Highpoint Center for Printmaking
Strategic Plan 2023 - 2026
A Note from the Executive Director
Minneapolis, MN, 9/16/23:
This roadmap was created through a collective process spanning the past 18 months. Data was collected by staff and external consultants through surveys and interviews with staff, board, co-op members, artist program fellows, residents, donors and supporters, our BIPOC steering committee, and our digital and visiting audiences. The process embodies the inclusivity and collectivity we value: it was a joy to have staff and board members work side by side to analyze this data through multiple workshops. Together we revised our mission, values, key focus areas, strategic priorities for the years to come, and tactics to bring them to life.
We’re proud of the resulting document and hope that you will join us in our excitement of welcoming a future for printmaking that is built on the strong foundation of the past. The core of Highpoint’s programs is here to stay; what’s new is the language we embrace to reach our mission, our methods of engagement, whose voices are heard, and how we take care of ourselves and others. Please know that listening is an ongoing process, and we continue to welcome your input and ideas so that we can learn what matters most to you.
— Jehra Patrick, Executive Director
Strategic Plan at a Glance
Mission
Highpoint Center for Printmaking is dedicated to advancing the art of printmaking.
We create pathways for artists, learners, and the public to increase their understanding and appreciation of printmaking through artistic and educational programs, a cooperative studio, a public gallery, and collaborative publishing opportunities.
Vision
To be a leading arts organization serving artists and audiences through our commitment to printmaking, dynamic programming, equitable learning opportunities, and destination-worthy facilities.
Values
Our values are carried out across all of our programming areas, embedded in our organizational approach, and are guideposts for our strategies.
Artists — Their voices, practices, and livelihood—are at the forefront of our work.
Learning — We engage learners and educators of all backgrounds and are committed to learning as an organization.
Equity — Printmaking and its audiences must include underrepresented voices and expertise.
Care — We are deliberate with our resources and interact with others with intention, empathy, and respect.
Responsiveness — We seek to be aware of the issues that impact our local and global communities and are accountable for our response.
Collectivity — We are part of a greater community and are stronger when we work collaboratively.
Focus Areas
1) Relationships
Goal: We are visible and accessible to our communities, and our communities feel heard, engaged, and are integral to our future.
Strategies:
Strengthen our Relationships with Artists
Listen to the needs of artists and design programming that creates deeper connections between artists and our communities.
Expand our artistic network by building and sustaining relationships
Increase Donor and Collector Engagement
Show gratitude for our donors and collectors and cultivate new supporters through communication, engagement, and educational programming.
Grow Audiences and Deepen Participant Engagement
Expand awareness through revived and broadened communications channels
Center hospitality and welcome across programs, communications, and visitor experience
Listen to and learn from audiences through surveys and focus groups
Enhance neighborhood visibility through event participation and interpersonal outreach
Establish Ourselves as a Leader in the Broader Arts and Cultural Field
Participate as team members and as an organization in national art events, conferences, and conversations
Engage in peer-to-peer and org-to-org learning by building relationships with arts organizations and leaders;
Strengthen our relationships with Lake Street and civic organizations.
2) Sustainability
Goal: Advance Organizational Well-Being and Equitable Practices
Strategies:
Develop Staff and Board
Provide professional development opportunities for staff and board to grow as individuals and a connected team
Recruit new board members to diversify capacity, culture, and expertise
Review and revise staffing structures across program areas to build and strengthen organizational capacity, including Highpoint Editions studio structure, and hire new creative leadership
Identify learning resources, such as DEAI training, to support staff and board members in their advancement of cultural fluency
Sustain Annual Budget to Support Programs
Eliminate barriers for supporters, collectors, and members to easily participate, collect, or donate
Seek funding and grants to invest in new programs, artist opportunities, and education workshops
Holistically Cultivate Culture
Seek out and prioritize diverse voices in decision-making roles, including board, staff, and advisors, as well as prioritize diversity when working with external contractors and paid professional service providers
Center equitable and reciprocally respectful engagement practices in all aspects of relationships, programming, and partnerships
Assess and formalize policies to support organizational culture, DEAI, safety, finances, staff roles, and board commitment
Review and maintain environmental best practices.
3) Expansion
Goal: We remain relevant to our audiences through expanded programming and an optimized physical environment
Strategies:
Expand Programming and Partnerships to Broaden and Diversify Audience Participation with Intentionality
Identify program challenges, gaps, and opportunities to meet the needs of learners
Grow partnerships with local and national organizations and individuals, with an emphasis on BIPOC, LGBTQAI2S+, and artists with disabilities
Expand program offerings to collaborate, show, attract, and engage with artists of diverse backgrounds and lived experiences.
Optimize Highpoint’s Physical Environment to Respond to the Ongoing Need of Staff, Artists, and Audiences
Conduct internal and external needs assessments to anticipate the long-term space and studio needs of the co-op, HPE studio, artists, students, audiences, and staff.