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Webinar Series: Strategic, Creative Growth for Arts Organizations

A tall light skinned person wearing a white skirt stands to the left, holding hands with a person jumping in the air. There is a purple curtain in the background.
Nile Scott Studios, courtesy of Actors' Shakespeare Project
As You Like It Production Image (Gavin Rasmussen and Doug Lockwood as Audrey and Touchstone) at Balch Arena Theater in Medford, MA

Join Arts Midwest and arts leaders from across the region for a free webinar series focusing on organizational growth and sustainability.

Sustaining and growing an arts organization is no small feat! It takes smart planning, strategic thinking, and a healthy dose of creativity. It can feel overwhelming but you don’t have to guess your way forward.

Join us for a free webinar series that brings together arts leaders from across the Midwest to share real-world insights on the strategies that help organizations like yours adapt, collaborate, and plan for the future.

In these panel sessions you’ll hear how to build strategic partnerships, create engaging social media video content, and plan for leadership transitions with confidence. Each conversation offers practical tools and fresh perspectives you can bring back to your own organization.

Can’t attend live? All sessions will be recorded and shared with registered attendees, then added to this page.

Strategic Partnerships and Mergers

Three people embrace as the person on the left speaks and the other two pay attention. Neon green banner across the bottom of image reads "Strategic Partnerships and Mergers" on the left, and the Arts Midwest logo and name is to the right.

Nonprofit leaders in the arts and culture sector are regularly asked to make a deeper and broader impact on behalf of the communities they serve, while mobilizing shrinking resources to operate more efficiently and sustainably. Strategic partnerships and mergers can help achieve these goals. Learn from Anna January of Wisconsin Watch and Tania Ibarra of Step Up: Equity Matters as they discuss their experiences.

Featuring

  • Headshot of a smiling person with light brown tone and long dark brown hair, wearing a yellow jacket and blue shirt, and gold hoop earrings.

    Tania Ibarra, CPA

    Co-Founder + Managing Partner, Step Up: Equity Matters

    Tania Ibarra, CPA, is an expert in strategic financial management with a strong focus on driving organizational growth and financial sustainability. As Co-Founder of Step Up: Equity Matters, she leverages her financial expertise to help organizations optimize resources, streamline operations, and implement long-term strategies. Her work emphasizes aligning financial goals with overall business objectives, ensuring sustainable success while promoting equity and inclusivity. Tania is known for her ability to create tailored financial strategies that support both financial performance and social impact.

     

     

  • Headshot of a woman with blonde hair, light skin, brown glasses, and a navy blue floral shirt.

    Anna January

    Chief Philanthropy Officer, Wisconsin Watch

    Anna January joined Wisconsin Watch in November 2023. As chief philanthropy officer, she oversees Wisconsin Watch’s institutional and major giving programs. She leads fundraising efforts to cultivate relationships with foundations, corporations and philanthropic organizations to generate sustainable funding to support the newsroom’s mission. She has previously worked in fundraising at PBS Wisconsin, the University of Wisconsin-Division of the Arts, and Madison Children’s Museum. January has a background in philanthropy, arts fundraising, arts administration, grants, and community development.

     

Social Media Video Tactics for Arts Organizations

Text reads Webinar Recording Social Media Video Tactics for Arts Organizations. A person holds up a camera to take a selfie with a group of 20 people.

This webinar features Caitlin Crouchet, Sammy, and Leah Zimmerman, three experts who speak to their experience with creating, curating, and promoting social media videos for the Minnesota Marine Art Museum, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, and the Chicago School of Shoemaking and Leatherwork.

Featuring

  • Headshot of a woman with short dark hair, wearing a dark green shirt, in front of a large artwork.

    Caitlin Crouchet

    Director of Communications, Minnesota Marine Art Museum

    Caitlin Crouchet is the Director of Communications at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum, and has experience in the arts, publishing, and marketing. She holds a BA from Gonzaga University and lives in Winona, Minnesota with her family.

     

  • headshot of smiling person leaning forward with curly blonde hair wearing a royal blue jumpsuit

    Leah Zimmerman

    Marketing Manager + Instructor, Chicago School of Shoemaking + Leather Arts

    Leah Zimmerman is the Marketing Manager at the Chicago School of Shoemaking and Leatherwork. Since stepping into the role in early 2024 after years as an instructor, she has led 300% social media growth & a 1000% increase in first-time student sign-ups.

  • Headshot of a smiling man with brown skin tone and big curly hair, wearing a light blue shirt.

    Sammy

    Creative Director, Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

    Sammy is a storyteller using digital media to highlight Black history, culture, and community in ways that connect the past with the present.

Succession Planning for Sustainability

Three actors in a classroom

Wednesday, April 22 at 3:00 p.m.

Succession planning is one of those topics that can feel taboo, but is absolutely necessary for the long-term sustainability of arts and culture nonprofits. Join us as we hear from Naomi Hattaway, Kemi Ilesanmi, and Carl Swanson on this important topic.

Click Here to Register

 

Featuring

  • Black and white photo of Carl, looking right at the camera with wavy hair, a striped sweater, and dark jacket.

    Carl Atiya Swanson

    Founder, Cast Consulting

    Carl is a creative with an MBA, a third-culture kid, and a practical optimist. Carl has over 15 years of work in the nonprofit and arts & culture sector, including the National Independent Venue Foundation and Springboard for the Arts. Cast Consulting is his organizational facilitation and strategy practice, supporting organizations and communities with creative change.

     

  • Headshot of a mixed race Black woman, smiling at the camera. Her chin rests in one of her hands, and she is wearing all orange with an orange background. She has short curly black hair and is wearing jewelry.

    Naomi Hattaway

    8th & Home | Leaving Well

    Naomi Hattaway helps organizations treat leadership transitions as acts of cultural maturity—not crises. My work bridges trust-building and systems change, grounded in the radical belief that how we end matters as much as how we begin.

     

  • Photo of a Black woman with large white glasses and medium-length dredlocks in a bright red dress.. She is standing against a colorful bookshelf.

    Kemi Ilesanmi

    Founder + Principal, KGI Projects

    Arts strategist, institution builder, and diaspora weaver, Kemi Ilesanmi is Founder and Principal of KGI Projects which cultivates and supports stronger Black and Brown arts ecosystems in the United States and African diaspora.