California Arts Council Selects Scansion as Strategic Planning Consultant

SACRAMENTO, CA - The California Arts Council (CAC) has awarded Scansion the contract to serve as its strategic planning consultant following a competitive Request for Proposal process.

Through this engagement, Scansion LLC will work with the CAC to reflect on and revise the agency's current strategic framework, which expires in 2027. The planning process will support effective agency operations, identify areas for improvement and service, and help guide the CAC's priorities for the next five to seven years.

The new strategic planning effort comes at a pivotal time for the state arts agency. The CAC recently hosted its 50th anniversary celebration in Sacramento; helped spearhead California's first statewide strategic plan for the creative economy; expanded its Cultural Districts program; increased in-person outreach and engagement activities to heighten awareness of California's arts and culture; and continued to bolster and sustain statewide grants and initiatives supporting and demonstrating the value of creative expression within communities, in education, state correctional facilities and more.

"Strategic planning is one of the most important tools we have to listen, reflect, and prepare for the future," said Danielle Brazell, Executive Director of the California Arts Council. "As the CAC looks ahead to its next chapter, this process will help ensure our work remains grounded in equity, responsive to California's diverse creative communities, and aligned with the needs and opportunities shaping the arts and culture sector statewide."

Scansion will serve as a strategic thought partner to the CAC, supporting a process that includes research, engagement, analysis, and planning. The scope of work includes gathering input from county-designated local arts agencies (known as State-Local Partners), grantees, applicants, CAC leadership and Council members, state agency partners, arts and culture funders, service organizations, and other interested parties.

The resulting plan is expected to include a SWOT analysis; a partnership framework for State-Local Partners and other networks; a five-year grants strategy; recommendations related to Council committee structure and training; and detailed strategic goals with activities, timelines, responsible parties, resources, and performance metrics.

"We are honored to be selected to serve as the California Arts Council's strategic planning partner. California's arts, culture, and creative sector is a vital driver of community well-being and economic vitality. We look forward to working collaboratively with the CAC team, artists, cultural leaders, communities, and partners across the state to shape a strategic plan that is both ambitious and actionable. Together, we hope to build a roadmap that strengthens the Council's impact and supports a thriving, equitable, and resilient creative ecosystem for all Californians," said Salvador Acevedo, Managing Partner of Scansion.

"The Council is excited and eager for collaborative thinking with Scansion as we co-navigate the direction for the CAC's new strategic plan," said Council Chair Roxanne Messina Captor. "On the heels of celebrating 50 years as the state's arts agency, we have a distinct duty to our state's artists, culture bearers, and creative workers-and the people of California as a whole-to determine the best way forward and begin the work to support and strengthen the field of arts and culture for the next 50 years."

Through this planning process, the CAC will continue advancing its vision for a California where all people flourish with universal access to and participation in the arts.

About Scansion

Scansion is a people-centered design strategy group that enables organizations to imagine, design, and achieve impactful solutions. Together with clients, we align people, systems, and resources to create inclusive experiences and offerings that deepen engagement and advance your strategic vision.

Media Inquiries Only:
Public Affairs
California Arts Council
[email protected]

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Members of the California Arts Council include: Roxanne Messina Captor, Chair; Nicola Miner, Vice Chair; Roque Barros; Caleb Duarte; Vicki Estrada; Leah Goodwin; Roy Hirabayashi; Alex Israel; Dorka Keehn; Phil Mercado; Rick Stein. Learn more at https://www.arts.ca.gov.

The California Arts Council is committed to increasing the accessibility of its online content. For language and accessibility assistance, visit https://arts.ca.gov/about/about-us/language-communications-assistance. To read this announcement in Spanish, please use the website's Google Translate tool by clicking the "Translate" link in the upper righthand corner of this page.

El Consejo de las Artes de California se compromete a aumentar la accesibilidad de sus contenidos en línea. Para obtener ayuda con el idioma y la accesibilidad, visite https://arts.ca.gov/about/about-us/language-communications-assistance. Para leer este anuncio en español, utilice la herramienta Google Translate del sitio web haciendo clic en el enlace "Traducir" situado en la esquina superior derecha de esta página.