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TheZ Reimagined: Our Plans for the Future
During the Zeiterion’s restoration and renovation, The Z team embarked on a mission to decide who we are and who we want to be. We created an ambitious vision for our future: to completely reinvent the model for a performing arts center from the inside out, to make it an organization FOR the community and WITH the community.
What follows is the blueprint – five goals – that represents a large shift in our organization. Many parts of the plan address what needs to change, how we’re unlearning old ways and building a culture of justice and belonging. Some are already in action, and most are works in progress that will take the next several years to accomplish.
We hope you’ll join us on this journey – and let us know when we fall short – as we move away from behaviors that limit our thinking and move towards becoming the Zeiterion that truly reflects the people and spirit of New Bedford.
Our Goals
Steward our renovated historic building and activate it as a valuable public resource
Reimagine The z's programming by amplifying diverse voices that engage the z's community
Cultivate creative expression and community connection by building mutually beneficial partnerships and collaborations in the Greater New Bedford community
Build and enhance the Z’s organizational capacity
Unlearn oppressive behaviors and embrace a culture of justice and inclusion
Rationale: One of the studies that preceded the strategic planning process was a market study that surveyed community members about their relationship to The Z. While some had close relationships, others did not find The Z to be welcoming. The Z’s mission includes stewarding the historic facility, owned by the City of New Bedford, which means activating the building as a public resource and fostering a sense of belonging for all.
① Complete the capital renovation and restoration of the historic building
② Celebrate the reopening of the newly renovated and restored building as an expression of The Z's new mission
③ Reimagine how the community will utilize The Z and its newly renovated spaces
Rationale: The community feedback also revealed that The Z was proactive about asking the community for input, but there was insufficient follow-through on this feedback. In this planning process, we explored the voices who curated our programming. The result is a more inclusive curation model, which hopefully, will yield a slate of programs that appeal to a wider audience.
① Center diverse voices in the curation of programs
② Amplify the work of a diverse range of artists
③ Cultivate a rich mix of cultures, backgrounds, identities, and generations in our audiences
④ Ensure students of all ages have access to performing arts experiences that foster imagination and creative expression
*Diverse defined as a rich mix of ages, races, cultures, socioeconomic statuses, gender identities, and sexual orientations, among others
Rationale: The ambition to become a more inclusive center means rethinking the “traditional” model of partnership, which is based on a transactional and, at times, a somewhat extractive relationship. We are broadening our definition of partnership to be rooted in an authentic exchange of value and one that is nurtured long term. The renovation of The Z will offer several new spaces and therefore new opportunities for partnership and collaboration that will foster a greater sense of community ownership in the building.
① Based on desired goals, identify civic, business, and nonprofit organizations, and individuals within the local ecosystem with whom to partner
② Deepen and expand the resident company program through artistic partnerships to be a more inclusive home for the performing arts
Rationale: To lay the groundwork for our fundraising campaign for the restoration and renovation, we commissioned a business plan that outlined a thoughtful staffing and organizational plan to bolster the increased facility spaces and demands. In addition, through introspective and generative conversations around the planning process, we decided to leverage the opportunity of strategic planning to address capacity issues. This will help us build a more resilient, effective, and inclusive organization.
① Grow the board and enhance its effectiveness at stewarding the mission
② Become a learning organization by using data to continually improve our practices
③ Ensure a robust and resilient financial model
④ Strengthen human resources practices
Rationale: To be a performing arts center that is a true gathering space for the community means a deep commitment to unlearn past practices that do not serve this aspiration and to learn new ones that foster justice, inclusion, and belonging.
① Reduce the culture of urgency
② Develop antidotes to the standard of perfectionism so we can learn as we grow
③ Enhance communications across the organization
We envision a vibrant, bustling center for the performing arts that is a beacon of creative energy and a valuable civic asset for New Bedford and beyond.
The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center’s mission is to steward our historic theater as a gathering place for performing arts experiences where learning, connection, and creative expression thrive.
Imagination is our starting point for creativity, empathy, and evolution. We endeavor to use imagination to find creative solutions, to present visionary artists, and to inspire understanding of the world around us.
The performing arts connect us to others and to ourselves. We strive to foster connections in which reciprocity flourishes; between artist and audience, in our partnerships with our peers, and through cooperative collaboration with our city and our community
We acknowledge the segregated history of the performing arts and our role in the inequitable representation on our stage and in our audiences, staff, and board. We will actively work to dismantle systemic racism and injustice and nurture a safe and inclusive culture.
We seek to be a trusted resource and partner. With open communication and honesty, we will forge meaningful relationships that cultivate shared ownership and true belonging.
Through the performing arts, we discover who we are and who we hope to be. We reflect on our past and look toward the future humbly with open hearts, constant curiosity, and a spirit of possibility.