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experiment in empathy

2023 Strategic Plan Audit Report

In Fall 2019, Level Ground started developing a new Strategic Plan. When the pandemic hit, our pace along with our initial focus points had to shift. After conducting a series of interviews in April 2020, Level Ground Board Members and Staff Artists came together in June 2020 to develop an Action Plan which would lay the foundation for our next Strategic Plan.

In January 2021, our next Strategic Plan was approved by the Board of Directors. From 2021-2023 the priorities outlined below were implemented.  The intention of these priorities, or qualitative points of change, were to “guide the daily operations and programming of Level Ground’s staff, board, and artists.”

In February 2023, members of the Strategic Plan Audit Team began meeting to assess Level Ground’s work towards the goals outlined in our Strategic Plan. We reviewed the plan in detail, surveyed our community, and conducted a series of 1:1 interviews to understand how our community felt about our progress to meet our goals and shift the priorities of our organization.

Strategic Plan Priorities:

 

SKIP AHEAD:

    • Dismantling oppressive systems is ongoing, generational, and global work. Within the scope of our collective, Level Ground commits to joining these efforts.

    • This priority comes with a commitment to work and create in solidarity with prison abolition, reparation, disability rights, and landback movements.

    • Click here to read more.

    • This priority includes a commitment from the non-Black members of our community to do the work of recognizing and dismantling anti-Blackness. It also includes documenting metrics and improving decision-making around the programs and projects that receive organizational support, the artists who are hired to join our staff, the partners we work with, and the location of our events.

    • Click here to read more.

    • In the ways we’ve previously shared art and scheduled events, we’ve unintentionally grown an audience that (despite overall demographic markers) is separate, disjointed, and even segregated. One audience may show up to a single program or event, but not others. This internal division does not reflect our mission and as such, mere diversity is no longer our goal; cohesion is.

    • This priority comes with a commitment to consolidate our resources and audiences around these priorities, as well as to provide consistent and transparent communication with all stakeholders.

    • Click here to read more.

Below, the Audit Team presents our findings pertaining to our priorities and goals, as well as results from our community survey and finally, a set of conclusions and recommendations. If you have any questions about our Strategic Plan, this Audit Report, or anything else pertaining to Level Ground, please email our Staff Artist team.

If you’d like to support a community that proactively engages in self-reflection, experimentation, and growth, join Level Ground today. Thank you!

PRIORITY #1 FINDINGS

Destabilize white supremacy in our art, imaginations, and organizational practices.

Overall, the respondents to our audit were favorable to Level Ground’s efforts to destabilize white supremacy within the organization. Our community is overwhelmingly proud of this being a point of improvement for us: 

“This is one of the things that I love most about Level Ground. Its rejection of the trappings of white supremacy—grind culture, binary thinking, imposed hierarchies—creates a space for both personal and collective reflection and imagining of alternate modes of being. It fosters an environment where we can consider our place, what we have to share, and how we can mutually uplift one another.”  

Many interviewees noticed a clear direction that Level Ground is making towards decentralization / destabilization of white supremacy. In addition to Level Ground’s efforts towards this goal, our community understands that this is lifelong work that takes many iterations and encompasses many potential challenges. 

“I've observed the way Level ground has created space and shifted leadership to allow for more Black voices and other voices of color to guide the community.” 

While there have been noticeable changes towards this focus many of the interviewees did not feel involved enough in the inner workings of Level Ground to provide clear understanding of how we’re doing with this goal: 

“I have no knowledge of the internal workings of the team and collective. Destabilizing white supremacy is not a small feat and without in-depth knowledge I can't confidently agree or disagree with this statement.” 

“I'm not super involved with Level Ground but I feel like I can definitely see it in the art/subject matter and the little I've seen in your fundraising practices.”

Overall, it seems as though this goal is being actively worked on in the eyes of our community, however, more transparency and clarity around how Level Ground goes about destabilizing white supremacy – in addition to seeing a long-term plan –  is desired. 

PRIORITY #2 FINDINGS

Intentionally center Black artists, audiences, and stories.

In this goal many respondents verified that they’ve seen evidence that Level Ground has intentionally centered Black artists, audiences, and stories – particularly within the scope of leadership, exhibitions, and SKEW magazine. 

Respondents also said that they believe Level Ground has stayed firm in our goal of centering Black artists, audiences, and stories. They stated that Level Ground has stuck with and been consistent in following through with this in a way that other organizations let drop off after performative promises were made in the summer of 2020. 

“As someone who is not a BIPOC artist, I’m not always sure how I’m supposed to continue to show up and best support centering BIPOC artists”

A few interviewees mentioned that while they can see some of the shifts towards centering of Black artists, audiences, and stories they aren’t entirely sure. They’d like to “see the numbers” or “don’t have insight into the day-to-day, but believe this is happening”.

Overall, respondents seemed to see Level Ground’s efforts in centering Black artists, audiences, and stories but people “think we could be doing more.” 

PRIORITY #3 FINDINGS

Foster a cohesive and consistent audience.

Many respondents named the Level Ground audience and community as a beautiful one with generally great experiences for those involved:

“Level ground has always felt incredibly encouraging, inviting, and inspiring. I feel cared for specifically by the staff who have invested in me and my art.” 

“Level Ground doesn’t require credentials to have creative access or worth, but instead offers a platform to create wherever you are in your creative journey — and oftentimes is a launching point for new opportunities.” 

“Level Ground provided validation and a platform for me when I felt I didn't have many platforms. They gave me more confidence to be daring and bold with how I move forward creatively.” 

However, whether that audience and community is consistent is a different matter. There are clear differences of perspective, mainly between regular attendees who feel the consistency compared to those who don’t frequently attend events. There seems to be confusion around how to meaningfully engage with Level Ground as an active member. 

“I don’t always know how I fit in the context of the level ground community (or a similar community) when I’m not directly tied into regular activities that I’m needing to participate in such as projects or job responsibilities.”

 Community Survey Results

Respondents for our survey indicated that they agree Level Ground has committed to priorities 1 and 2, while the average response regarding priority 3 indicates agreement or neutrality – with a significant number of respondents abstaining from selecting a valuated option.

  • Nearly 60% of respondents have been involved in Level Ground for over three years.

  • Over 25% of respondents have attended four or more Level Ground events in person, and 25% have attended zero in person events. Over a quarter of the respondents attended Polarity and the Community Party.

  • An overwhelming majority of respondents engage with Level Ground digitally, with more than 80% engaging with us on Instagram. The Level Ground newsletter and website also attracted high engagement among those who filled out the survey. The average respondent engaged with 3-4 of our digital platforms.

  • The majority of respondents found it easy to participate with Level Ground events and programs due to location, personal interest in the topic, event communication, and the community of people who attend.

  • Over 75% of respondents said that their personal schedule/availability is a barrier from them participating in Level Ground events and programs, with location also being a high factor.

  • 70% of respondents would describe Level Ground as their artistic community, other high polling responses included the opportunity to meet new people and/or learn new things.

Progress Update

The chart below shows the specific goals outlined in our 2021-2023 Strategic Plan. The icon in the column on the left signifies our progress: ✔️ means we’ve already accomplished the goal, ✏ means we’re currently working on it, and the X means we have yet to start on it.

 

Conclusions 

Overall, Level Ground community members seem to be satisfied with the trajectory Level Ground has made with the Strategic Plan. Specifically, there seems to be a clear through-line with members who engage with events and also feel like Level Ground is succeeding on its mission goals and priorities. That parallels with less active community members being unsure of the same. Consistently, members trust in Level Ground and its leadership despite their varying certainty on Level Ground’s achievements.

A conversation that resurfaced was how members could increase their involvement, whether in regards to participation or just how to support the mission in additional ways. There is also a discrepancy between members viewing Level Ground as their artistic community while not feeling as connected as they would like.

Members feel like they have an influence on Level Ground in ways great and small, and feel like they have a clear line of communication to leadership and staff members.

 

Recommendations

  1. Summarize and produce a tentative long term plan for destabilizing white supremacy.

  2. Bring in a consultant to help prevent the conflation of our first two qualitative points of change, in order to successfully execute both, while understanding the crucial differences between the two.

  3. Communicate connection opportunities so that all members of Level Ground are aware of ways they can deepen their relationship with the organization. Provide easily accessible “next steps” for anyone who may want to increase their participation and support of Level Ground.

  4. Communicate relevant details about how specific events and projects serve each of our goals and priorities.

  5. Continue resolutely with achieving the radical goals of our strategic plan, ensuring transparent communication to keep all members of Level Ground connected to progress and potentiality.