ArtsBC, with support from CanadianHeritage/Patrimoine canadien and the BC Arts Council present the BC Arts Sustainability Semesters, a goal-oriented program designed to increase the capacity of BC’s non-profit arts and cultural organizations. The purpose is to help organizations make progress toward increasing their economic sustainability and viability.
Project advisors include the BC Touring Council and the Centre for Sustainability. ArtsBC is also working in conjunction with arts organizations in host communities around the province to present this project.
What are the Sustainability Semesters?
The Sustainability Semesters involves six face-to-face regional sessions that will be presented starting in September 2011 to April 2012. Each Semester includes a one and half day face-to-face learning event led by a team of experts with specialized knowledge in the field of non-profit arts and culture. As well, local experts will be invited to participate as part of the content team. The content of each session will be customized based on key issues identified by participants in each region.
In addition to being a learning event, participants will establish new goals and begin to develop plans that will contribute to their organization’s sustainability.
As part of the Sustainability Semester, participants will:
- Consider what a sustainable non-profit arts or cultural organization looks like;
- Explore why good governance, solid planning and skillful management are important to the sustainability of any organization;
- Learn how to identify where your organization is at in terms of your life cycle;
- Improve practices in the areas of financial management, reporting, planning and proposal writing;
- Learn how to effectively communicate goals;
- Learn about what ‘unwritten’ relevant resources or partners may exist in local communities and/or regions;
Following the face-to-face opportunities, the content team will provide ongoing support through one-on-one coaching, an on-line forum and follow-up conference calls. Through this process, organizations will begin to address their challenges, and improve their planning to meet their new goals.
Throughout the Semester, participants will have exclusive access to training and resource materials including toolkits, templates, case studies, and a current list of relevant funding opportunities.
Semester – Next Steps
4 Week Follow up – Webinars
Four weeks following each face-to-face semester, participants will have the opportunity to participate in a series of four webinars led by content team members. Participants themselves will choose webinar topics during the face-to-face sessions based on the need for more in-depth information.
6-8 Week Follow up – One-on-one coaching opportunities
Approximately 6-8 weeks after each face-to-face semester, one representative from each participating organization will check in with a member of the content team. This provides the opportunity to provide a progress report, and or to seek more specialized information about a certain issue. One-on-one coaching opportunities will be available by phone, teleconferencing (Skype) and/or where possible, video conferencing.
10-13 Week – Follow Up Teleconference
There will be a follow-up conference call led by one of the content team, in which all participants will reconvene to provide a progress report, share what they have learned, to address any outstanding issues, and/or to reinforce the next steps for accomplishing their goals.
To download a one-sheet (PDF): click here
Who should participate – No registration fee!
Registration is on a first-come, first-serve basis and is free for representatives from BC’s not-for-profit arts and cultural organizations. Registration is available on-line at the links below. Please note we currently accept on-line registrations only. Seating is limited.
We highly encourage arts and cultural organizations to register a minimum of two representatives, preferably three people per organization. The Semesters are more likely to have a positive impact if more than one person from the organization attends.
The Sustainability Semesters are suitable for staff, board and volunteers from both professional and non-professional, not-for-profit arts and cultural organizations including but not limited to representatives from:
- Artist cooperatives
- Arts centres
- Arts councils including regional arts councils
- Arts presenters including festivals and concert societies
- Arts facility managers
- Arts service organizations
- First Nations arts and heritage organizations
- Francophone arts organizations
- Museum and galleries
- Heritage and literary organizations
- Performing arts groups
Why attend?
- To refresh what you learned long ago
- To learn something new
- To connect with your colleagues
- To build and strengthen your network
Travel/Accommodation Subsidies available
Representatives from arts and cultural organizations are eligible to receive travel and accommodation subsidy to attend.
To view the criteria, please visit: http://www.artsbc.org/resources/professional-development/sustainability-semesters/travel-and-accommodation-subsidies
Locations/Dates – Face-to-Face Semesters – Upcoming Dates
Vancouver Island Region – Register http://www.artsbc.org/resources/professional-development/sustainability-semesters
- Community: Courtenay
- Host Organization: Comox Valley Community Arts Council
- Venue: Florence Filberg Centre, 411 Anderton Ave
- Saturday, April 28, 2012 from 9:00 to 5:00 PM
- Sunday, April 29, 2012 from 9:00 AM to Noon
BC Arts Sustainability Semesters are supported by:
