Specifications include, but are not limited to: Scope of Services Metro Arts is seeking a consultant or consultant team who is an expert in current national trends and familiar with best practices for local arts agencies, art funding practices and strategies and municipal arts operations within an equity lens. The consultant should be adept at setting up plans that will support the civic arts and cultural infrastructure, while encouraging vibrant communities and deep engagement. The consultant should have a minimum of five years’ experience working with arts agencies and/or arts organizations. This strategic planning process may include, but is not limited to: Component A: Research, Assessment, and Benchmarking a study of the arts and cultural systems of financial support and recommendations for alternative funding options an evaluation and assessment of existing cultural facilities, arts spaces and future needs a survey of Nashville-based artists and their needs a community assessment of the vision, identity and value of the arts and culture in Nashville that may include a look at the broader cultural landscape. Perhaps this should consider a larger umbrella of “culture” that may include other municipal cultural programs, music, sciences and cultural tourism, which are not currently under Metro Arts purview. a scan of potential cross sector partners and opportunities within Metro Government and in the greater community an assessment of all Metro Arts programs, their efficacy, equity alignment and operational needs Research, identify, and provide benchmarking reports Component B: Stakeholder Engagement The consultants will: Work with Metro Arts to develop and engage an advisory group or groups for the planning process Plan, organize and conduct stakeholder feedback processes, which may include one-on-one interviews, surveys, virtual community meetings, forums and/or focus groups. Stakeholders will include cultural and civic leaders, funders and a wide range of citizens Skillfully facilitate input sessions and forums with creative structures and efficiencies, especially given in person meeting constraints Component C: Preparation of Recommendations, Goals & Strategies The selected consultant will work closely with Metro Arts staff to aggregate existing data, collect new data and outline short-term (1 to 2 years), midterm (2 to 5 years) and long-term (5 to 10 years) goals. Identify key issues for the growth and sustainability of arts and culture in Nashville Identify specific goals and strategies for implementation (city-owned, city-led, city-catalyzed) Recommend use of existing resources as well as recommendations for innovative funding models Component D: Delivery of Plan The selected consultant should deliver a well-designed, comprehensive, and clear report, which may take the written form, but should be easily presented in other digital formats. It should include images, infographics and graphs where needed to illustrate content. The Plan should include one longer, more detailed version, including an implementation/work plan for internal agency use, and a shorter, graphic-heavy executive summary version for public dissemination. Digital design and production services should be part of consultants bid. Consultant will provide to Metro Arts the raw Plan data and documents in whatever forms those may take so that Metro Arts may disseminate them or adjust for future digital or print needs. All digital or printed content produced for the Plan should be provided to Metro Arts via share file and will become property of Metro Arts for use in future publications, web or social media.
