Whitman-Walker Clinic, 10AM-2PM
Notes from the Visioning Session

Jill Strachan, Facilitating and reporting

In Attendance:
Bread and Roses Feminist Singers (Carol Wheeler and Eileen Scott)
DC’s Different Drummers (Scott Barker, Charles Butler, and Jana Fry)
DC Lambda Squares (Abe Feldman)
Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington (David Akridge and David Bielenberg)
Lesbian & Gay Chorus of Washington, D.C. (TC Duong)
Lyra Chamber Ensemble (Pam Helton)
Triangle Artists Group (Scott Brooks)
One in Ten/Reel Affirmations (Carlos Arias and Sarah Kellogg)
Positive Performance Image Project/Undaunted Productions (Pamela Jafari)

We created a list of values around safe communication. The values were:

     Who are we?
     Silence = consent. Ask questions if you’re unclear. We each have a responsibility for
     communicating our own thoughts.
     Be aware of your space.
     Each person strives to be as clear as possible in communicating ideas.
     Take risks.
     People are all allowed to finish what they’re saying.
     No bad ideas.
     Listen, listen.

 The communication values were posted on the wall. We then conducted introductions to see who was in
the room. We determined that there were individual artists, performance organizations, presenters,
recreational groups, community groups, social groups, professionals, amateurs, and producers.

We began the visioning process by working alone and responding to the question: If the arts community
in Washington, D.C. was exactly what it should be, what would that look like? Participants were
asked to write down 5 characteristics of that arts community. Then, participants worked in 3 groups and
agreed on 3 characteristics to present to the group-at-large. The reports were:

One group said:
   1.Let’s get physical.
   2.Get off your ass.
   3.Let us in.

Another group said:
   1.Education
   2.Collaboration
   3.Challenge/Inspiration

 Another group drew a triad. At the top of the triangle, they wrote:
                             Collaboration & Partnership
                            *Resources *Communications
On the left side, they wrote:
Support
     Finance
     Political
     Media
On the right side, they wrote:
Accessibility
     Physical
     Econ
     Cultural

 We agreed that the group reports revealed common interests in: Collaboration, Visibility, Diversity, and
Support (Financial.) We agreed that a Vision Statement would ultimately capture the essence of these
interests.

The next question was: What specifically can the GLBT Arts Consortium do to move each of these
concerns forward?

Participants formed working groups around their personal interests in a particular area. The groups
reported back to the group-at-large.

Collaboration group:
   1.Shared resources
        a.venues (lease, buy, sublet space) e.g.
        b.marketing (bulk media/advertising rates)
        c.shared personnel (e.g., accounts, tech people, media, public relations)
        d.consortium common equipment; location/source shared for equipment
2. Events Collaboration
        a.year pass pick & choose a concert/show/exhibition, etc.
        b.events produced together
        c.box office/venue sharing

 Visibility group:
   1.Utilize A.C. (i.e., GLBT Arts Consortium) to achieve collective buying power.
   2.A.C. serve as clearinghouse for arts events.
   3.A.C. work with editorial management of local media.
   4.A.C. facilitate sharing of best practices.

Diversity group:
Teach by example
EDUCATION
     Educate ourselves
     Provide forum
OUTREACH
     Membership & audience
     Accessibility
ENTERTAIN
     Sharing our art

 Support Group:
Financial Support:
   1.Educate
     Seminars – how to …?
     Info Clearinghouse – taxes, grants
   2.Getting Money
     Raising money together
     Applying for grants
     Seeking corporate support
   3.Giving Grants
     To individual artists, organizations
     Purchase space (or rent)
     Support visibility
Volunteer Support:
   1.Establish Consortium as a real entity/identity, 501(c)3
   2.Recruit volunteers to work on Consortium exclusively
   3.Create a Burgundy Crescents within Consortium

After the groups reported, we engaged in a general discussion about possible next steps. (Participants
indicated with tick marks which initiatives should have a priority. Each person had four tick marks to
place by any initiative.) After discussing the tally, which revealed overlap, we agreed that as a next step,
those interested in pursuing a particular topic (i.e., collaboration, visibility, diversity, and support) would
meet outside of a GLBT Arts Consortium meeting to generate some specific projects and time tables. For
each topic, a person was identified to take the lead in calling the first meeting. We opted to call these
groups – “just-a-group.” (Facilitator’s note: Perhaps it was of case of “ you had to be there” to get the full
humor in our desire to avoid setting up formal committees.)

For Diversity, Sarah Kellogg will call the first meeting.

For Visibility, Scott Barker will call the first meeting.

For Collaboration, TC Duong will call the first meeting.

We also specifically discussed the suggestion that the GLBT Arts Consortium become a 501(c)3
organization. There was no consensus on this point. It was agreed that we should research the various
options completely. This will be part of the task of the collaboration just-a-group.

We also did not arrive at final language for a vision statement.

We closed our day by responding privately to the following questions:

   1.What did you already know when you came into the room this morning that was affirmed for you?
   2.What did you learn?
   3.What do you still have questions about?

Some of the participants shared their responses to the questions.

A short business meeting followed.