2 Values
Values/Vision
I was at the Tarragon Theatre as their General Manager when we embarked on our journey as an organization with Creative Trust. And the central premise around Creative Trust’s early work with an organization was to say, “as an organization you know how to make good art, and by putting that process as a priority at the centre of the organization, it then contributes to a more robust and relevant and a more resilient organization throughout”. That was an aha moment for me as a young leader, and also something that I really try and hold. And it gets harder to hold that the further from the art you get…that idea that we put the thing we know about building art at the centre of the conversation, for the art to lead all of the impetus and initiatives, it was a pretty profound moment. – Camilla Holland, Executive Director, RMTC, Winnipeg, MB
There are two aspects of the discussion of values and vision. One is the organizational and the other the individual. In an ideal world the two align as artists choose to work with companies that fit their values.
An Organizational Perspective
All non-profits (which includes the majority of theatre companies, see the next chapter for details) must have a mandate when they incorporate (formally register). This legal mandate outlines what the entity has been set-up to do. Companies will also usually craft a mission statement, a vision of the future they wish to create, and most recently many now articulate a list of values or a value statement. These can usually be found on their websites, sometimes on the Home page or in the About Us section. Reading them is a good exercise to understand what a company is committed to undertaking and to see if it aligns with the reality of the work they are doing.
Activity: Go to the website of your favourite theatre company and see if you can find their mandate, mission, vision and/or values. Do they have all of these? Were they hard to find? Are they clear and strong? Do the statements excite you? Does what they outline match your experience of what that theatre company is doing right now?
A Mission Statement is the reason an organization exists. What is their purpose? Those leading the company, from the Board to the staff, should all be aware of the mission and should be using it to guide decision-making, including programming and strategic planning. A good mission statement is in present tense and should reflect what is happening now. It should also outline the how in terms of how you will serve the community and specifically who it is you are serving. It should define the organization for those involved but also for the general public. It should express what the organization is passionate about.
A good statement is easy to understand, tangible and simple. It should be brief enough that everyone working there and the Board can memorize it. Does it tell people who they are and what kind of work they will produce? And once they’ve put it out there, they have to live by it.
In a given region, it should also be unique. When you turn to the idea of starting your own company it is useful to look around and see if someone is already working on the mission you have in mind. Why not work with them?
A Vision Statement is about the future! Where are you heading and what will the world look like when you get there? Basically, what is the result if you achieve your mission. It should be brief and something you can realistically demonstrate progress on within a decade.
A vision statement tells you where you are going. It paints a compelling work of a desired future state. It can make anyone who reads it, hears it or lives it want to support, work for, give to, or in some other way be part of your organization.
– White paper on Visioning for the Centre for Strategic Planning by Christina Drouin
Values have always been part of the theatre reality, but clearer statements and stances on things such as equity practices have been demanded with the reckoning after George Floyd and the need for commitments towards reconciliation. This work was long overdue. Many companies now list their values and also have a statement of specific commitments towards anti-racism or accessibility. One example is Prairie Theatre Exchange: Anti-Racism Commitments.
Ideally the outlined values guide the company’s behaviour and interactions. Again, they should result in tangible action, otherwise they can come across as a way to appear progressive without actually making any change. Companies who go through a holistic and consultative process to develop values and statements are likely also using it as an opportunity to shift the institutional culture, but must continue to return to the values to assess if they are being lived fully. Most experts recommend focusing on four or five core values that you can fully stand behind and activate rather than a long list of generic aspirations.
To earn a living doing what you love to do is a great privilege, and you must never lose sight of that fact.
The world needs more theater companies that are not obsessed with growth and expansion but are instead more interested in society and in helping us all figure out what it means to be human.
…leave the community a better place than it was before you arrived.
–How to Start Your Own Theater Company by Reginald Nelson (p. 169)
An example of a full set of statements is Nakai Theatre in Whitehorse:
These values guide our actions and behaviours:
- We work with curiosity, generosity and candour with collaborators and partners.
- We are locally focused and globally aware
- We foster a community-based, professional theatre practice
- We are expert at connecting art, artists, and audiences
- We foster excellence in theatrical storytelling and performance
- We encourage and facilitate public engagement through theatre
To contribute to the healthy, sustainable development of a thriving Yukon Territory, where Indigenous peoples, settlers, and newcomers share the land, interpret our connections to the landscapes, and share our knowledge and experiences through theatre with each other and with the world.
To be an artistic catalyst and convener that helps chart a course for the development and production of theatre that can only be created in the Yukon.
Nakai is a professional theatre producer and presenter that supports theatre practice in the Yukon through exchange, training, and development.
Strategic Plan and Research
In the spring of 2018 Nakai board and staff partnered Inga Petri of Strategic Moves to complete a review of our context and articulate a new strategic plan for the years to come. In the interest of sharing and transparency, we’re happy to release public versions of the documents.
Individual Values
“So every show is a challenge to myself, even in the way I approach it – even if it’s the last thing in the world I want to do, I’m forced to change. What I am going for with every show is to get in the way of the audience’s self-complacency, or to put a little piece of gravel in to their brains that irritates them…”
– Theatre of the Unimpressed by Jordan Tannahill (p. 19)
Now you need to ask yourself what are your core values as an artist and human? What kind of artist do you want to be? What are your non-negotiables? In an industry that has to be fueled by passion and that requires so much of us, make sure you are aligning your personal values and vision of the world with the work you are doing and the companies you work with. By doing so you can also preempt conflict by understanding why other people and companies work differently than you might, it is often due to different priorities.
…be clear about your own values as well. Maybe that’s a really good thing for people to define. I used to do an exercise with my young artists asking them to write a manifesto. You know, who am I as this person moving out into the business and, and what can I give? What can I offer? What do I want? But, you know, I find students come out saying, what do I want? What do I want, what do I want. But, what can I give? I think is a wonderful way to open up relationships. – Diane Roberts, Director/ Dramaturge, Montreal, QC
Activity: Write out your values. What theatre companies share these values?
Based on what you hold dear, what would your mission statement be as an artist? What do you hope to accomplish with your work? Knowing this can really help as you move forward with career planning and setting goals for yourself. Are you wanting to create work that will allow young people to feel heard and understood? Is your artistic goal to use theatre as a tool for newcomer communities to share their stories? Or perhaps your mission is a bit more focused on what you want to achieve – to design a Broadway show. That’s okay too, but be clear about what kinds of shows would fulfill you and also if there is any content that you would not feel you could ethically collaborate on.
It can also be very beneficial to check back every so often and see if your values are the same. Has anything shifted as you gain more work experience. What stays the same?