Sitar Arts Center: 2022-2027 Strategic Plan

2022 - 2027

STRATEGIC PLAN

July 1, 2022

Dear Sitar Arts Center Community, It is tempting to put the last two years in parentheses, as if the height of the pandemic was a mandated timeout from regular life. And it is perhaps even more tempting to declare that now is the time to step out of the parentheses, resuming ‘normalcy’ as we collectively strive to move forward.

At Sitar Arts Center, however, those two years mandated a reshape of our way forward—how we operate both inside and outside the organization. The staff and Board acted quickly to ensure there was no pause in support for our youth as they turned to their Sitar community for essential social-emotional care and the joy of artistic expression.

Internally, we recognized the importance of pausing efforts to chart our strategic course for the next five years. With so much uncertainty and trauma, we knew it was critical to understand the emerging landscape and needs of our community of students, alumni, families, partners, and supporters.

Our new strategic plan, which will guide the organization forward through 2027, is reflective of what we learned in those conversations: 1. DC families call for continued growth and expansion of Sitar’s services, arts programs, and community spaces. Our community made it abundantly clear that the healing and connecting power of the arts that Sitar channels is needed now more than ever. And, out-of-school time care is essential for recovery. For every child enrolled in a high-quality aftercare program in DC, another child is on a waitlist. During each summer registration period, Camp Sitar fills up in a matter of hours. Between rising costs of living and trends of unemployment during the pandemic, many families with lower incomes need affordable out-of-schooltime care and workforce development opportunities to regain a strong financial footing.

2. DC youth and young adults seek new pathways to purpose and career in the arts. We have continued to see the alumni of Sitar seeking the support of our community long after they graduate from high school. Regardless of where our students land—on a four-year college track or on a path to a career—our students are overcoming systemic socio-economic challenges and are seeking experiences, training, and opportunity.

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3. Sitar can and should grow in place. Even as DC’s demographics shift, local need remains strong. Sitar’s community of students and their families are primarily from Wards 1, 4, and 5. In Ward 1, while there has been rapid gentrification, 1 in 4 children still live in poverty and the rate increases to 1 in 2 for Black children. In Ward 4 there are communities of recently immigrated families that are putting down new roots and see Sitar as a critical community resource. And in Ward 5, there are fewer affordable out-of-school time seats than anywhere else in the city.

4. Sitar families celebrate the diversity of our community and the commitment we hold to equitable access to arts education and training. The social, cultural, and financial inequities exacerbated by the pandemic were further intensified by the nation’s racial reckoning in 2020—directly impacting the lives of Sitar’s community, where 84% of our student body identifies as Black, Latino, Hispanic, or Multi-racial. Moving forward, Sitar is dedicated to actively auditing every practice and system and evolve where needed to enact our commitment to being an antiracist organization.

As we move forward—out of the parenthetical pause and with a focused vision for the future, no matter what it may hold—our new strategic plan serves as a guide, elevating the perspective of our most important audience: our families. Read on to learn more about the solutions we propose and our roadmap to get there.

Sincerely,

Mario Garcia Durham President

Maureen L. Dwyer Executive Director

Mohini Malhotra Strategic Planning Board Chair

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VISION A city in which all young people experience transformative moments through quality, accessible arts education and career training and are supported on their path to discover their creativity and achieve their full potential.

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MISSION Sitar Arts Center engages DC youth, from early childhood to young adulthood, in building a creative community of learning and belonging that removes financial and cultural barriers to arts education and career training.

METHOD At Sitar Arts Center, students engage in affordable, high-quality education and workforce development in the visual, digital, and performing arts. Each semester, 80% of students are from DC households at 60% or less of the area median income. Programs take place year-round during out-of-school time in Sitar’s state-ofthe-art facilities.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES Sitar is Student Centered We place the children, youth, and their families at the center of our decision-making. We are dedicated to a holistic approach to creative youth development and believe in the transformational power of the arts and the potential of every child.

Sitar is Gratitude Grounded Sitar’s mission is upheld through intentional acts of gratitude to express our genuine appreciation for our community members and all that that we do, achieve, and experience together.

Sitar is DEIB Committed Sitar is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging and is dedicated to being antiracist in principles, practices, and culture.

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OUR VALUES Embed Equity

Foster Belonging

Prioritize Balance

Embed equity in our systems, programs, and spaces to advance social justice.

Foster belonging by engaging, supporting, and celebrating our diverse community members through genuine and meaningful relationships.

Prioritize balance between the mental, emotional, physical, and creative well-being within ourselves and our fellow community members.

Everyone should have equitable access to opportunities, representation, and voice.

Everyone deserves a welcoming space where they can feel like they belong.

Everyone deserves the opportunity and support to prioritize wellness within their lives.

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Build Trust

Inspire Transformation

Encourage Collaboration

Build trust by assuming positive intentions and taking ownership of our words, actions, responsibilities, and commitments.

Inspire transformation by listening to, learning from, and growing with our community and the world around us.

Encourage collaboration with thoughtful and clear communication, a curious mind, and a creative spirit.

Everyone benefits when we approach relationships with openness and commit to follow through.

Everyone can be a student, and anyone can be a teacher.

Everyone benefits when we work together as a team.

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GROW IN PLACE

STRATEGIC PLAN JULY 2022 - JUNE 2027 7

FOCUS AREAS The Strategic Plan is built on four focus areas that will drive our strategic priorities through 2027.

1.

GROW IN PLACE AS A COMMUNITY ANCHOR FOR DC

2.

EXPAND OUR CONTINUUM TO YOUNG ADULTHOOD

3.

DEEPEN COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, & BELONGING

4.

EVOLVE OUR BUSINESS MODEL & BRAND IDENTITY

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GROW IN PLACE AS A COMMUNITY ANCHOR FOR DC

RENDERING OF SITAR ARTS CENTER AND SITAR NEXT DOOR BY PGN ARCHITECTS

“Sitar is an accessible organization for families, welcoming environment, good quality learning opportunities, work opportunities. It offers children and young people invaluable opportunities for their future.”

-Sitar Parent 9

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Now in our third decade of partnering with students and families in DC, the community call for Sitar to continue its expansion grows louder every day. Open, honest conversations with our students and families reinforced how essential our services are to the neighborhood and the need for Sitar to remain rooted in Ward 1 and increase the number of families from Wards 1, 4, and 5.

There are simply not enough affordable options in DC for families overcoming economic barriers to arts education, out-of-school time programming, and workforce development opportunities—especially in Wards 1, 4, and 5. In choosing to stay where we are, Sitar solidifies its role as a community anchor and place of belonging for DC youth by expanding our footprint in a new facility with our project partner, Jubilee Housing.

OBJECTIVES & KEY STRATEGIES • Purchase, build, and sustainably operate Sitar Next Door. Through capital campaign completion, increased operating cash reserve equal to 3 months of expenses, and expanded programming.

• Evolve programming to meet emerging needs of community.

Through greater attention placed on emotional well-being through arts-based approaches, increased transportation options, youth-led arts and social justice projects, and advanced learning opportunities for students.

• Cultivate existing and build new relationships to meet and sustain growth. Through recruitment and stewardship of families, faculty, partners, volunteers, and donors, and increased outreach in Ward 1, 4, and 5, where there is high need for affordable afterschool and summer learning programs.

• Optimize systems to improve care of facilities and people. Through an employee recognition program, career development program, and facility maintenance and replacement schedule.

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EXPAND OUR CONTINUUM YOUNG ADULTHOOD

2 As Sitar continues to grow, so do our students. Our first group of elementary students are now proud and confident Sitar alumni, transitioning into young adulthood. After many conversations with our alumni, we learned that despite working hard and succeeding all the way through high school graduation, they face continuous, systemic barriers to completing a four-year college program and following traditional career pathways in fields of interest. Our city is reporting the number of youths disconnected from school and work is rising following the pandemic.

We learned that the support they experienced in their early years is still needed as they face the challenges and joys of young adulthood. Driven by our alumni’s experiences, Sitar will deeply invest in workforce development so young people of all ages can chart their own pathways to success.

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OBJECTIVES & KEY STRATEGIES • Initiate a successful creative workforce development program for young adults. Through program development, robust marketing, and fundraising to support a year-long program that fosters hard and soft skills, leading to direct employment in creative industries.

• Develop an accessible network of professional resources. Through partnerships with potential employers, professional associations, and career coaches.

• Train staff to work with young adults, particularly those from historically underrepresented communities and/or those who are overcoming barriers to education and employment. Through professional development training in restorative justice and positive youth development strategies.

“So you decide as a student, do I put myself and my family in more debt and hope it works to move them and myself forward? Or, do I start working now and figure it out? My parents want me to go to college, but only I understand how expensive it is.”

-Sitar Alum

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DEEPEN COMMITMENT TO D.E.I.B. Sitar was founded on the belief that every child deserves access to quality arts education, regardless of any cultural, systemic, and financial barriers they may experience.

Our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) is in our DNA, but we also recognize that there is work to do to both formalize and build on our commitment.

By deepening our commitment to DEIB we can make a more equitable and inclusive environment for our community and create a space where our students can be their authentic selves.

ART BY AMY, SITAR STUDENT, AGE 10 13

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OBJECTIVES & KEY STRATEGIES • Create accessible programming and systems to identify, attract, retain, and support students with diverse backgrounds and needs.

Through additional programs focused on diverse art forms and programs designed to include students with disabilities.

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• Develop systems, processes, and procedures that create a more inclusive and equitable environment for our community. Through Board and staff standing committees devoted to DEIB and antiracism, DEIB-compliant internal and external practices, multilingual resources, and accessible facilities.

• Ensure staff implement inclusive and equitable practices in their work.

Through consistent staff and management training on topics related to DEIB, embedding our values into our daily work and interactions, and biannual reflections.

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EVOLVE OUR BUSINESS MODEL & BRAND IDENTITY

4 To meet the critical community demand, Sitar’s business model and brand identity must evolve as we continue to scale. Our expanded footprint with Sitar Next Door and our increased investment in workforce development will require new revenue sources, next-level marketing, communications, and recruitment strategies, and investment in staff growth and wellbeing to sustain our operations as we grow.

Through the elevation of Sitar’s brand identity and thought leadership, we will cement Sitar as an organizational leader in accessible arts education and workforce development, generating greater visibility and funding among our key stakeholders.

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OBJECTIVES & KEY STRATEGIES • Amplify Sitar’s identity as a community anchor and place of belonging for young adults (16-24) through workforce development and training in creative industries and arts. Through directed brand awareness, outreach to DC agencies and other places of referral, and institution-wide adoption of Sitar’s change narrative.

• Develop diversified earned revenue streams. Through research and development around Sitar Next Door rentals, workforce development-based social enterprise, collaborative earned/contributed income opportunities, and multiyear tuition modeling.

• Increase visibility and community reach by investing in key systems. Through student recruitment in schools, expanded impact evaluation model, broadened social media, and updated marketing tools.

• Scale fundraising to meet programming and operational growth and community needs.

Through increased multiyear major gifts, stewarding mid-level individual donors, increased national and regional grants secured, and strong Board and volunteer leadership.

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APPENDICES Strategic Planning Committee Chairs Maureen Dwyer Mohini Malhotra

Board, Former Board, and Leadership Council Quanda Allen Charles DeSantis Melissa Doyle Mario Garcia Durham Jill Herscot Kristan McMahon Jill Minneman Jana Nelhybel Karen Robinson-Ogbebor Jaya Saxena Christopher Wingert

Staff Jessica Leskin Essence Newhoff Angela Robinson Loretta Thompson

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Special Thanks To Sitar Parents, Students, Alumni, Teaching Artists, Partners, Donors, Staff, Board, and Leadership Council who provided essential feedback, recommendations, and envisioning during the research phase of this plan participating in interviews, focus groups, and surveys.

Compass Greater Washington who selected Sitar as a Pro-Bono MicroProject Client in 2021. Through the partnership, volunteer professionals conducted and analyzed interviews, focus groups, and surveys from Sitar’s core constituencies as part of the research phase of this plan. Thank you to the Compass Team Volunteers for their many hours on in-kind support and expertise.

The DeVos Institute of Arts Management who provided pro-bono consultancy and training to Sitar Arts Center from 2018-2021 as part of the Washington, DC Bloomberg Philanthropies Arts and Management Innovation Program. Sitar utilized the Strategic Planning Framework Tool provided through this program to develop the FY2023-FY2027 Strategic Plan.

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FY2023 - FY2027 STRATEGIC PLAN VISION A city in which all young people experience transformative moments through quality, accessible arts education and career training and are supported on their path to discover their creativity and achieve their full potential.

MISSION Sitar Arts Center engages DC youth, from early childhood to young adulthood, in building a creative community of learning and belonging that removes financial and cultural barriers to arts education and career training.

1. GROW IN PLACE AS A DC COMMUNITY ANCHOR Objectives and Key Strategies 1.1. Purchase, build, and sustainably operate Sitar Next Door. Through capital campaign completion, increased operating cash reserve equal to 3 months of expenses, and expanded programming.

1.2. Evolve programming to meet emerging needs of community. Through greater attention placed on emotional well-being through arts-based approaches, increased transportation options, youth-led arts and social justice projects, and advanced learning opportunities for students.

1.3. Cultivate existing and build new relationships to meet and sustain growth. Through recruitment and stewardship of families, faculty, partners, volunteers, and donors, and increased outreach in Ward 1, 4 and 5, where there is high need for affordable afterschool and summer learning programs.

1.4. Optimize systems to improve care of facilities and people. Through an employee recognition program, career development program, and facility maintenance and replacement schedule.

Focus Area Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

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•

Reach Sitar’s Building the Next Stage capital campaign goal of $5.7 million by FY24.

•

Secure student enrollment at or above 80% of capacity with the expansion of Sitar Next Door by FY27.

•

Ensure each department’s employee satisfaction score is at or above an employee Net Promoter Score of 30 (“great”) by FY25.

2. EXPAND OUR CONTINUUM TO YOUNG ADULTHOOD Objectives and Key Strategies 2.1. Initiate a successful creative workforce development program for young adults. Through program development, robust marketing, and fundraising to support a year-long program that fosters hard and soft skills, leading to direct employment in creative industries.

2.2. Develop an accessible network of professional resources. Through partnerships with potential employers, professional associations, and career coaches.

2.3. Train staff to work with young adults, particularly those from historically underrepresented communities and/or those who are overcoming barriers to education and employment. Through professional development training in restorative justice and positive youth development strategies.

Focus Area Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) •

Enroll 60 annual participants in Sitar Arts Center’s new workforce development program, with a focus on creative industries, by FY27.

•

Place at least 50% of workforce development participants in creative industry employment upon completion of program by FY27.

•

60% of workforce development participants report that they emerge with valuable connections to professional resources and networks upon completion of the program by FY27.

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3. DEEPEN COMMITMENT TO DEIB Objectives and Key Strategies 3.1. Create accessible programming and systems to identify, attract, retain, and support students with diverse backgrounds and needs. Through additional programs focused on diverse art forms and programs designed to include students with disabilities.

3.2. Develop systems, processes, and procedures that create a more inclusive and equitable environment for our community. Through Board and staff standing committees devoted to DEIB and antiracism, DEIB-compliant internal and external practices, multilingual resources, and accessible facilities.

3.3. Ensure staff implement inclusive and equitable practices in their work. Through consistent staff and management training on topics related to DEIB, embedding our values into our daily work and interactions, and biannual reflections.

Focus Area Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) •

Review 100% of policies through a DEIB lens and adapt as necessary to increase accessibility and inclusion by FY24.

•

Increase the number of employee candidates from currently underrepresented populations in the first interview phase of every new hiring cycle by 20% by FY24.

FOCUS AREA KPIs BY TARGET COMPLETION DATE

By FY2024

By FY2025

•

Reach Sitar’s Building the Next Stage capital campaign goal of $5.7 million.

•

Ensure each department’s employee satisfaction score is at or above an employee Net Promoter Score of 30 (“great”).

•

Review 100% of policies through a DEIB lens and adapt as necessary to increase accessibility and inclusion.

•

Increase visitor engagement on Sitar’s website and social platforms by 5%.

•

Increase the number of employee candidates from currently underrepresented populations in the first interview phase of every new hiring cycle by 20%.

By FY2026

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•

10% of annual operating income generated from earned revenue.

4. EVOLVE OUR BUSINESS MODEL & BRAND IDENTITY Objectives and Key Strategies 4.1. Amplify Sitar’s identity as a community anchor and place of belonging for young adults (16-24) through workforce development and training in creative industries and arts. Through directed brand awareness, outreach to DC agencies and other places of referral, and institution-wide adoption of Sitar’s change narrative.

4.2. Develop diversified earned revenue streams. Through research and development around Sitar Next Door rentals, workforce development-based social enterprise, collaborative earned/contributed income opportunities, and multiyear tuition modeling.

4.3. Increase visibility and community reach by investing in key systems. Through student recruitment in schools, expanded impact evaluation model, broadened social media, and updated marketing tools.

4.4. Scale fundraising to meet programming and operational growth and community needs. Through increased multiyear major gifts, stewarding mid-level individual donors, increased national and regional grants secured, and strong Board and volunteer leadership.

Focus Area Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) •

10% of annual operating income generated from earned revenue by FY26.

•

Achieve 35% increase in participant applications for workforce program from pilot year to FY27.

•

Increase visitor engagement on Sitar’s website and social platforms by 5% by FY25.

By FY2027 •

Secure student enrollment at or above 80% of capacity with the expansion of Sitar Next Door.

•

Enroll 60 annual participants in Sitar Arts Center’s new workforce development program, with a focus on creative industries.

•

Place at least 50% of workforce development participants in creative industry employment upon completion of program.

•

60% of workforce development participants report that they emerge with valuable connections to professional resources and networks upon completion of the program.

•

Achieve 35% increase in participant applications for workforce program from pilot year.

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1700 Kalorama Road NW Suite 101 Washington, DC 202.797.2145 www.sitarartscenter.org

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