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Home My WebLink AboutSLCA 06172020 Agenda St. Lucie Cultural Alliance w 2300 Virginia Avenue w Fort Pierce, FL 34982 772-462-2783 w ArtStLucie.org EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Rebecca Miller, Chair Miller Permitting & Land Development Kathryn Hensley, Chair Elect St. Lucie Public Schools Kathy Post, Treasurer Post Insurance David Moberg, Secretary Indian River State College DIRECTORS Sandra Bogan St Lucie County Environmental Resources Department Dave Bushea Sailfish Brewery Kim Capen Stuart Magazine Jeanne Johansen Fort Pierce Art Club Patti Tobin City of Port St Lucie LIAISONS Charlotte Lombard Bireley Tourism Division, St. Lucie County Mark Satterlee Deputy County Administrator, St. Lucie County Peter J. Tesch, Economic Development Council of St. Lucie BOARD MEETING 3:00 PM, Wednesday, June 17, 2020 Please Note: This meeting will take place via GoToMeeting Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/650867685 You can also dial in using your phone. United States: +1 (224) 501-3412; Access Code: 650-867-685 Call to Order & W elcome Miller Public Comment Miller Excused Directors Moberg Approval of 5/20/20 Minutes Miller Consent Agenda Miller Treasurer Report Post Outgoing Interim Executive Levine Director Report Executive Director Report Ushe Inclusion Statement Ushe Suspend July Board Meeting Miller New Business: Committee work Miller Motion to Adjourn Calendar: August 19, 2020, 3:00 PM SLCA Board Meeting Location TBA May 20th, 2020 SLCA Board Meeting Minutes 3:05 pm Present: Sandra Bogan, Kim Capen, Kathryn Hensley, Jeanne Johansen, Neil Levine, Rebecca Miller, David Moberg, Kathy Post, Mark Satterlee, Patti Tobin. Apologies: David Bushea, Peter Tesch Kathryn Hensley called the meeting to order. Public Comment; There was no public comment Approval of Minutes Correction to minutes offered by Sandra Bogan. Motion for the minutes to be accepted as corrected moved by Bogan and Tobin seconded. Approved by Acclamation. Consent Agenda There was no content presented Treasurers Report Motion to approve as presented by Moberg and seconded by Bogan. Approved by Acclamation. Executive Director Neil Levine Report Dr. Levine spoke to using the Art in Public Places program to get groups of artists to work on “thank you first responders & medical staff” murals on the side of hospitals & healthcare centers. He advised the Board that he is working with the County on the process to get the Art in Public Places funds unlocked so we can move forward. Levine reported on our initiative to assist members with grant writing. Well known grant writer, Diane Kimes, volunteered to work with us to provide a review of our members draft grant submissions. Recognizing some members are uncomfortable with grant writing, we’ve worked up a system whereby our members can draft a grant application and upload it for Diane to review and help get the application into shape. This initiative was referred to as best practice during a videoconference with the Director of the Division of Cultural Affairs, the Secretary of State, and statewide arts leaders. Dr. Levine then gave an update on our online digital program in support of our constituents, and the wider communities, and referred to the social media statistics within the activities report in the board packet. He also expressed thanks to St Lucie County’s Tourism Office for their help in extending our online reach. Levine then went on to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on our networking and workshop events, and expressed the hope that they will resume during June and July and will be a focus of membership growth. The interim executive director updated the Board on the State budget. He reported that the Governor has still not been presented with the budget and wants to see what Federal COVID- 19 funding will be available before signing, which means that our $25,000 grant will be in limbo until his signature is appended to the budget. Levine finished his report by discussing disruption and change and urged the Board to consider; if we’re to be at the center of a sector that is being forced to take change onboard, then leading effectively and with purpose means we rethink how to better use tools and capabilities to connect with our constituents. Dr. Levine then referred the Appointment of the Executive Director to our Board Chair Rebecca Miller Appointment of Executive Director Miller reported to the Board that one of the top three candidates, Alyona Ushe, had recently met with herself, the County Administrator Tipton and Assistant County Administrator Satterlee and interim executive director Levine. Satterlee had expressed, during the executive director search, County Administration leadership wished to meet with the appointee before Board approval. Miller spoke about Ms. Ushe’s experience and how she felt the candidate to be a good fit. Bogan, who had served on the search committee spoke and then there was a broad discussion, much of which focused on process, after which Moberg motioned to approve the appointment of the candidate, seconded by Post. Approved by Acclamation. Any Other Business There was no further business Miller adjourned the meeting. Respectively submitted, David Moberg St. LUCIE’S DESIGNATED LOCAL ARTS AGENCY - ACTIVITIES REPORT Reporting period: May 20th 2020 Submitted to: St Lucie Cultural Alliance Board of Directors, Mark Satterlee, Deputy County Administrator, From: Neil Levine Ph.D, FRSA, FCMI Interim Executive Director, St Lucie Cultural Alliance, 2300 Virginia Avenue, Fort Pierce, Florida 34982 Our vision is to promote St. Lucie County as a cultural destination, where communities are strengthened through embracing art and culture http://www.artstlucie.org/ D:\St Lucie\Board\6-17-20\May Levine Activities Report – MONTHLY ACTIVITIES REPORT - Page 2 of 15 Activities Report Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................. 3 BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................................................... 4 Stakeholder’s Framework .......................................................................................................................... 4 Aims and Scope of Work Summarized;...................................................................................................... 4 ACTIVITIES ..................................................................................................................................................... 5 Convene A Board Fit For Purpose: ............................................................................................................ 5 Partnerships: ............................................................................................................................................. 5 Marketing Venues And Events - Branding: ............................................................................................... 5 Communications ....................................................................................................................................... 6 Advocacy: .................................................................................................................................................. 8 Infrastructure: ........................................................................................................................................... 9 Appointment of the new Executive Director; ......................................................................................... 10 Summary and Looking Forward .................................................................................................................. 11 APPENDIX .................................................................................................................................................... 13 Appendix 1 - summary of goals, activities and status ............................................................................. 13 Appendix 2 – May Financial Statements ................................................................................................. 14 D:\St Lucie\Board\6-17-20\May Levine Activities Report – MONTHLY ACTIVITIES REPORT - Page 3 of 15 Activities Report EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Following Board discussion the appointment of the new Executive Director was approved, unanimously, and the successful candidate began with the organization during the last week of May. An introduction from the Chair of the Board was broadcast and some notes of ‘welcome’ were received. As this document is an introductory report it is therefore, by necessity, somewhat succinct. Some early training was undertaken by the Executive Director and an ongoing high level review of the social media element of our existing communications plan was begun - as was an initial review of our website. The tempo of our online digital program transitioned to re-focus from the “at home” support for our constituents to featuring partial openings and encouraging attendees to explore growing options, whilst staying safe. We continued to build and present an extensive collection of resources and activities, but now encourage safe in-person participation where possible. In order to facilitate a program resumption, we sent invitations soliciting individuals to serve on the Art in Public Places Advisory Board as representatives of Commissioners. A comprehensive State grant application was completed and submitted in a timely manner. Appropriations for this grant will support our general operating budget, and we wish to thank all of those who wrote letters in support of our grant request. We continue to participate, as a robust advocates, with statewide arts leaders, as we monitor the ongoing situation with the State budget. At this time the Legislature has not passed the proposed budget to the Governor for signature. As the strictures of social distancing loosen we would hope to present a networking event that heralds a “re-up membership” campaign during the June/July period. We will also work towards recruiting more Directors, and explore funding base diversification in the wake of a new normal. D:\St Lucie\Board\6-17-20\May Levine Activities Report – MONTHLY ACTIVITIES REPORT - Page 4 of 15 BACKGROUND Our monthly reports articulate the activities of the County’s designated Local Arts Agency [LAA], St Lucie Cultural Alliance [SLCA], as it transitions into a sustainable LAA. All reported activities are informed by the framework agreed during early public meetings and respond directly to the ‘Aims and Scope of Work’ within the County Agreement. This report also discusses constrains and opportunities as determined by the current pandemic. Stakeholder’s Framework; The County’s Designated LAA’s activities, as informed by the framework agreed by stakeholders during early public meetings are articulated as;  Being a partnership nexus and robust advocate for the whole sector  Being broadly inclusive and a facilitator  Assisting in seeking grants and with grant writing  Engaging with education in both formal and informal settings  Providing marketing and promotion to publicize artists and events  Creating and managing a cohesive arts and culture calendar  Seeking broad partnership opportunities Aims and Scope of Work Summarized; Board; Board of Directors, ensuring governance, oversight, and acting as ambassadors. Partnership; a nexus for partnerships supporting the mission and benefitting our partners. Reporting; timely reporting. Branding; developing a coherent branded cultural offering to market cultural venues, events and artists, and assist in increasing attendance and sales. Education; work to ensure the arts are part of student's educational experiences. Advocacy; engaging as robust advocates. Infrastructure; transition all activities from contractor to SLCA staff or local services. D:\St Lucie\Board\6-17-20\May Levine Activities Report – MONTHLY ACTIVITIES REPORT - Page 5 of 15 ACTIVITIES Convene A Board Fit For Purpose: Goal; A representative and effective Board of Directors to act as ambassadors and ensure good governance and oversight. May’s Board Meeting was conducted via conference call as we continue practicing social distancing. The Cultural Alliance recognizes the need to continue growing a Board that’s representative of the county, however due to the unprecedented circumstances dictated by the pandemic this work is somewhat constrained - for the time being. Partnerships: Goal; Provide a nexus for partnerships that support the SLCA mission and benefit our partners. During May we continued to partner with bloggers to assist in pushing out our general engagement initiatives. We continued to work closely with St Lucie County’s Tourism Office who have enabled us to extend our reach. We suggest that those individuals who contributed to our participation in the County’s recovery planning be encouraged to be a part of a SLCA Board Advisory Group and it’s suggested this group be convened in the near future. Marketing Venues And Events - Branding: Goal; develop and implement a coherent branded cultural offering to market our cultural venues, events and artists, and assist in increasing attendance and sales. We have begun to position and promote those cultural venues, such as museums and galleries, as the social distancing strictures relax and they are slowly able to begin revitalizing their business. Of course, it has not been possible for venues or large- scale events where people congregate to operate D:\St Lucie\Board\6-17-20\May Levine Activities Report – MONTHLY ACTIVITIES REPORT - Page 6 of 15 at this time, so that marketing support will follow next step guidance. We have continued our ‘stay home’ interactive online campaign to “keep art alive” during lockdown as this maintains our profile and that of the sector. The campaign continues to inform, inspire, amuse, present fun and educational activities. Networking events We can report no further update on last month’s observation that, although we had wished to follow up the successful economic impact report roll-out with a networking event that has not proved possible under the present social distancing circumstances. We are hopeful that we’ll be able to address this gap in our provision by July. Workshops As with networking events, we had wished to re-start our best practice workshop events during May but this has not proved possible due to the pandemic. Communications Social media marketing continued to focus on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google, with Mailchimp email marketing. Our reach and impact was measured using Yoast SEO plugin, Google Analytics, and Facebook Pixel, as we promote SLCA members, and position our organization. We also continue to work with recently lapsed memberships ; this gesture is an investment which will pay dividends when we launch a campaign to encourage our lapsed members to rejoin, and gain new members and organizations. This report details continuing audience growth as we maintain engagement with shared content across all social media channels. D:\St Lucie\Board\6-17-20\May Levine Activities Report – MONTHLY ACTIVITIES REPORT - Page 7 of 15 ● Instagram’s audience grew by 13% in May. ● Over 13% more users are finding artstlucie on Google compare to last month ● The homepage was the most viewed page on the website in May, followed by the Keep Art Alive campaign page and the COVID-19 resources page. ● The LinkedIn page gained 96% more followers in May. ● As social distancing restrictions ease, and we wind down the Keep Art Alive campaign, we are continuing to receive submissions with creative projects.  Overall, our virtual audience grew from 2,572 to 2,606 with 3,114 engagements across all social media platforms. Taking a new look; Looking at the broader picture, there is a new approach to organizational communications and positioning which may provide an interesting model for us. An example might be Italian Vogue which has encouraged children to populate D:\St Lucie\Board\6-17-20\May Levine Activities Report – MONTHLY ACTIVITIES REPORT - Page 8 of 15 the covers of Vogue Italia for several issues – broadening reach and penetration in a ‘brand’ new way – and we can learn from this… Consider; If we delivered a multi-month campaign that provided our website landing page as a platform for children/young people in a similar way, we would be bringing in their extended families – we’d experience greater reach and penetration as we engaged with the broader communities. The cost for such a campaign would be very low but the potential gains would be considerable. Advocacy: Goal; we will engage as robust advocates, locally and at state, and will commission local economic contribution studies as a tool for advocacy. We have continued to participate with Florida Cultural Alliance, the Division of Cultural Affairs, and other arts leaders from throughout the State as we explore best practice and available resources that may support our constituents. Update on State funding for the arts; A comprehensive State grant application was completed and submitted to the Division of Cultural Affairs in a timely manner. This is fully detailed elsewhere in this document. Appropriations for this grant will support our general D:\St Lucie\Board\6-17-20\May Levine Activities Report – MONTHLY ACTIVITIES REPORT - Page 9 of 15 operating budget, and we wish to thank all of those who wrote letters in support of our grant request. Although this organization continues to participate, as a robust advocate, as we monitor the ongoing situation with the State budget, our direct interest is in Line Item 3179A, which is the line item for the $25,000 grant and is intended to support the new ED compensation. We are delighted that both the Senate and the House have allocated 100% funding [$2,881,168] for all 125 Culture Builds Florida Matching Grants. However, at this time of writing, due to the impact of COVID-19 the Legislature has not passed the proposed budget to the Governor for his signature. We note that the current fiscal year ends June 30th. When Governor DeSantis receives the bills he has 15 days to sign, veto, or allow them to become law without his signature. He also has line-item veto power on the budget for the 2020-2021 fiscal year that was approved by the Legislature in March and is slated to take effect July 1st. However, the $93.2 billion budget was built on tax estimates that relied heavily on industries such as tourism - all suffering considerable negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Infrastructure: Goal; Transition financial, website, support, social media, reporting and marketing activities from consultants to SLCA staff or locally contracted services. Our Treasurer has now begun the transition from Wells Fargo to Center State bank and we expect this to be completed before the end of May – not least of all because the interim executive director signed to open the account and is now required, by Wells Fargo, D:\St Lucie\Board\6-17-20\May Levine Activities Report – MONTHLY ACTIVITIES REPORT - Page 10 of 15 to close the account. The Paycheck Protection Program application documents are being presented to CenterState, our new bank, for consideration under the PPP program, acceptance of which will considerably enhance our organizational cash flow. Appointment of the new Executive Director; One of the top 3 candidates was invited to an online meeting with the County Administrator, Assistant County Administrator, SLCA Board Chair and the interim executive director. Following discussion, leadership at the County Administration voiced approval of the candidate. At the subsequent Board Meeting, Chair Miller presented the candidate for the Board’s approval and appointment to the position of executive director and this proposal was welcomed unanimously. The new Executive Director was appointed and commenced with the cultural alliance on May 25th D:\St Lucie\Board\6-17-20\May Levine Activities Report – MONTHLY ACTIVITIES REPORT - Page 11 of 15 Summary and Looking Forward Following Board discussion the appointment of the new Executive Director was agreed unanimously, and the new Executive Director began with the organization during the last week of May, with an introduction from the Chair of the Board being broadcast. Some early training was undertaken by the Executive Director and an ongoing high level review of the social media element of our existing communications plan was begun - as was an initial review of our website. Our online digital program began to transition as we re-focused from the “at home” support for constituents to featuring partial openings, and encouraging attendees to explore growing options, whilst staying safe. We continued to build and present an extensive collection of resources and activities, but now encourage safe in-person participation where possible. Art in Public Places; we sent invitations asking individuals to serve on the Advisory Board, as representatives of Commissioners, as we facilitate a resumed program. A comprehensive State grant application was completed and submitted to the Division of Cultural Affairs in a timely manner. Appropriations for this grant will support our general operating budget, and we wish to thank all of those who wrote letters in support of our grant request. This organization continues to participate, as a robust advocate, alongside arts leaders from throughout the State, as we monitor the ongoing situation with the arts funding tied to the State budget. At this time of writing, the Legislature has not passed the proposed budget to the Governor for his signature. The current fiscal year ends June 30th. When Governor DeSantis receives the bills he has 15 days to sign, veto, or allow them to become law without his signature. He also has line-item veto power on the budget for the 2020-2021 fiscal year that was approved by the Legislature in March and is slated to take effect July 1st. However, it’s to be noted that the budget [$93.2 billion] was built on tax estimates that relied heavily on industries such as tourism, which are suffering the considerable negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic. As the strictures of social distancing loosen we would hope to present a networking event that heralds a “re-up membership” campaign during the June/July period. D:\St Lucie\Board\6-17-20\May Levine Activities Report – MONTHLY ACTIVITIES REPORT - Page 12 of 15 During this time, we will also work towards recruiting more Directors to the Board, and explore funding base diversification in the wake of a new normal. And, that the Board will work to develop a strategic forward plan during an August retreat. Banksy – an artist’s Appreciation for healthcare workers; With his permission, the Banksy piece will be auctioned off to benefit the hospital – it is expected to realize around $3m… D:\St Lucie\Board\6-17-20\May Levine Activities Report – MONTHLY ACTIVITIES REPORT - Page 13 of 15 APPENDIX Appendix 1 - summary of goals, activities and status D:\St Lucie\Board\6-17-20\May Levine Activities Report – MONTHLY ACTIVITIES REPORT - Page 14 of 15 Appendix 2 – May Financial Statements Balance Sheet D:\St Lucie\Board\6-17-20\May Levine Activities Report – MONTHLY ACTIVITIES REPORT - Page 15 of 15 Period Budget Vs Actuals and Full Year Executive Director’s Report Introduction: I am honored and excited to have been selected as your next Executive Director. I applaud the great success that the Board of Directors and Dr. Neil Levine have achieved since the organization’s reincarnation in 2018 and its full autonomy in the fall of 2019. I especially take my hat off to Dr. Levine for building a robust and reliable organizational infrastructure. The production of a sector-wide economic impact study, creating SLCA policies and procedures and employee handbook, presenting professional training seminars for regional artists, and increasing SLCA membership to list a few, in such a short time, are significant accomplishments. His are big shoes to fill, and I look forward to working with you to build on his success. May Report: Since officially coming on board on May 26, 2020, the remainder of that week was devoted to the completion of the Department of State General Program Support Grant for FY 22 proposal. I identified three main goals as key initiatives for the organization. GOAL 1: Grow St. Lucie County’s Cultural Economy Rationale: St. Lucie County houses many artists and cultural institutions. The objective of this goal is to provide additional support to existing members of our cultural economy while incentivizing new organizations and artists to make St. Lucie County their home. Identify new performance and exhibition venues • Identify local schools, universities, and businesses with possible performance and exhibition spaces to make their venues available to organizations and artists at reduced rates • Partner with developers to use vacant properties and storefronts to present Pop-Up art-in-unusual-places and hosting four presentations annually in these locations Assist and strengthen local arts organizations infrastructure • Promote grant application assistance initiative launched by Neil Levine that enables our members to submit draft grant proposals for review by Diane Kimes, a well- known grant writer and a volunteer member of your Cultural Alliance team • Work with the Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development team to identify new business partners to serve on cultural boards • Facilitate a Board-Match program that aligns the interests of business leaders to the needs of the nonprofits through an application and an interview process Continue to advocate for the support of the sector locally, statewide and nationally • Institute a robust program of advocacy by participating with Florida Cultural Alliance, the Division of Cultural Affairs and other arts leaders, to illustrate the benefits accrued by our communities when the arts and cultural sector thrives • Participate in political discourse in a concerted effort to positively influence public policy • Provide evidence of economic impact and growth to elected officials, business, and community leaders by the commissioning of local economic contribution studies and increase participation in the survey with additional members of the creative economy GOAL 2: Develop One Performing Arts Pilot Program in a Title One School Rationale: Launching educational initiatives and collaborating with local teaching artists has been a longstanding goal for SLCA. As a pilot program, the SLCA would work with St. Lucie Public Schools to identify at least one Title One School, collaborate with educators to identify the needs of the student body, and work with qualified artists-in-residence in responding to those needs • Develop a process to select local talent to provide services that best address the school's specific needs. • Create a corporate sponsorship program and foundation grant proposals to assist with funding this initiative. • Create an Annual Community-Wide Celebration: Arts, Culture, and Education Fundraiser to fund this and other SLCA educational initiatives. GOAL 3: Develop New Initiatives to Assure SLCA Resilience, Sustainability, and Growth Rationale: Diversify SCLA contributed and earned revenue is critical for the success and growth of the organization. Contributed revenue will remain the primary source of income for the next several years. Here too, we need to create incentives and programs that philanthropists, business leaders, and other individual supporters can rally around. Our earned revenue, as of now, consists primarily of membership fees. By offering new incentives to join, the SLCA will further expand its membership base. In the proposal, I outlined the following goals: • Expand the Board of Directors by 20% • Double participation on Board Committees by inviting philanthropists, business owners, and civic leaders to join SLCA Board committees • Hold quarterly fundraising and donor appreciation events for prospective and current supporters • Increase Membership by 20% by offering new membership incentives including discounts and exclusive deals by local merchants, artists, and cultural organizations to members • Submit a minimum of one proposal to a foundation each quarter June Update My goal for the first two weeks of June was to get a deep and accurate understanding of the current organizational infrastructure and the challenges and achievements of the local creative community. I started reviewing all aspects of SLCA’s operation, including: • Familiarizing myself with Policies & Procedures and Employee Handbook • Review Membership Benefits and Subscription Rate • Self-training on NEON, SLCA’s CRM and on the administrative back end of the website • Working with Neil Levine and Berger, Toombs, Elam, Gaines & Frank to change accounts to CenterSate Bank • Had a meeting with Rebecca Miller, Chair of the Board, to understand better the vision for the organization, Board priorities, and expectations • Started scheduling meetings with Board Members to discuss the reason for support and involvement, programming assessment and suggestions • Reviewing and working with Communications Manager to develop action steps for the Communication Plans to get the best return on investment (ROI) on social media advertising strategy • Reviewed previous grants The initial eblast from the new executive director encouraged St. Lucie's creative community to reach out to me and share their interest, triumphs, and tribulations. As the direct result of that email, I set up numerous meetings, including: • Preston Contemporary Dance Theatre • Treasure Coast Community Singers • Tykes and Teens • Ft Pierce Jazz & Blues Society County Administration: • Howard Tipton, County Administrator • Peter Jones, Economic Development Manager • Charlotte Bireley, Director of Tourism & Marketing Board Members: • Jeanny Johansen • David Bushea Action Steps 1. Develop “Best Practices” used by other Local Arts Agencies 2. Committee Structures with job descriptions a. Executive b. Finance c. Education & Outreach d. Membership e. Development and Special Events f. Major Donor Cultivation g. Advisory Groups 3. Update Membership benefits 4. Schedule meetings with current and inactive members 5. Schedule an artist meeting for input on next SLCA campaign On a personal note – I am looking for a home in St. Lucie County and can’t wait to become a full-time member of our great community. Communications: Submitted by Dieulanie Claude I have continued to work on the website updates, with a focus on brand consistency and user- friendliness. All page colors and layouts are being themed with the SLCA colors, and layouts and schemes look similar to the Keep Art Alive campaign page. As of June 1st, the SLCA’s phone number has been added to the contact page of the website, as well as the footer. A landing page and a blog page were created to include a message from our chair, Rebecca Miller, welcoming new executive director, Alyona A. Ushe, and communications manager, Dieulanie Claude, and expressing her gratitude to Dr. Neil Levine, our interim executive director. New staff members were also added to the “About Us” page. Additionally, a blog page linked to a press release was created to introduce Alyona. A board members page, a staff page, along with staff bio pages were created. Lastly, a cleaner version of the Alliance’s logo has been placed on the header of the website, and a new banner was added to the homepage and linked to the message from the chair. Since the 1st of June, 240 users have made 743 visits to the website. In the near future, I plan to increase website visits by exploring more marketing options, such as SEO and Google Ads. We continue to focus social media efforts on 7 different channels, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google, Pinterest and YouTube. During the first week of June, our virtual audience grew from 2606 to 2739 with 764 engaged thus far. In one week alone: • Facebook audience increase by 18% • And Linked in page gain 49% increase Currently, our email marketing audience is at 717 subscribers. Out of 1382 emails sent with the message from the chair and welcoming our new executive director, there was a 34% interaction, including open and clickthrough rate, almost double that of the 17.8% average open rate for all industries. We look forward to growing our contact list and clickthrough rate with ongoing engagement campaigns. Lastly, since the COVID-19 pandemic, I have forwarded the SLCA phone number to my personal cellphone and have been providing excellent customer service to our members, friends and partners in the community, including membership services, web support, and meeting with potential partners. St. Lucie Cultural Alliance w 2300 Virginia Avenue w Fort Pierce, FL 34982 772-462-2783 w ArtStLucie.org Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement At St Lucie Cultural Alliance we believe that a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace is one where all employees and volunteers, whatever their gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation or identity, education or disability, feels valued and respected. We are committed to a nondiscriminatory approach and provide equal opportunity for employment and advancement in all of our programs of work. We respect and value diverse life experiences and heritages and ensure that all voices are valued and heard. To provide informed, authentic leadership for cultural equity, St Lucie Cultural Alliance strives to: • See diversity, inclusion, and equity as connected to our mission and critical to ensure the well-being of our staff and the arts communities we serve. • Acknowledge and dismantle any inequities within our policies, systems, programs, and services, and continually update and report organization progress. • Advocate for and support board-level thinking about how systemic inequities impact our organization’s work, and how best to address that in a way that is consistent with our mission. • Practice and encourage transparent communication in all interactions. • Commit time and resources to expand more diverse leadership within our board, staff, committee, and advisory bodies. • Lead with respect and tolerance, and expect all employees to embrace this notion and to express it in workplace interactions and through all practices. St Lucie Cultural Alliance abides by the following action items to help promote diversity and inclusion in our workplace: • Pursue cultural competency by creating substantive learning opportunities and formal, transparent policies. • Commit to diversity and inclusion for underrepresented constituents. • Work towards diversity, inclusion, and equity internally, and for members, and the community. • Be more intentional and conscious of bias during hiring, promoting, and evaluating staff. • Advocate for policies that promote diversity, inclusion, and equity, and challenge systems and policies that create inequity, oppression and disparity. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Rebecca Miller, Chair Miller Permitting & Land Development Kathryn Hensley, Chair Elect St. Lucie Public Schools Kathy Post, Treasurer Post Insurance David Moberg, Secretary Indian River State College DIRECTORS Sandra Bogan St Lucie County Environmental Resources Department Dave Bushea Sailfish Brewery Kim Capen Stuart Magazine Jeanne Johansen Fort Pierce Art Club Patti Tobin City of Port St Lucie LIAISONS Charlotte Lombard Bireley Tourism Division, St. Lucie County Mark Satterlee Deputy County Administrator, St. Lucie County Peter J. Tesch, Economic Development Council of St. Lucie