Arts Midwest supports, informs, and celebrates Midwestern creativity—building community and opportunity across our region and beyond. We believe that creativity lives in everyone. Therefore, we do everything we can to help people and organizations tap this spirit, show up fully, speak their truth, and grow together.
Equity is a core principle of Arts Midwest’s work. We believe that equity means ensuring that everyone has access to the resources and opportunities they need to thrive. The pursuit of equity calls for challenging systemic barriers to these opportunities and advocating for inclusive policies and practices. Through our work, we aim to uplift and celebrate every person – in the arts and beyond.
An Ongoing Journey
Arts Midwest has had a deep, historic commitment to respecting, honoring, and embracing all of humanity.
Past programs like the Minority Arts Administration Fellowship (1989-1993) sought to address systemic barriers that limited the participation of persons of color in senior-level arts leadership positions. Art exhibitions like Abdi Roble’s Somali Documentary Project (2005-2008), Identity and the American Landscape: The Photography of Wing Young Huie (2010), and numerous others across our history, spurred important conversation about identity and culture. Additionally, long-standing programs like World Fest and Caravanserai promoted cultural exchange, learning, and understanding across the Midwest.
However, the organization had not previously adopted a cohesive Equity Action Plan to guide its work.
Adopting Guiding Principles
In 2019, Arts Midwest underwent its first leadership shift as arts leader David Fraher stepped down from his long-term position as President & CEO. As I came on board as Arts Midwest’s new leader, I was interested in building on our strong history and creating a new strategic vision with equity as one of our core guiding principles. But I didn’t know exactly the form our equity plan would take.
George Floyd’s murder in 2020, which occurred less than 3 miles from our Minneapolis headquarters, deeply affected our community and our staff. In the wake of this tragedy, our work around equity felt more urgent than ever. I wanted to make sure that our response would be actionable, reportable, and measurable. As a team, we initiated discussions on establishing a structure for equity that would meaningfully advance our work beyond mere words
In August 2020, the Arts Midwest Board of Directors adopted National Arts Strategies’ Racial Equity Principles as core guiding principles for our programs, strategies, and operations. These principles are:
- We commit to having brave conversations.
- We commit to sharing power.
- We commit to creating programs with the people we serve, rather than for them.
Guided by these principles, we started work on many internal changes to our programs and services including the creation of new guiding plans for the organization.
Arts Midwest’s Recent Equity Work
- Adopted the National Arts Strategies Racial Equity Principles
- Partnered with our sister United States Regional Arts Organizations and the Mellon Foundation to launch the United States Regional Arts Resilience Fund to support historically under-resourced arts and culture organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic. We invited nominations from the community and simplified our grantmaking process. We centered equity and community in the decision-making process.
- Partnered with the City of Minneapolis to disburse Creative Response Fund grants to artist-led creative healing projects that responded to the trauma of racial discrimination and inspired change.
- Transitioned our Touring Fund grant to the GIG Fund to provide additional flexibility to organizations experiencing uncertainty and rebuilding and reach new grantees that had not been served by the Touring Fund.
- Established Arts Midwest’s Strategy Frame, which includes equity as one of our core values.
- Convened an external Equity Advisory Committee to work with staff.
- Renewed our financial support of Advancing Indigenous Performance to extend additional grant funds to Indigenous artists.
- Continued work with the City of Minneapolis on Creative Response grants.
- Launched a new, more accessible website in December 2022, with Chicago Lighthouse Project as consultants in the building phase.
- Published a staff-created Living Commitment to Native Nations and action plan
- Published a staff-created Accessibility Policy and action plan.
- Implemented board term limits and adopted a 4-day workweek for Arts Midwest staff.
- Led sector-wide conversations about Arts and Social Justice
- Signed on to the National Leaders of Color Initiative, developed and led by our Western states-based sister USRAO, WESTAF. Selected the first Midwestern cohort of National Leaders of Color Fellows. These leaders convened virtually with other Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) arts leaders from across the country in an 8-month program to network, learn, and develop their skills as leaders.
- Updated Board of Director bylaws to make the Ad Hoc DEIA committee a standing committee.
- Launched the Creativity News Desk, which amplifies stories about the power of arts and creativity in the Midwest with a specific focus on stories of, by, and for Native communities, rural communities, and communities of color.
- Partnered with Dr. Craig Howe, founder and director of the Center for American Indian Research and Native Studies (CAIRNS), citizen of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, and Arts Midwest board member, to compile information on the current and historical background of the 42 Native Nations in our region and begin ongoing education efforts for Arts Midwest board and staff about reservations, treaties, and nuances regarding Off Reservation Trust Land.
- In partnership with the James Edward Scherbarth and Paul Francis Mosley Giving Fund, launched the Midwest Award for Artists with Disabilities, an award that supports accessibility in the arts and celebrates the work of disabled Midwestern visual artists.
- Selected the second Midwestern cohort of National Leaders of Color Fellows.
- Partnered with Voices for Racial Justice on a year-long training for Arts Midwest staff.
- In partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the United States Regional Arts Organization Collective, launched ArtsHERE, a new national initiative that invests in organizations that have demonstrated a commitment to equity within their practices and programming.
- Contracted with The Woke Coach to host a year-long series of equity awareness and visioning conversations with the President & CEO, Board Equity Committee, and staff leadership.
- Drafted an organizational Equity Operational Plan.
- In partnership with Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies with additional support from the National Endowment for the Arts, launched the Midwest Culture Bearers Award, which celebrates culture bearers who have been practicing arts and culture rooted in their heritage and ancestry for over 10 years.
- In partnership with The Wallace Foundation, announced Cultural Sustainability, a new grant designed to provide general operating support for arts organizations of color with annual operating expenses under $500,000.
- Updated our comprehensive Investment Policy that clearly outlines our investment objectives, risk tolerance and ethical guidelines. Our investment policy includes a commitment to mission aligned investing through utilizing environmental, social, and corporate governance management strategies with an emphasis towards diversity, equity, inclusion, and access.
- Published our Equity Action Plan + FY2025 Commitments.
Formalizing Our Plan
In early 2024, we began rolling out an Equity Operational Plan. This plan emerged from years of conversations, discussions, and internal work as an organization. It has been shaped by our staff, board, community, and contractors including The Woke Coach, Voices for Racial Justice, Team Dynamics, and our Equity Advisory Committee.
Though extensive, our Equity Operational Plan is not intended to be exhaustive. Instead, it seeks to highlight the current and future directions the organization is taking to operationalize its commitment to equity.
Equity Operational Plan (2023)
This plan highlights the current and future directions Arts Midwest is taking in our ongoing commitment to equity
Our Plan for the Next Year
Using the Operational Plan as a guide, our staff members have created action commitments for the coming fiscal year. Some of our major planned actions in FY2025 (July 2024 – June 2025) include:
- Continuing research and work to map out a strategic plan for relationship building with the 42 Native Nations in our shared geography.
- Partnering with the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies to conduct a qualitative analysis of Arts Midwest’s grantmaking over the past five years.
- Launching new grant programs and awards prioritizing funding for underrepresented and marginalized artists and organizations.
- Developing a comprehensive Arts Midwest style guide to ensure inclusive and respectful language that avoids stereotypes, biases, and discriminatory language.
Equity Action Plan (Ongoing)
To read more about all our ongoing goals and action commitments, please visit our Equity Action Plan page.
Equity as an Ongoing Commitment
Our Equity Action Plan is not just sets of guidelines, but a promise to continuously strive for a more equitable future. As we move forward, we remain dedicated to transparency, accountability, and the ongoing improvement of our practices.
Moving forward, we will share new action commitments each summer with the fiscal year changeover. We will also report on our action steps from the previous year, ensuring transparency and accountability in our equity efforts.
Arts Midwest recognizes the existence of myriad structural and systemic equity issues and will be steadfast in our dedication to uncovering and remedying these injustices. Further, we recognize that this work will take many years of sustained effort to achieve meaningful impact.
Our journey towards equity is ongoing, and I am deeply grateful for your support and collaboration as we strive to create a more inclusive and just world through the arts. Thank you for being part of this important work.