Members-Only Guild Resource / PDF Document

Engaging the Board in Your Vision

Published: 2018-06-30

The weighty words often used to describe mission, values, and vision — foundation, cornerstone, pillars — announce their significance. But creative leadership can transform these guiding principles from noble statements into active tools for effective governance. Every community arts education organization has a mission statement to describe why it exists and what it does to meet those needs. Many articulate values, the deeply held beliefs that guide everything they do, and vision, to convey how the community will change when the organization succeeds at its mission. Organizational consultant Kay Sprinkel Grace describes mission as “the compass — the true north for the organization” and vision as the inspiration and the destination.