ON THE
ON THE RISE
RISE
NETWORK FOR CULTURE
& ARTS POLICY
APRIL 8, 2022
Network for Culture & Arts Policy
567 6th Avenue, Garden Level
Brooklyn, NY 11215
www.ncapculture.org
Lilia Gonzales Chavez
Fresno Arts Council
1245 Van Ness Ave.
Fresno, CA 93721
Dear Lilia and the Fresno Arts Council,
There are points in history when everything seems in flux, when the world suddenly feels otherworldly.
This has been one of those periods. The last few years could be described as a periodically strange, polarizing and literally plague-ridden test of our health and sanity as a society. It also has been a time of reevaluation and reimagination, when the rules are not just being broken but questioned fundamentally. Injustice is challenged on every corner. Creativity exists on multiple platforms. Our diverse populations are saying, ‘Give me what’s honest and worthwhile, because I can no longer stand nonsense or noise.’
This is where arts and culture take root and branch in manifold, unexpected ways. Quarantined to varying degrees for nearly two years, the arts are beginning to fill our calendars again. We want to appreciate the complex lives that we’ve been forced to shelter or silence; nothing gives form and expression to this need like the energy and exchange of our shared culture.
Without entities like the Fresno Arts Council, however, the capacity of arts and culture to invigorate communities can be left stunted and malnourished. The City of Fresno’s use of the Measure P initiative to pursue credible research to produce and implement a cultural arts plan promises to infuse the City of Fresno with a significant social, economic and cultural investment that is given vitality in large part by the artists and locals who call Fresno home.
NCAP is appreciative of your willingness to consider our proposal for how we can help you achieve your goal of collecting essential data, gathering input from community voices, and composing an actionable cultural arts plan. We are a dedicated research and consulting firm combining years of collective experience in the areas of quantitative and qualitative research, planning, communications, and implementation. With company members located across the U.S., we have an extensive awareness of national best practices and trends, yet pride ourselves on being a tight-knit team that dives deep and works closely with our client partners. Our adherence to methodological rigor and synthesizing cross-disciplinary expertise will be in full service to your aims of developing a cultural arts plan that brings together residents, visitors and creative practitioners to strengthen the rich community fabric of Fresno now and as it rises into the future.
We look forward to your thoughts on our proposal. Thanks very much for your consideration.
Sincerely,
The NCAP Team
3 5
I. Introduction
a. About NCAP
b. Experience
c. Context
d. Why NCAP Now?
II. Services and Timeline
III. Budget
IV. Our Team
V. Past Work
a. Past Projects
b. References
table of
contents
introduction
8 9
about NCAP
NCAP supports organizations and individuals
that advance cultural and social initiatives,
programs and enterprises through mixed
methods research, strategic planning and
implementation services.
We are cultural enthusiasts and data scientists.
Our team takes pride in utilizing best practice
approaches to research and analysis in order to
deliver valuable findings that demonstrate how
the social, cultural and economic forces of the
arts help shape the people and places of our
interwoven lives.
We value…
• Methodological rigor and intellectual
honesty
• Utilization of credible cultural and
sociological research data
• Effective strategies to illuminate paths for
providing diverse populations equal access
to essential cultural, economic and social
resources
• Challenging norms in order to discover
new, useful solutions for issues facing
communities of all diverse varieties and
sizes
experience
What work experience sets NCAP apart?
NCAP supports institutions, foundations
and collectives established to serve cultural
practitioners who live and work to enrich their
communities. Over the past several years,
NCAP has collaborated with organizations
navigating a rapidly evolving cultural landscape
while, recently, charting a new path forward
in the wake of a global pandemic. We have
offered quantitative and qualitative data
collection and analysis services time and
time again. We have aided organizations to
arrive at effective ways to honor social justice
movements and acknowledge the systemic
inequities confronting Black, Indigenous,
People of Color (BIPOC) and marginalized
communities. We have consulted on best
practice communications strategy. We have
assisted with bringing urban arts programs
to fruition. We have, in short, strived to be
there for those active in a burgeoning arts
and culture sector that expands our notions of
what it means to be fearlessly alive as part of
a sometimes tumultuous, always protean 21st
Century experience.
What makes us unique is that we are present
at every point of a cultural organization’s
progress through the continuous cycle of
learning, planning, and doing. Or, in other
words, NCAP provides Core Research,
Strategic Planning and Implementation
services to ensure both the historic foundation
and newly launched neighborhood program
alike possess what they require to succeed.
This means that we deliver the data and
analysis needed for our clients to productively
plan a course toward achieving their objectives
in practice. It is difficult enough to run a gallery
or choreograph a dance set for audiences out
there in the dark; NCAP empowers your
constituents and you to worry about the work
of art while we focus on providing the
information and tools you need to keep the
stage lights on and audiences wanting more.
In collabor
ation with like-minded individuals
of various backgrounds and interests, NCAP
focuses its current cross-disciplinary skills
and energies on exploring how our partners
can harness the catalytic power of arts and
culture to celebrate diversity, access untapped
opportunity, and strengthen communities
across multiple platforms. Now, we look to lend
a hand to advance your efforts.
10 11
context
Funds from the Measure P initiative have
opened a unique opportunity for the City
of Fresno and the Fresno Arts Council to
develop a cultural arts plan that focuses on
the arts and cultural wealth potential of the
city. Furthermore, as we enter into a new
phase of the global pandemic, there is an
opportunity to plan for the cultural landscape
of the future -- one that has been disrupted
by new practices, dynamics and principles
touching on every aspect of life, from health
to criminal justice. Steered by research and
bolstered by community input, a Fresno
cultural arts plan can help answer the call for
more cultural togetherness already growing
in neighborhoods through programs like the
ArtHop, or recent events featuring Fresno’s
Poet Laureate. We will look to design a plan
that reflects the cultural, demographic, and
geographic diversity of Fresno by creating
opportunities that organically bring artists,
entrepreneurs, residents, and visitors
together to celebrate community and culture.
This work is at the heart of what drives
NCAP and the enterprise to which we
enthusiastically commit our time and energy.
why NCAP now?
NCAP will support the Fresno Arts Council by
executing a phased approach to providing core
research, planning and implementation
services. The systematic research and
consultation program outlined in this proposal
is designed to produce a set of essential data-
driven findings to act as the foundation for
ultimate delivery and implementation of a
Fresno Arts Council and City of Fresno cultural
arts plan.
Our ability to address the specifi
c needs of our
client partners draws from multidisciplinary
expertise in mixed methods data
collection and analysis, strategic planning,
project management, and professional
communications. We plan to bring this range
of knowledge and breadth of skills to optimally
address the needs and requirements of the
Fresno Arts Council, an organization charged
with fostering local arts and culture not just
to further its mission, but also as a duty it
holds as an imperative to enrich and recognize
the citizens of its beloved community. By
partnering with NCAP and investing in our
rigorous methodology, the Fresno Arts Council
will benefi
t from our use of industry-standard
analytical tools, years of training, and passion
backed by education to equip organizations
with the means they rely on to substantively
enrich their cultural ecosystem. We understand
that for a cultural organization to be strategic
and plan intelligently for its future, they must
be attentive and informed at all points in the
process. This is what we do: we research,
strategize and apply -- and we will do so for
the Fresno Arts Council if given the
opportunity.
services and
timeline
14 15
for context relevant to Fresno’s current and
prospective cultural conditions). Data so urces
will include both governmental (federal, state,
county, and municipal) and private (non- profit
research and advocacy organizations)
databases. We collec
t findings and diver se
perspectives and process and thematize
these findings in such a way as to inform
areas of inquiry during subsequent phases in
the research and planning process. This step
i
s essential for both establishing a
fundamental understanding of Fresno’s
cultural landscape
and orienting researc h and
planning efforts for the project going forward.
Kickoff Planning, Discu ssion and Facilitati on:
Based on confirmed re search plan
expectations, NCAP of ficially launches
the project with identified stakeholders by
f
acilitating an in-person (barring COVID
restrictions
) kickoff discussion with Fresno
Arts Council stakeholders. This convening will
provide a detailed breakdown of project
objectives, research agenda and detailed
schedule for upcoming check-ins and
deliverable benchmark dates.
R
esearch Work Plan : Based on preceding
foundational research, plan comparison sca n,
and opening session discussions, NCAP will
produce and deliver to stakeholders the
Research Work Plan. This Plan establishes
benchmarks, data
collection methodologies ,
and informational sources as outlined in
accordance with a detailed timeline.
Specifically, the document will concretely
i
dentify the types of informational data sets
timeline
Core Research
May - November 2022
Ongoing
Check-in Meetings and Progress Updates:
Includes weekly 30-m inute check-ins o ver
the entire course of the project agree ment
between the project managers for NCA P and
Fresno Arts Council . Attendees at th ese
sessions should be the main points of contact
for the Fresno Arts Council and NCAP pr oject
team members. Subje ct matter experts
[SMEs] may be inc luded in meetings as
needed.
May - August ‘22
Foundational Research and Cultural Plan
Comparison Scan: An initial review of
relevant documentat ion and data that co uld
include, but is not necessarily limited to :
Measure P initiative and associated
documents; Fresno Pa rks Master Plan; p ast
municipal and coun ty strategic plans;
previous Fresno Ar ts Council research
reports; notes and agendas from relevant
past Fresno Arts Co uncil meetings; media
and literature on t he cultural & artis tic history
of Fresno; history of arts funding in Fresno
(i.e., Where does f unding primarily come
from? How have funds historically bee n
allocated?); compar ative analysis of F resno’s
arts and culture ec osystem and plannin g
potential in relatio n to other peer citi es and
national statistics (e.g., reviewin g cultural
plans, arts studies, and demographic d ata
to be collected alo ng with the analytica l steps
and tools our team in tends to utilize for
achieving successful project outcom es. The
document will serve a s a reliable guide t hat
both NCAP and the F resno Arts Counc il can
utilize as a groundin g touchstone throughou t
the project and as a reference for futur e
research and planning efforts. This will
include 2 rounds of r eview and feedbac k from
client stakeholder s.
Communications Strategy and Plan: To
maximize engagement w ith the project,
NCAP will develop a communications
and engagement plan to both introduce
the project to the F resno community,
generate interest in the project, a nd call for
community involvemen t. This plan will ou tline
multichannel commun ications strategi es and
tactics designed t o gather widespread
community participation in the data colle ction
activities (e.g., sco re-based surveys a nd
in-depth interviews ) utilizing the Fresno
Arts Council’s curre nt channels (e.g., mailers,
newsletters, social media, etc.) in addition to
determining other avenues for reachin g
community members across differing soc ial,
economic, racial, an d cultural demog raphics.
September - October ‘22
Collection of Community & Stakeholder Input:
NCAP proposes to ens ure citizen
involvement through three distinct aven ues
of input collection : a community onli ne
survey, two on-site public meetings, and in-
depth interviews with key stakeholders in
Fresno’s artistic Cult ural Ecosystem.
A. Interview with key community
stakeholders
NCAP will work with Fresno Arts Council to
develop a list of 10-15 individuals for in-
depth qualitative interviews that serve as a
representative cross- section of community
members and artists + cultural practitioners in
the city. We will al so engage Elliott Balch,
Chief Operations Off icer at the Central Valley
Community Foundation for this purpose. Our
list of interviewees would include
stakeholders such a s Mas Masumoto (farm er,
author, and NEA board member), Vivian
Velasco Paz (Arte Am éricas board chair) and
Jolene Telles (arts pa tron and booster).
NCAP will interview and collect insights from
these individuals based on pre-developed
questionnaires
informed by our foundation al
research. Analysis of interview responses will
i
nclude coding and theming to distill key
takeaways.
Interviewees will remain
anonymous in
order to encourage uninhibited
and honest responses. The questionnaires
will inquire on
topics related to, but not
necessarily limited
to, the following areas:
• Fresno’s most cherished and important
arts and culture assets
• The perennial challenges facing arts and
culture in Fresno
• The differences
between institutionally
sanctioned and non-institutionally
s
anctioned cultural production
16 17
• Environmental concerns and cultural
production (e.g., pollution, wildfires,
summer temperatures)
• Personal experiences of COVID-19 as an
audience member and/or artist
• Most memorable and most disappointing
recent cultural programs and events in
Fresno
• How does Fresno relate to other
population centers of the San Joaquin
Valley? How might these cities better
complement and support each other?
• Expectations for future engagement
with cultural programming and/or artists
enterprises
• What type of cultural assets would you
like to see more of?
• Are arts and cultural opportunities
accessible and affordable?
• What do you think would most
significantly benefit Fresno’s cultural
ecosystem? Do you have examples of how
these benefits have manifested in other
places?
B. Community online survey
NCAP will develop and deploy an online
surve
y in both English and Spanish to collect
and analyze a combination of score-based
and short answer re
sponses from city
residents about their engagement with arts
and culture. The survey will include 10 - 15
questions (10 - 15 minutes to respond), which
would be informed by our conversations with
Fresno artistic and cultural stakeholders. We
anticipate our survey to ask about topics such
as:
• Cultural offerings t hey have engaged with
recently
•
Factors that play i nto their decision
to engage with arts and culture, such
as available offerings, costs, distance,
f
requency, etc.
• Unique cultural assets of Fresno
• Expectations and preferences over the
City’s involvement i
n arts and culture
• How COVID-19 has chan ged their
interaction with artistic and cultural
activities
At the end of the sur
vey we will ask
respondents a series of demographic
questions that will allow us to appropriately
weight responses so they are representative
of the city’s social make-up. These questions
will include gender, age, race/ethnicity and zip
code of residence.
We will utilize Survey Monkey to build and
deploy the survey and leverage the Fresno
Arts Council’s existing communication
channels, including social media and listservs.
We will also coordinate with the Fresno Arts
Council to engage cultural institutions that
may be open to aid in the deployment of the
survey. Finally, we expect to leverage the “Yes
on P” campaign infrastructure, which will help
to maintain some com munications channels
with Fresno’s public.
C. Community meetings
In coordination with Fresno Arts Council,
NCAP will
help facilitate two in-person
(barring
COVID restrictions) community
meetings to ga
rner input from the public on
Fresno’s next cultural arts plan.
Because our online survey will likely leave
out many communities with limited internet
access
, we propose to conduct these public
mee
tings in zip codes more likel y to be
underrepresented in our survey sample. These
zip codes might include those with the lowest
household income and
/or rates of internet
subscription. We will work with the Fresno
A
rts Council to define those locations.
The primary goals of these meetings are both
(a) to inform the public of the project, the
project’s structure, and what the project aims
to accomplish and (b) to motivate involvement
and collect underrepresented perspectives
f
rom community members.
The community meetings will inform the
at
tendees of the project’s key stakeholders
and goals as well as this unique opportunity
f
or community members to assist in
developing Fresno’s cultural arts plan. NCAP
will also pres
ent, in brief, our approach to
collecting and utilizing data so as to illustrate
tr
ansparency and reaffirm our responsibility to
both individual commun ity members and the
ultimate goals of t he project.
Community meetings will include vari ous
opportunities to add ress questions an d
concerns from commun ity members
and collect data on individuals’ art s and
culture experiences in Fresno—possibly
including a Q&A peri od, breakout group s
with conversation pr ompts and discussio n
exercises and worksheets, and anonymo us
comment collection.
November ‘22
Recommendations and Stakeholder
Presentation: Following the conclusion of the
core research activit ies outlined above , NCAP
will develop a sli dedeck presentation
delivered in-perso n (barring COVID
restrictions) to F resno Arts Counc il and City of
Fresno stakeholders for input and dis cussion
on ways to utilize the provided finding s as a
basis for serving t he greater Fresno cu ltural
ecosystem in the devel opment of a cult ural
arts plan. The presen tation will incl ude:
• Foundational Research learnings
• Cultural Plan Comparison Scan results
matrix with contextual information
provided for each reviewed plan
• Quantitative findings and conclusions
taken from score-based surveys
• Key points and themes taken from
qualitative interviews
18 19
• Background, including the Measure P
initiative
• Contextual statistics of Fresno informing
the plan
Development
December - March 2023
December - March ‘23
Cultural Arts Plan Development: Utilizing the
core research and feedback from
the Stakeholder prese ntation, NCAP will
work closely with Fr esno Arts Council to
produce a cultural arts plan for preserv ing
and enhancing the cultural assets and
programming across Fresno neighborhoo ds.
This plan will hone in on how to bolste r
and advance the w ider local cultural
ecosystem as well a s provide insight s into
connecting cultural goals with broader s ocial
advancement and e conomic goals. More
particularly, the p lan will identify how the
Fresno Arts Council can a). advance th e City
of Fresno and collab orate with local
government leaders to best shape cultural
policy and initiativ es as well as b). bolster and
celebrate the diverse array of present and
future local cultur al assets.
We anticipate that the developed pl an will
include information on:
• Demographics
• Economic indicators
• Previously collected arts and culture
participation statistics
• Description of the research and
development process for the plan itself
Findings:
• Current cultural a nd artistic practices and
preferences
•
Most valued cultural assets in Fresno
•
Desires and needs of the community
around arts and culture
• Implementation p lan
•
Goals and objective s
• Governance of funds utilization
•
Programming priorit ies
• Policy changes
Additional Possible Services
Available Upon Request
Plan Implementation Project Management
Once the cultural arts plan has been
developed and approved, our team provides
initial project manag ement services in the
form of coordination and management of plan
implementation. We can also assist with the
setup and execution of integrated
communications strat egy and tactics. This
service is especially useful as a way to kick
start setup of the op erational and
communication mechanisms necessary to
achieve successful cultural plan execution.
Specifically, NCAP will devote a dedicated
p
roject manager to aid your plan
implementation efforts for up to 10 hours per
week for 12 weeks or until you are
adequately
resourced to take over the
enterprise without further assistance.
Cultural Asset Map Development
Relying first on the core research findi ngs,
NCAP will develop a map of Fresno indicating
known local cultural assets
(e.g., organizations, institutions, galleries,
documented collectives, etc.). This princ
ipal
map will be accompanied by a series of
additional maps of F
resno that document
a range of relevant social, economic,
and societal data (e.g., demographics,
socioeconomic status, transportation access)
as means to compare against the prevalence
(or lack of) cultural assets across the city
region. The discovered patterns resulting
from inquiry into how the interrelated data
inter
sects and, at times, defies e
xpectations
will help to identify the specific opportunities
and challenges facing Fre
sno’s cultural
ecosystem. The data will be sourced fro
m
available national gov
ernment repositories
(e.g., BL
S, Census Bureau). In addition,
we can create a supplemental map lay
er
that specifically focuses on BIPOC-led and
centered cultural asse
ts, which will prove
useful in the Fresno Art Council’s ongoing
pur
suit of establishing more diverse, equitable
and inclusive progr
amming and resources.
Such information will yield valuable insights
as the Fresno Arts Council plots out strategic
planning objectives and refines targeted
communications and outre
ach goals for the
next sev
eral years.
Note: this would be geared to create static maps for
refere
nce and planning purposes only. If the Fresno
Arts Council would be interested in developing an
interactive online version of the map for the public
to use and explore, NCAP would be happy to scope
out additional service as well.
budget
22 23
cost breakdown
• Core Research: $56,000
Includes ongoing services, foundational
research, kickoff meeting, research work
plan, communications plan, and collection
of community & stakeholder input.
• Development: $15,000
Distillation of collected data to develop
cultural arts plan. This will include 2
rounds of review and feedback from client
stakeholders.
Total NCAP Service Costs $71,000
• Community Meeting Materials: $400
Accounts for any print handouts and/or
materials for community meeting
engagements.
• Research Software Tool Access: $1,200
Access to survey tool access as well as
national and state statistical databases and
quantitative and qualitative analysis
software.
• Travel and Lodging: $7400
Addresses NCAP team member travel and
lodging needs to provide onsite kickoff, two
(2) community meetings
and stakeholder
presentation.
Additional Business Costs $9,000
GRAND TOTAL $80,000
Payment Plan
Fresno Arts Council will pay NCAP in four (4)
$20,000 installments over the course of the
agreement period. This will best equip NCAP
with sufficient and ideal funds to address initial
project startup costs. Payment due dates:
• May 15, 2022
• August 15, 2022
• December 15, 2022
• March 31, 2023
Additional Possible Services
• Cultural Plan Document Design: $7500
Design of cultural plan sent as a digital
file. (printing would have a separate cost).
• Plan Implementation Project
Management: $12,000
Addresses project management
assistance to help implement the cultural
plan for up to 10 hours per week for up to
12 weeks.
• Cultural Asset Map Development: $6,000
Creation of static maps distilling relevant
layers of data that collectively detail and
showcase Fresno's cultural assets.
our team
Theresa has more than a decade of experience
in communications and marketing, media
relations, crisis and reputation management,
and donor outreach, in higher education,
healthcare, and arts and culture. Theresa has
developed and implemented communications
strategies for a variety of clients, resulting in
successful and targeted community outreach
and engagement, as well as high-profile media
placements. Some of her past projects include
helping with the facilitation and communications
efforts that grounded the 2012 Presidential
Debate in Denver; developing a multichannel
campaign for the Denver Advantage Exhibit
at the University of Denver; and assisting with
the execution of Fundraising Dinners featuring
President George Bush, Vice President Joe
Biden, and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Theresa holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism
and a Master of Arts in Public Relations and
Marketing from the University of Denver.
Theresa Ahrens
26 27
Senior Communications Strategiest
Over the course of his academic and
professional career, Tony has investigated
ideas emerging at the intersection of cultural
exchange, economic development, and social
engagement. He has served in roles that
address challenges ranging from overseeing
marketing and communications teams to co-
founding a web platform for interdisciplinary
artists, to undertaking market research
spanning a range of international markets for
major tech companies, to examining cultural
vitality indices and creative placemaking
initiatives across municipalities of varying
size and demographic complexity. In recent
years, Tony coordinated and contributed
original mixed methods research to NCAP’s
comprehensive study commissioned by the
Stage Directors and Choreographers Society
(SDC) and sponsored by the New York City
Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment
that examined the challenges facing theatre
directors and choreographers prior to and
during the COVID-19 pandemic. While
serving in a senior project manager capacity
for several U.S. universities beginning in
2009, including the University of Chicago and
the University of Denver, he oversaw teams
charged with completing over 100 multichannel
marketing and communications projects per
year. His accomplishments include providing
key support and data management to the
100Kin10 STEM education research project
operated through the University of Chicago and
funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New
York; executing the creation of an interactive
exhibition documenting University of Denver’s
multimillion-dollar capital projects; and
overseeing a comprehensive digital campaign
designed to target influential academic
influencers in order to raise an institution’s U.S.
News and World Report rankings, which proved
successful after a single annual cycle.
Fully invested in the strategic planning,
historical research, project management, and
communications efforts helping to propel
NCAP forward, Tony remains committed to the
study and advancement of social-minded and
culturally innovative enterprises.
Tony holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from
Indiana University as well as a Master of Arts
from the University of Chicago focused on
humanities studies and cultural policy.
Tony Cleasby
Senior Consultant & Research Coordinator
Jorge is focused on issues at the intersection of
cultural policy and urban planning, particularly
how the arts in the public space foster social
capital and creativity. As a project coordinator
at the Mexican Federal Government, Jorge
oversaw projects to transform unused State-
owned real estate into socially driven projects
that incorporate the power of the arts into their
design and vocation. In addition to his work
in the public sector, Jorge is experienced in
strategy consulting after working for Bain & Co.
and MultiLatin Advisors in Mexico City.
Coming from an academic and professional
background steeped in an adherence to
rigorous research methodology, Jorge is a firm
believer and practitioner of evidence-based
policymaking and analysis. He is trained in data
collection methods, statistical analysis and
project management.
Jorge holds a Bachelor of Arts in International
Relations from the Instituto Tecnologico
Autonomo de Mexico and a Master of Public
Policy from the University of Chicago.
Jorge González
Hermoso
28 Jeffrey has consistently been interested in
the efficacy of American arts and culture
institutions to identify and meet the needs of
artists and cultural practitioners. This interest
was born while performing in the music scenes
of Austin, Texas, and developed while holding
positions as an art gallery manager, museum
development coordinator, program coordinator
for a community arts organization, and arts
& culture researcher. He regularly contributes
articles to the Gotham Center for New York City
History and teaches courses in LGBTQ history
and political theory at the Brooklyn Institute for
Social Research. His most recent publication is
a chapter in Intimate States: Gender, Sexuality,
and Governance in Modern U.S. History (The
University of Chicago Press, 2021).
With an in-depth knowledge of cultural history
and economic and policy theory, Jeff has
applied his analytical acumen over the course of
extensive experience in nonprofit development,
administration, and program curation.
Jeffrey received his Bachelor of Arts from St.
John’s College (MD), studied statistics and
economics at the London School of Economics,
and earned a Master of Arts from the University
of Chicago in cultural policy and political
philosophy. In addition to his work with NCAP,
Jeffrey is pursuing a PhD in political philosophy
from Tulane University.
Jeffrey Patrick
Colgan
Cross-Sector Research & Qualitative Data Lead Research Study Design & Data Analysis Lead
INDIANA UNIVERSITY
-2005-
BachelorofArts(B.A)- English
Senior Project Manager + Consultant
OBJECTIVE SKILLS + FOCUS AREAS
EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
-2020-
MastersofArtsintheHumanities (M.A.) -
CulturalPolicy
Applyexpertiseandknowledge gained
over10+yearsofprofessional
experiencetosocial-minded, cultural,
andcreativeserviceorganizations.
I look to work with thoughtful and
informed people who care about what
they do and how they do it. Don't you?
Denver, CO
CONTACT
267.978.9079
[email protected]
linkedin.com/in/tonycleasby
RESEARCH
• Quantitative
• Qua/g59itiative
• /gB/g5D/g59/g59e/g44ti/g5Dn /gE3 /g1na/g59/g74/g69i/g69 • /g14a/g44i/g59itati/g5Dn
• /g15/g68/g5Du/g65 /g44/g5D/g5D/g68/g46inati/g5Dn
• /g2De/g65/g5D/g68tin/g4E
CONSULTING
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COMMUNICATIONS
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PROJECT
MANAGEMENT
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T O N Y C L E A S B Y
Senior Project Manager + Consultant
T O N Y C L E A S B Y
WORK EXPERIENCE
2016 PRESENT
Principal Consultant
Network for Culture & Arts Policy
Coordinate quantitative and qualitative research team efforts to conduct needs assessment and program evaluation for social-minded organizations; Serve as primary point of contact to client counterparts and stakeholders for cross-disciplinary research projects;
Compile final reports for clients based on findings from analysis of organizational membership profiles, target audiences, event design, and partnership models.
Noteworthy Success: Completed 2-year research project funded by the New York City /g1Fayor/gB3s /g22ffice evaluating the state of theatre directors and choreographers. 201/g85 2020
Senior Project Manager
University of Denver
Developed division workflow and project management system for internal creative agency delivering marketing and communications services to University clients; Oversaw operational implementation, staff training and organizational customization of Asana and Workfront project tracking and management software; Supervised team of account and project managers to complete over /g80/g7F/g7F multichannel digital and print campaigns and initiatives annually.
Noteworthy Success: Acted as lead creative project manager for a multi-million dollar Campus /g14ramework /g2Alan engaging city planners, media, and local communities.
Project Manager
University of C/g4Fica/g4Eo
Facilitated and executed the development of communication materials and strategies for University of Chicago departments and partners; Conducted business capabilities assessments to determine ways of improving operations and identify new revenue opportunities.
Noteworthy Success: Coordinated client relations and Salesforce data management efforts for 100Kin10, a major educational initiative funded by the Carnegie Corporation.. 200/g87 2012
Marketing and Communications Coordinator
Portland State University
Founded and supervised a full-service design and communications team specializing in the production of print, photography, video, and web-based products; Prepared and oversaw marketing and communications campaigns for Portland State University departments and retail operations;
Noteworthy Success: /g1Fanaged a /g30niversity-sponsored community event complete with multichannel marketing to connect neighborhoods and local vendors.
Pl
an, Lead,
Repeat
DU required that I undertake
multi-year department planning
and strategy implementation as
part of the core leadership team.
A
mbition Meets
A/g44t/g6Calit/g74
Started a new creative services
team at PSU. Tested by start-up
challenges, I learned how to run
an operation from soup to nuts.
Bringing It All
Together
NCAP draws on all my
acquired leadership and P/g1F
skills combined with a data-
driven research and
consulting practice.
Navigating with
Care
University of Chicago taught
me how to engage a variety of
high-profile clients and
partners.
2016201/g81
past work
Client: Stage Directors and Choreographers
Society (SDC)
Scope of Work: Needs and Opportunities
Assessment
The experiences of American stage directors
and choreographers resemble those of other
American cultural sectors: no clear path for
career entry or advancement, the uncertainty
of consistent employment, barriers of
access to health insurance, intractable debt
obligations, and an all-too-often trade-off
between artistic development and financial
gain. The difficulties of this career path have
been magnified across lines of race/ethnicity,
gender, and geographical location—creating a
field with no one characteristic experience but
rather myriad divergent experiences.
Exploring these experiences in greater detail
required research that aimed to honestly and
directly, and with scientific rigor, explore their
impact, meaning and significance.
The Next Stage Project was created by
the Stage Director and Choreographers
Society (SDC) and Stage Directors and
Choreographers Foundation (SDCF) to
investigate, articulate and enhance the lives
of directors and choreographers. For the
Project’s two phases, NCAP worked with SDC
to survey the union’s membership and learn
how they sustain themselves both artistically
and financially.
Plan:
• Phase I sought to understand the
backgrounds and experiences of SDC
members, focusing specifically on
education, personal finances, career
experience, use of formal and informal
professional supports, and general
demographic data.
• Phase II was developed in response to
both the COVID-19 pandemic and the
recent activism around racial injustice. This
second phase sought to assess the extent
of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
on the health, finances and livelihoods
more generally of SDC’s membership as
well as identify areas of challenge and
opportunity regarding racial justice in the
field.
• The final, published report was featured in
national media outlets, social media and
the Next Stage podcast.
For more project details: ncapculture.org/
nextstage
SDC
Client: Dickerson Global Advisors and Navy
PIer, Inc.
Scope of Work: Program Evaluation and
Planning Development
Chicago’s Navy Pier undertook a series of
redevelopment efforts to transform itself
into a 21st-century public space that better
connected with Chicago’s rich patchwork of
diverse communities and audiences — many
of which have perceived the Pier in the past
as mainly a ‘tourist destination’. Committing to
a fresh approach, Navy Pier created an Arts
& Discovery pilot program suite composed of
several new artistic, cultural, educational, and
entertainment offerings designed to attract
both long-time locals and out-of-towners
searching for an eclectic and authentic
Chicago experience.
As part of a comprehensive consulting and
research project overseen by Dickerson
Global Advisors, NCAP was hired to evaluate
a selection of the Arts & Discovery pilot
programs, examining their execution and
impact in relation to the goals established by
Navy Pier’s centennial vision. NCAP evaluated
three such programs that took place on the
Pier.
Plan:
• To gather guest feedback, NCAP
surveyed and interviewed program
guests concerning five areas of interest:
(1) perception of Navy Pier, (2) engaged
activities during visit, (3) quality of
program experience, (4) educational
opportunities, and (5) impact of
program. Supplementing the guest data,
ethnographic event observations were
consistently recorded and analyzed to
assist in identifying key programmatic
ideas and recurring themes.
• Our research team also used surveys and
in-depth interviews to collect feedback
from Navy Pier staff and leadership, as
well as from the artists and organizations
that partnered with Navy Pier to execute
the program events. The surveys and
interviews addressed five areas: (1)
meaning of partnership, (2) program
planning, (3) event execution, (4) program
success, and (5) quality of partnership.
For more project details: ncapculture.org/
navypier
navy pier, inc.
Laura Penn
Executive Director
Stage Directors and Choreographers Society
[email protected]
646.524.2233
Erin Dietrich
Director of Alumni Engagement
University of Denver, College of Arts,
Humanities & Social Sciences
[email protected]
303.913.4964
Elliott Balch
COO
Central Valley Community Foundation
[email protected]
559-825-6192
references
NETWORK FOR CULTURE
& ARTS POLICY