How do you sustain and grow your arts partnerships and collaborations over time?

True, clearly define your goals and objectives for each partnership. Understand what you and your partners aim to achieve, and align these goals with the mission and values of all involved parties. But also be reliable and fulfill your commitments. If you agree to specific deliverables or responsibilities, ensure that you meet them on time and with high quality. Consistently delivering on your promises builds trust and credibility.

Regular and transparent communication is essential for sustaining partnerships. Keep all stakeholders informed about project updates, challenges, and successes. Address any concerns promptly and seek feedback to continually improve collaboration. Invest time and effort in building strong relationships with partner organizations, artists, and stakeholders. Foster a sense of trust, respect, and camaraderie by engaging in meaningful interactions, sharing resources, and offering support when needed. Ensure that the goals and objectives of the partnership align with the needs and priorities of all parties involved. Clearly define roles, responsibilities, and expectations from the outset to minimize misunderstandings and conflicts later on.

Communication is key in any partnership. Keep lines of communication open and transparent. Regularly update your partners on your organization's activities, achievements, and upcoming projects. Establish a communication plan that includes meetings, emails, and other channels.

I recommend weekly or bi-weekly check-ins depending on the nature and duration of the partnerships. I start each meeting with a personal check-in to encourage relationship-building, and ensure that our meeting agendas are iterative based on what comes up in the check-in to build trust and respect. In addition to regular zoom, phone or in-person check-ins, I recommend setting up one email thread for the entirety of the collaborative project to ensure streamlined communications. I'm adamant about this for my own sanity and for effective and clear communication. Finally, I encourage everyone to define how and when they are most responsive so that we're all on the same page about communication best practices for a specific project.

It's important to evaluate partnerships and collaborations critically. Sometimes, they fail and it's important to be able to admit that, apologize, reflect, and commit to doing better next time. I strongly recommend building in time for honest and transparent assessment at the end of each partnership or collaboration. Celebrate what went well, but be honest about what could have gone better. I like to use a 4L review process to assess all partnerships, programs, and collaborations and find it to be an effective tool.

For a comprehensive collaboration evaluation, a blend of data-driven methodologies, such as anonymous polls, one-on-one and group interviews, graphs, and feedback from various sources, is vital. Analyzing this information will provide insights into the performance dynamics of your partnerships. It is critical to involve your team and collaborators in this process, fostering a dynamic exchange around the results and identifying lessons learned and best practices. This offers an opportunity to celebrate and recognize accomplishments and show gratitude to everyone involved. This needs to be a continuous communication process, regardless of whether the collaborative event is over, as relationships are built and maintained over time.

Regularly assess the impact and effectiveness of partnership initiatives using relevant metrics and indicators. Gather feedback from stakeholders, participants, and beneficiaries to evaluate outcomes and identify areas for improvement. Foster a culture of continual learning and innovation within the partnership. Encourage experimentation, creativity, and knowledge sharing among partners to discover new approaches and solutions to shared challenges. Support the capacity building of partner organizations and individuals by providing training, resources, and mentorship opportunities. Empower collaborators to develop their skills, networks, and capabilities for greater impact and sustainability.

Cultivate strong personal relationships with individuals in your partner organizations. Attend events, collaborate on projects, and find opportunities to connect on a personal level. Building trust and understanding strengthens the foundation of your partnerships. Look for opportunities that benefit all parties involved. Explore ways to create value for your partners, whether through shared resources, exposure, or access to new audiences. A mutually beneficial collaboration is more likely to be sustained over time.

Partnerships and collaborations in the arts - and all sectors- must be a two-way street. I always recommend that the initiating organization begins by listening and identifying the needs of their target partner and then considers how to leverage their own power and assets to support the partner. It's important to show up first - and then ask for support. In fact, if you're showing up for your partners first, you may not even have to ask.

Recognize that partnerships evolve over time, and be prepared to adapt to changing circumstances and needs. Stay flexible and open-minded, and be willing to explore new opportunities for collaboration that arise along the way. Take the time to celebrate achievements and milestones together. Recognize the contributions of all partners and stakeholders, and highlight the positive impact of the collaboration on the community, audience, or cause. Incorporate sustainability principles into partnership activities wherever possible. Consider the environmental, social, and economic impacts of collaborative projects, and explore ways to minimize negative effects and promote long-term viability.

Nurturing relationships is not only important from a business perspective, it also gives you and your art partners and collaborators a sense of community and accomplishment. Having a strong and supportive community that you can rely on is a crucial part of being successful in any industry.