Centre for Arts and Creativity
BANFF
Strategy Development
This academic project was conducted in a team of five across a period of three months. Our team focused on identifying the burning platform and proposing a 10-year business strategy for Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. The institute is a not-for-profit arts incubator which offers the most diverse variety of programs and facilities in Canada to cater to art creation and promotion.
Role: Strategy Development
Completed: April 2023
The Challenge
Developing a 10-year strategy with the aim to win in a hybrid world.
As part of the "Strategy Development" course at OCAD University (M.Des. SFI program), our initial challenge was to identify the burning platform of the Banff Centre of Arts and Creativity.
Based on our research and analysis, we found that while the institute was winning in the physical world, it needed to win in the digital world as well for further growth and development.
The Approach
Understanding the organization and its offerings
We conducted research to identify and understand the existing offerings and context of the institute, which are as follows:
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Short-term artist residency programs
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Visual, performance, music, literature, and leadership.
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Online & offline: 27 arts programs and 9 Indigenous Leadership programs
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Education Facilities
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Multiple amphitheaters, Recital halls, Studios
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Leighton Artist Studios (10 cottages in the wood)
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Hospitality
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Hotel, restaurants, event venue, conferences, banquets
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Events
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Hosts multiple annual festivals, notably the Rocky Mountain Film Festivals and Banff International String Quartet Competition, in addition to performances and art events.
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Revenue
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Grants from private & governmental sector Donations
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Hospitality sector
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Partnership with Walter Phillips Gallery
The Choice Cascade
Based on our understanding of the organization, we developed the Choice Cascade to determine how the Banff Centre wins and sustains itself in the existing scenario and environment.
SWOT Analysis
After understanding Banff's current Choice Cascade, we conducted the SWOT analysis recognize the leverage points, scope for improvement and challenges in the environment.
Deeper Insights
As a result of the SWOT analysis, we developed the following insights in form of three overarching challenges based on the current weaknesses and obstacles that the organization may experience in the near future.
Find emerging talent
Lack relevancy for the new generation
Transition to Digital
Current model still heavily reliant on analog models.
Improving hospitality
Lack of resource and existing budget
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Lacking capacity for complex strategy
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Lacking distribution competency
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Redefining their aspiration
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Strength as analog organization
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Shift towards digital medium
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Weak as a digital organization
Burning Platform
A Burning Platform serves as a metaphor used to illustrate the necessity of embracing change due to evolving external or internal needs. Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity is an organization built on an analog foundation, trying to shift to a digital distribution model which they are not equipped for. Their burning platform can be stated as follows:
They have the right aspirations
They have the right capacities for an analog world
But
Not to win in a hybrid world (Analog + Digital)
Innovation Intent
Innovation intent is a galvanizing, ambitious, measurable mission for innovation. It is made up of three major aspects — an Unambiguous goal, a Specific Timeframe and an Epic Mission. For this organization, to tackle the burning platform, we came up with the following innovation intent:
Before the decade ends, Banff will open its
programs to every aspiring artist in Canada and
build together the world's preferred artistic
launching pad.
Focus Areas and Initiatives
Based on the innovation intent, we identified opportunities like extending offerings to aspiring artists, building a strong distribution model and transitioning to digital. These opportunities led us to define our three major focus areas that are the pillars of the innovation intent and the subsequent initiatives required to achieve it.
Reach of Production
Diversifying distribution channels to reach to larger and new audiences across the world.
Initiative 1: Building Worldwide Alliances
Initiative 2: Establishing Marketing & Digital Team
Initiative 3: Spreading Banff Model Globally
Democratization of Incubation
Making Banff accessible and affordable to all aspiring artists, regardless of their financial and racial barriers.
Initiative 1: Digitization of 36 Programs
Initiative 2: Subsidized Tuition
Initiative 3: Free Studies: Pay Success Forward
Initiative 4: Merchandise Design: In Exchange for Tuition
Innovation Leader
Inspiring and influencing the world's artistic landscape through the generation of groundbreaking art.
Initiative 1: Digitization of 36 Programs
Initiative 2: Artist Training
Initiative 3: Co-design
Proposed Strategies
Finally, we detailed all the initiatives while keeping them aligned with our focus areas. This involved defining each of the initiatives, their significance and budgetary requirement.
Plan of Implementation
The following timeline illustrates the plan of implementation for each of these initiatives over a ten-year period.
