STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS TEXTILE MUSEUM OF CANADA - DECEMBER 1, 2017
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DECEMBER 1, 2017
STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS
TEXTILE MUSEUM OF CANADA
55 Centre Ave. Toronto, ON M5G 2H5Contents
TEXTILE MUSEUM OF CANADA: STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS 2018-21 ....................................................... 2
The Future ............................................................................................................................................... 2
History ....................................................................................................................................................... 3
SWOT Analysis........................................................................................................................................ 3
Potential threats ................................................................................................................................ 3
Opportunities to exceed the plan ................................................................................................... 4
TMC Strengths.................................................................................................................................... 4
TMC Weaknesses ............................................................................................................................... 5
Vision & Strategy .................................................................................................................................. 7
Strategic Directions .............................................................................................................................. 8
Communication and evaluation......................................................................................................... 8
STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS ........................................................................................................................ 8
1. Increasing our Impact .................................................................................................................. 8
GOALS ................................................................................................................................................... 8
2. Expanding our Audiences ............................................................................................................ 8
GOALS ................................................................................................................................................... 9
3. Building a Better Home ................................................................................................................ 9
GOALS ................................................................................................................................................... 9
4. Growing our Organizational Culture .......................................................................................... 9
GOALS ................................................................................................................................................... 9
5. Strengthening our Financial Resilience.................................................................................... 9
GOALS ................................................................................................................................................. 10
The development of this report was supported by the Ontario Arts Council through the
Compass Program.
1TEXTILE MUSEUM OF CANADA: STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS 2018-21
The Future
There are many aspects of our past strategic plan that remain relevant today. The vision of
connecting the Museum’s historical and global collection of textile artefacts to
contemporary global issues and cultural experiences, as well as to contemporary boundary-
pushing artistic practices still holds true.
We continue to have a commitment to improving our facilities, to anchoring ourselves
within Toronto’s diverse community, to share our expertise and knowledge more broadly, to
remain agile and responsive to innovative partners, and to lead in new technology
development. Equally, we are committed to building a resilient financial structure and are
devoted to the development of our human resources.
Our new plan, developed under the new leadership of Executive Director, Emma Quin and
guided by the Museum’s Board of Trustees, draws from the strength of our last plan while
looking to the future. The Board of Trustees engaged the services of Cynthia Armour – a
leader in Strategic Planning - to initiate the planning process.
For several months Cynthia worked with the Museums board, staff and volunteers in the
areas of executive leadership, best practises in board governance, strategic planning and
fund development.
In June of 2017, Cynthia lead an intensive board, staff and volunteer retreat, where through a
consensus-built process we created a shared future vision for the Museum, identified
barriers that have the potential of blocking our success and decided on three strategic
directions that would address the barriers and enable us to realize our vision.
The following statements of success have guided the development of this plan.
The Textile Museum of Canada will:
- Will be a leader in Museum best-practises in all that we do
- Be a powerful recognized brand
- Be a transformative community catalyst
- Have responsive, accessible collections
- Have engaged dynamic networks
- Have an enhanced visible facility
- Have progressive, supported human resources
- Experience financial growth
And, the following barriers were considered:
- An unclear vision and mission blocks leadership and decisions
- A weak brand blocks ability to compete
- Our existing organizational structure inhibits talent
- Limited data blocks responsive engagement
- Current space blocks growth
2In follow-up meetings with staff, ad-hoc committees, and through one-on-one sessions with Cynthia our vision, mission and value statements were refreshed and goals and objectives were developed. History The Textile Museum of Canada, which held its 40th anniversary in 2015, has much to celebrate. From its origins as a private collection stored and exhibited above an ice cream shop in Toronto’s Mirvish Village, the Museum has grown to become a leading Canadian cultural institution. Today the Museum is internationally recognized for its artistic programs, scholarly research, and for its digital assets. As the only national museum in Canada, and one of a few worldwide, mandated to promote the relevance of textiles to the human condition, the Museum embraces its civic responsibility to guide dynamic social experiences through the core medium of textiles. The Museum’s permanent collection of over 14,500 items spanning 200 world regions and 2000 years, is an indispensable foundation for all that we do. The exploration of diverse textile cultures through studies of tradition and innovation, contemporary creative practices, technical and conceptual exploration and public engagement uniquely position the TMC among Canadian Museums in its ability to advance knowledge and awareness of evolving cultures and increasingly global communities. The Museum’s extensive artistic programs and scholarly research have provided a broad platform for creative Canadian and international practitioners to exhibit and test new ideas alongside traditional and historical practices. The careers of many craftspeople, scholars, curators, artists and designers have been fostered through targeted programs of public engagement, education, artistic development and dissemination. In these ways, the Museum satisfies an otherwise unfulfilled need for professional, critical display and interpretation of creative expressions that have textiles at their core. The many and varied artistic activities of the Museum are realized through a distinctive program of exhibitions, educational activities and public events. A broad scope of visual arts practices activates dialogue through textiles, from art, craft, fashion, technology and science to community and political activism. This critical embrace of textile cultures is unprecedented in Canada and is enthusiastically supported by partnerships with other arts and educational institutions that infuse the Museum’s activities with new audiences and perspectives. SWOT Analysis Potential threats - Decline in private sector giving - Courthouse development impacting traffic and access - Pending provincial election and impact on provincial government funding - Aging membership and volunteer base - In-ability to keep abreast of digital technologies - Competition in the landscape for consumer leisure time and dollars 3
Opportunities to exceed the plan
- Growing and changing needs of Toronto’s diverse population aligns with the Museums
mandate
- Rich, warm, civic stories of our history to tell
- Neighbourhood revitalization being led through courthouse development and
improvements to the streetscape
- Population growth in Toronto, GTA and satellite municipalities
- Tourism growth – Toronto is a leading tourism destination in Canada, and welcomed over
40 million visitors in 2015
- % of visitors from the US is expected to rise due to the strength of US dollar
- Ontario’s Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport signalled a strong commitment to Arts
and Culture with the implementation of the Culture Strategy.
- Federal Government has signalled a strong commitment to the Arts with a doubling of its
investment to the Canada Council for the Arts
TMC Strengths
ORGANIZATIONAL STRENGTHS
- 40 year history
- Only national Textile Museum in Canada (uniqueness of our collection and
programming)
- Rich, warm, civic stories of our history
- Collection of over 14,500 objects representing global cultures
- 300+ object teaching collection
- Collection fully accessible on-line
- Strong leadership in digitization and digital initiatives
- Highly regarded scholarly research
- Professional institution with innovative programs
- Excellent museum standards in programming
- Excellence in using the collection for contemporary relevance
- Strong program for circulating exhibitions
- Successful and high-value school visits program
- Strong institutional and staff networks
- Broad cross sector of partners
- Agile and responsive to opportunities
- Ability, through partnership, to program outside our physical walls
- Shop is enjoyed by all visitors
- Targeted growth segments such as young downtown dwellers, families and New Comers.
HUMAN CAPITAL STRENGTHS
- Significant/loyal volunteer capacity – equalling 10 FT staff
- Dedicated team of core staff, longevity of institutional knowledge
- Professional staff with deep knowledge and experience
PHYSICAL RESOURCE STRENGTHS
- Central Location – ease of access
4- Located in rich cultural/tourist location - Location, the Ward, connects to global collection (immigration/garment district) - Space aligns with intimate personality - Small is scale – large in impact - Underutilized space - Recent building and storage upgrades - Connection to hotel provides opportunity FINANCIAL RESOURCE STRENGTHS - Receive operating support from Municipal, Provincial and Federal sources - Current rent $1/per year, released from property tax payments TMC Weaknesses ORGANIZATIONAL WEAKNESSES - Poor visibility within the broad cultural community - Specialize focus of the Museum may not appeal to broad audience - Need for improved marketing - Need improved connection with Canadian textile community. - Need to engage with contemporary modes of practise more fulsomely - Lack of exposure at the national level - Need to be more visitor-centric - Need for improved way-finding to the Museum and within the Museum - Core programming is expansive, spreading resources too thin - Reactive, not proactive, to partnership opportunities, and have weakly defined outcomes - Competition for space (permanent, temp, contemporary exhibitions and programs) - Lack of Canadian textiles on display - Lack of space for permanent collection display - Lack audience/market intelligence and metrics - Lack of long-range planning impacts all departments - IT and technology infrastructure is aging and lacks system to system communication. HUMAN CAPITAL WEAKNESSES - Lack the funds to increase human resources - Limited staff to undertake increased fund development - Inadequate human resource policies - Inadequate space for staff only space (lunch room / bathroom) - Lack of succession planning (staff/board/volunteers) - Limited internal marketing and PR expertise - Limited technology knowledge - Staff have limited contact with visitors PHYSICAL RESOURCE WEAKNESSES - Physical infrastructure of the Museum is inadequate - Under-utilized space - Poor visibility at the street-level 5
- Shabby look of space limits fund development and earned revenue
- Layout and design of space limits ability to host events
- No loading dock
- Limited space for Human Resource expansion
- Lobby doesn’t provide Museum quality welcome
- Museum store has low profile
FINANCIAL RESOURCE WEAKNESSES
- Operational budget is only S1.5 million
- Endowment is minuscule and provides minimal annual revenue
- One committed benefactor is elderly and annual donations will disappear in coming
years
- Metrics to track earned revenue do not exist
- Short term financial planning
6Vision & Strategy Mission: Why we exist To inspire understanding of human experience through textiles. Vision: The impact we strive to have The Textile Museum of Canada ignites creativity, inspires wonder, and sparks conversation and learning through the stories held within our global collection of textiles, and constant active engagement with contemporary artistic practices. Mandate: What we do The Textile Museum of Canada connects our global collection of historic and ethnographic objects to contemporary creative research and expression, as well as to local, national and international experiences with textiles at their core. As a national charitable non-profit cultural and educational organization, we focus on the exhibition, collection, conservation, and research of textiles, as well as the production of inclusive public programs that foster awareness of the diverse cultural values of textiles and textile practices. Values: Core beliefs that guide our conduct WE ARE - Open and Inclusive - We are responsive to our audience and visitors recognizing that they are at the heart of what we do. - We recognize and celebrate the value of diversity, and embrace constructive inquiry and multiplicity of thought. - We respect the contributions of all individuals and offer an accessible and welcoming environment for visitors, volunteers, members and staff. WE ARE - Innovative and Agile - We nurture artistic creativity and research through a range of media and activities. - We are a strong and reliable partner, and believe in the cultivation of collaborative relationships. - We encourage innovation and make room for risk-taking. WE ARE - Passionate about Excellence - We practice high museological standards. - We continually push boundaries and explore new ground. - We engage community through an accessible and welcoming centre of learning. - We steward our collection, make smart financial decisions and continually invest in our future. 7
Strategic Directions
Priorities for the Museum over the next three years are to continue to promote awareness of
textiles in local and global contexts; acknowledge the personal and social relevance of textile
making in the 21st century; and articulate the importance of textile-based practices in the
world of international art. To accomplish this we are guided by five strategic directions:
1. Increasing our Impact
2. Expanding our Audiences
3. Building a Better Home
4. Growing our Organizational Culture
5. Strengthening our Financial Resilience
Communication and evaluation
The Strategic Directions are intended to be updated annually. This document is meant to be
a living document for board members, staff, volunteers and others, including funders.
Progress of the plan with be monitored through weekly staff meetings, monthly board
meetings, annual performance reviews and regular reporting on metrics. A summarized
version will be communicated to members and stakeholders through Dispatch, the TMC’s
monthly newsletter, shared physically with funders, partners and collaborators, and will be
posted to the Museum’s website.
STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS
1. Increasing our Impact
As the stewards of an important cultural collection, the Museum must amplify the impact of
our permanent collection by creating new models for acquisition, exhibition, and
interpretation. By activating the permanent collection with expanded research
methodologies and interpretive approaches, we will highlight the relevance of textiles by
making connections with issues and events that resonate with today’s audiences.
Through our programming, we will offer a forum for diverse voices while working closely with
contemporary interdisciplinary artists locally, nationally and internationally. Our outreach,
exhibitions and educational programs will engage with local communities as essential to
resource-sharing, collaboration, and audience building.
GOALS
1.1 Amplify the impact of our permanent collection.
1.2 Build meaningful long-term engagement with our audience.
1.3 Create an integrated approach to education allowing museumgoers of all ages to engage
in purposeful learning.
1.4 Engage with new robust digital technologies.
2. Expanding our Audiences
The Museum strives to be a community builder locally, provincially and nationally. We will
ensure there is physical and virtual space to including emerging curatorial collectives,
school projects, accessible activities, and community arts collaborations. Enhanced
outreach and inclusive planning processes will ensure diverse program engagement and
partnerships.
8GOALS
2.1 Expand on existing partnerships and build relationships with new collaborators.
2.2 Strengthen, deepen and maintain relevance of engagement.
2.3 Provide a fun and enjoyable Museum experience to cultivate the next generation of
museumgoers.
2.4 Strengthen the Museum’s brand, communications and marketing.
3. Building a Better Home
We will implement physical and aesthetic improvements to the Museum’s current home to
enhance the visitor experience while increasing visibility. Parallel planning will look at the
long-term feasibility of our facilities, considering both our current location and potential
new locations.
Participatory audience engagement drives our facility’s long-range plan; we will use our
physical space and the virtual world to finding ways to include visitors as active
participants, engaged in conversations with our collection and programming on- and offsite
as well as through our online presence.
GOALS
3.1 “Unhide” the gem: create greater awareness of the Museum as a premium cultural
destination in the city.
3.2 Modernize our physical infrastructure.
3.3 Modernize our technological infrastructure.
4. Growing our Organizational Culture
We will create an exemplary organizational culture to fuel every aspect of our work. The
culture within the Museum will inspire every member of our team to achieve their goals
while fostering innovative approaches that respond to both our mandate and the changing
needs of our constituency.
GOALS
4.1 Attract and retain the highest quality staff.
4.2 Recognize and celebrate volunteer contribution.
4.3 Mentor the next generation of Museum workers.
5. Strengthening our Financial Resilience
To sustain our commitment to excellence, we will dedicate more resources to our annual
operating budget which, at less than $1.4 million in the past fiscal year, is considerably
smaller than the budgets of those museums we consider to be our peers. By increasing
annual giving and private sector support, and by strengthening our endowment while
increasing government funding, we will provide improved resources to care for our
collections, to present innovative exhibitions, and to develop educational programs that will
reach every part of our community. We will reinforce and expand our technology
infrastructure to help foster internal efficiency, enable data-driven decision-making, and
support our efforts to reach a broad range of fully engaged audiences near and far.
9GOALS
5.1 Create a culture of philanthropy with active board, volunteer and staff participation.
5.2 Grow and diversify financial resources.
5.3 Focus the board on long-term strategy, fund development, executive oversight and
fiduciary responsibilities.
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