Golden: The Strategic Plan of the Museum of the Southwest 2013-2016

Adopted by the Board of Trustees, October 25, 2012

For the People of Midland, Texas The Museum of the Southwest was established in 1965 by a committee of the Junior League of Midland for the purpose of bringing art and exhibitions to the people of Midland. The Museum opened in 1966 in its first location, moving briefly before finally relocating permanently to the Turner Mansion in 1968 due to the generosity of the heirs of Juliette and Fred Turner, Jr., Mrs. Fredda Turner Durham and Mrs. Dorothy Turner Scharbauer. Since then, the Museum has expanded: adding additional gallery space in 1970 and the Lissa Noël Wagner wing in 1987; building the Blakemore Planetarium in 1972, which was remodeled and expanded in 2009; and then constructing the Durham Children’s Museum in 1986. The Museum was accredited by the American Alliance of Museums in 1992 with subsequent accreditation achieved in 2002. With the generosity of local and regional philanthropists, Museum members, area foundations, the City of Midland and Midland County, the Museum of the Southwest has grown and expanded during almost fifty years of service to the communities of West Texas. As the institution approaches its Golden Anniversary, it continues to evolve and provide the people of Midland and other local communities with access to exciting, inspiring and educational opportunities in the disciplines of art, science and history. In May of 2012, the Board of Trustees of the Museum of the Southwest engaged WOLF Consulting of Las Vegas to work with the Museum to create a strategic plan that would move the institution through its subsequent accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums in 2016 and the celebration of its 50th anniversary that same year. WOLF Consulting was asked to deliver stakeholder and community surveys; lead strategic planning retreats and workshops; help to define and prioritize goals and strategic objectives; and advise on the creation of annual action plans that are flexible, measurable, achievable, and sustainable. Community feedback on experiences and attitudes about the Museum was collected using electronic surveys. A Board of Trustees and staff retreat was held at the Museum on Friday, June 22 and Saturday, June 23, 2012 followed by a Board of Trustees and staff workshop on Friday, July 20, 2012. The work done at both sessions was inspired by the upcoming goals of subsequent accreditation, the celebration of a significant anniversary and included the distillation of the internal and community surveys. Those meetings form the basis of Golden: The Strategic Plan of the Museum of the Southwest 2013-2016. The Museum of the Southwest revised its Mission Statement to improve both its clarity and strength. It also wrote a Vision Statement and revised its Institutional Values to reflect the work and obligation of the Museum, which encompasses both stewardship of the permanent collection and a call to serve arts and culture needs of the Midland community. All three exist as individual institutional documents and were approved by the Board of Trustees at its meeting on October 25, 2012. The Strategic Plan was also approved and adopted by the Board of Trustees at its October 25, 2012 meeting. Each goal and objective represented in the documented is supported by flexible and evolving Annual Action Plans that identify responsibilities, timeline, costs, details, measurements and outcomes.

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Mission Statement The Museum of the Southwest inspires discovery, interaction and exploration of art, science, culture and history, enriching the lives of people of all ages. We believe in the power of these disciplines to ignite the imagination, stimulate thought and provide enjoyment through our collections, exhibitions, programs and events. Vision Statement

For the next decade, the Museum of the Southwest will focus its energy, resources and time to

● better the buildings and grounds of our campus;● update and improve the technological infrastructure of the institution, for both staff and

community use; ● expand, educate and train the staff; ● continue to consider and revise museum work per best practices and national standards;

and thereby continue to build a museum reflective of the needs and expectations of our communities. Values The Museum of the Southwest:

● values the creativity of varied artistic programs and of the artist’s contributions, including exhibitions, use of the grounds and its annual events.

● fosters integrity in every aspect of its daily business, visitor services and financial responsibility.

● respects the need of a community to explore varied genres of art and culture as well as their desire to pursue scientific knowledge.

● is a leader among those regional institutions providing quality cultural enrichment and exposure to scientific knowledge.

● establishes relationships to increase collaboration with other organizations as well as with individuals.

● will continuously evaluate all aspects of its operation with respect to its Mission and the community it serves.

Strategic Goals 2013 through 2016

● Achieve subsequent accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums and celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Museum of the Southwest in 2016.

● Improve the state of the Museum of the Southwest facilities.● Refine organizational effectiveness.● Develop the financial foundation of the institution.● Enhance community relations.● Innovate exhibitions, programs and activities for the community.

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Milestones 2012

The Capital Campaign Committee is created and co-chairs are established.The campus technology improvement project is completed and a cycle for additional technological needs established.

2013The Accreditation Committee is established and assesses the evaluation of the institution from the previous accreditation.Exhibition planning for the anniversary year is completed. Assessment and evaluation of the Museum’s facilities and grounds is completed. Improvements and renovation to the collection storage area is completed. The Visitor Services team is established and creates an applied model for the institution.

2014

All policies and procedures are reviewed and updated in preparation for the accreditation process.

2015

Renovations to the Museum’s buildings and grounds are completed.Interpretation of the historic aspects of the institution and its building is completed.Strategic Plan is revised to include 2017 through 2020.

2016Subsequent accreditation from the American Alliance of the Museums is achieved.Celebration of the Museum’s Golden Anniversary is completed with media, exhibitions and publications that acknowledge both past successes and future direction.

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Goal: Achieve Subsequent Accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums in 2016Accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums signifies the Museum of the Southwest has achieved and maintains a high level of professionalism and industry standards. As one of less than eight hundred accredited museums from all disciplines nationwide, this achievement signals to donors, foundations, members and the community that the institution operates at a level expected by professional institutions from around the country.

Objective I: Assess the report from the previous AAM accreditation to identify any areas of concern or issues raised by the visit of the Visiting Committee and their evaluation of the institution. Objective II: Improve institutional planning, preparedness and governance by reviewing and addressing the strategic plan, by-laws and all policies adopted by the Museum of the Southwest.

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Goal: Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Museum of the SouthwestCelebrating a half-century of service to the Midland and the greater West Texas community will highlight the importance, accomplishments and contributions the Museum of the Southwest has made for fifty years. The celebration will emphasize the individuals, groups, foundations, board members and staff who have worked so hard to ensure arts, science, historical and cultural programming were and are available for everyone. This celebration will include exhibitions, publications and programming that highlights the story of the Museum. In doing so, the Museum will strengthen its bonds with the community as well as set the tone for the next fifty years of service.

Objective I: Form a Capital Campaign Committee and establish the chairs who will lead the assessment, campaign and committee. Objective II: Using the funds raised and under the guidance of the Capital Campaign Committee, complete the upgrades and renovations to the buildings and campus. Objective III: Celebrate the Museum’s anniversary with exhibitions that emphasize the Museum’s collection, that of local collectors and the tradition of the visual arts in the community. Objective IV: Plan an Anniversary Gala Auction to celebrate the 50th anniversary with style, verve and targeted fundraising.

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Goal: Improve the State of the Museum of the Southwest’s Facilities and GroundsThe impression visitors take from their experience at the Museum is comprised of many factors including the exhibitions, friendliness of staff and type of programs, but each of these is in turn affected by the state of the facilities and grounds. By making improvements to the infrastructure of the campus, the institution improves the experience and perception of visitors and members, in turn improving the fundraising potential of the Museum. Updating the appearance of the buildings and grounds conveys to the community that this institution is successful, thoughtful and considerate of their needs and interests.

Objective I: Evaluate the facilities of the Museum of the Southwest and create a Facility Assessment that includes a timeline, estimated budget and priorities for a renovation and upgrade to the campus.

Objective II: Renovate the Durham Children’s Museum to be reflective of contemporary culture, family use and connection with the overall mission of the Museum of the Southwest. Objective III: Renovate the galleries in the Turner Mansion and Wagner wing, making improvements to lighting as well as other cosmetic details. Assess and improve other areas utilized by the public as well as back of house spaces such as the catering kitchen, staff office and business center.

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Objective IV: Develop interpretation of the story of the historic home and its original owners that is respectful and given context by the history of Midland and West Texas. Objective V: Make improvements to and expand the capacity of the collection storage areas by installing a new space-saver system; removing chipboard and non-archival materials; and reorganizing and re-purposing existing storage systems. Objective VI: Clean out, organize and upgrade storage areas of the Museum. Objective VII: Create a model for visitor services that improves the experience of the Museum’s guests, better orients them to the space and experience and builds a relationship that strengthens the role of the institution in the community. Objective VIII: Upgrade the technology of the campus. To be completed by the operations director, director of the Blakemore Planetarium, other staff and outside contractors.

Objective IX: Improve the landscaping and grounds of the campus to create an enjoyable and creative outdoor space for the community.

Objective X: Improve community access by repaving parking lots and refreshing directional signage across campus.

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Goal: Refine Organizational Effectiveness The success of the exhibitions, programs and events of the Museum are directly linked to the back-of-house work done by the Board of Trustees, staff and volunteers. By improving the programs for board development, volunteer recruitment and training, and staff education, the institution will gain a renewed edge in the implementation of its mission through a clearer definition of roles, improved communication and a more effectively supported staff. Likewise, by embedding assessment and renewal of the Strategic Plan into its annual cycle, the Board of Trustees and staff will maintain a clear sense of direction, purpose and achievement.

Objective I: Improve board development to be completed by the Board Development Committee, President and executive director on a continual basis.

Objective II: Create and implement volunteer programs that serve visitors, students and the community, fundraisers and staff and creates a community of people with deeper ties to the Museum.

Objective III: Expand support staff and internships so that professional staff can focus additional time on areas of concentration.

Objective IV: Assist the staff in developing their professional skills through internal training, local workshops and state, regional and national professional meetings. Objective V: Implement general assessment, move cycle of planning forward.

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Goal: Develop the Financial Foundation of the InstitutionCommunication of the Museum’s financial health is paramount to the success of its fundraising efforts. Donors, foundations and other granting agencies appreciate a clear communication of not only the financial state of the institution, but also the stewardship and effective use of the funds raised. By increasing the number of Museum members and continually cultivating new paths of financial support, the institution will further solidify its financial base.

Objective I: Strengthen financial governance to provide transparency and accountability to the members, patrons, foundation and granting agencies who support the Museum.

Objective II: Improve the financial return of annual fundraising events.

Objective IV: Increase the number of member and improve retention of existing members.

Objective V: Increase grants and annual donations. Objective VI: Organize and execute a capital campaign.

Objective VII: Seek corporate and personal sponsorships as well as planned gifts.

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Goal: Enhance Community RelationsDirect communication of the exhibitions, programs and events of the Museum will improve not only the standing of the institution in the eyes of the community, but likewise increase membership, visitors and volunteers. Collaboration with state and local media, sister organizations and area institutions will increase the ability of the Museum to complete its mission and serve the communities of West Texas.

Objective I: Increase visitation, and by extension, membership. Objective II: Promote collaboration with sister organizations, area institutions and other museums. Objective III: Further develop relations with local and state media, improving the profile of the Museum. Objective IV: Create a volunteer program that is dynamic, informative and serves the needs of the Museum as well as the interests of those who are a part of it.

Objective V: Build an institution-wide understanding of the Museum’s target audiences.

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Goal: Innovate exhibitions, programs and activities for the communityBy continually evaluating, creating and implementing the exhibitions, programs and activities of the Museum, the institution will gain a reputation as a place of creativity, innovation and fun. Concerted additions to the Museum’s permanent collection increases and diversifies the resources that can be used for creating connections with the community. In addition, a diverse exhibition schedule addresses the variety of tastes and interests of the Midland community, and exemplifies a lively and energetic institution.

Objective I: Evaluate purpose and effectiveness of Museum events and programs. Objective II: Broaden promotion of the Museum of the Southwest brand.

Objective III: Enhance education opportunities across the campus. Objective IV: Develop interactive components to all exhibitions.

Objective V: Establish an acquisition plan that builds and expands on the existing strengths and direction of the permanent collection.

Objective VI: Pursue ambitious exhibitions and a diverse exhibition schedule.

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