includes:
- Alarm Will Sound/Mizzou International Composers Festival
- Arts Connect International
- Cleveland Play House
- Community Music School Springfield
- CultureWorks Greater Philadelphia
- DiverseWorks
- Double Edge Theatre
- Fractured Atlas
- Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona
- The Laundromat Project
- Legacy Arts Project
- New City Arts Initiative
- Raw Art Works
- Think Outside The Vox
- Urban Theater Company
- The Weidner
- The W.O.W. Project
Learn more about The Project at www.artstrategies.org/project.
About NAS
Established in 1983, NAS has been at the forefront of leadership development in the arts and culture sector for four decades. Its mission is to build and support a diverse community of arts and culture leaders who drive inspiring change for the future. In addition to leadership development, NAS offers coaching and a powerful network to arts and culture leaders at every stage of their careers. NAS has trained and supported more arts and culture leaders than any other organization in the field. Learn more at www.artstrategies.org.
