This plan was developed to provide a direction for The United States Vietnam Arts program as it relates to its mission.
In 1972 the war between the United States and Vietnam ended, and the two countries have been trying to pick up the pieces ever since. But, before we can mend the deep wounds of war- before the new generations can understand what happened then and what happens next-- both countries must continue to work together to establish a sense of international community. Artists can play a valuable role in this process by providing a variety of expressive forms to enhance our dialogue and enrich our experiences.
Over the next three years, this plan will be implemented with this vision as its cornerstone. USVAP will encourage and provide opportunities for meaningful collaborations between artists of Vietnam and the United States. Conceived by composer and Vietnam veteran, Kimo Williams, USVAP will go beyond the "in-and-out" syndrome of most cultural exchanges and provide a new collaborative experience between two countries that once were at war.
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Environmental Analysis
Industry Trends
Technology is affecting the arts presenting industry by allowing the internet to become more accessible to donors wanting to give online.
Given the overall decline in the economy at present, we anticipate that economic factors will have a negative impact on donation possibilities for USVAP. We therefore must be aggressive in our funding initiatives.
Competition
We defined our primary competitors as: the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Arts' music productions, the Hot House International Musical Arts Program, and arts organization specific to raising funds for international arts events. These include the Chicago Sister Cities Program, the Chicago Artists International Program (CAIP), and the International Exchange Program associated with Gallery 37. These are examples of the direct competition we face from organizations presenting programs that raise funds for international arts events. We have analyzed these competitors' offerings, and believe that our offerings are different on specific attributes.
Donors will compare our events and programs with those of our direct competitors on the basis of our uniqueness and international impact, donation amount requested, and the objectives of the USVAP program.
Donors will also choose our offerings over our competition based on the quality and uniqueness of our sponsored events and the objectives of the USVAP program.
Our program is smaller than our closest competitors. Size differences are not a significant advantage in our specific market because the impact that the program will have will drive donors to contribute. Therefore our strategic initiatives do not need to reflect our relative size.
We also analyze our competitors in respect to what they offer, their average event contribution request, their packaging, where they are located, what type of special incentives they offer, what type of promotions they do, and how they are using technology.
When we review our competition strengths and weaknesses we find:
Competition Strengths
Established in potential donor's minds. Specifically, donors who give to established organizations with broad missions.
- Have conduits to donors through relationships with other arts organizations.
- Have relationships with the city or state government to help foster possible donors.
- Have large funding base.
- Have a quality track record of arts presenting.
- Have experience in fundraising.
- Have established product branding/packaging/merchandising.
- Have strong personal selling resources.
- Have good cash flow relating to marketing and communications.
- Have an established donor loyalty.
Competition Weaknesses
- Are not specific to any one area of international arts presenting.
- Are not targeting our market segment, which include, Vietnam Veterans, individuals sensitive to the Vietnam Veteran, and individuals interested in the Vietnam War and its impact on our culture.
Donors
We defined our market as potential donors who would give to arts programs such as ours who are: Vietnam Veterans, individuals sensitive to the Vietnam Veteran, individuals interested in the Vietnam War and its impact on our culture, and individuals interested in advancing art events across international boundaries.
Of the donations given from 1987 to 1998, 6% were given to the arts and 1.2% were given to International affairs. Of the total donations, 77.3% where from individuals, 9.8% from foundations, and 5.1% from corporations.
Our typical donor is an individual between the ages of 30 and 55. This person typically is educated at least to the college level, and is most likely to be an entrepreneur with an understanding of Vietnam and the need for reconciliation efforts. Additionally, our typical donor is a professional with a past relationship attached to Vietnam, academically, emotionally or professionally. Our typical donor has a household income of between ($25,000.00 to $80,000.00) per year. Our typical donor lives in a household consisting of him or her self, a spouse or partner, and children living at home.
Donors Commitment to giving to Arts Organization
Our typical donor is moderately committed to giving to arts organizations with a mission related to international arts presenting. Our environmental analysis indicates that commitment to giving to international presenting organizations specific to Vietnam is higher than loyalty to international arts presenters against which we compete closely.
At relatively little cost over the next five years, we believe we could build additional commitment to our Vietnam specific international mission among current potential donors.
Over the next five years we believe our highest potential for attracting new donors is to target potential donors who are similar to our current donor profile. In order to attract these new potential donors, we will need to invest in improving their understanding of USVAP and its mission through programmatic events of the highest quality.
SWOT Analysis (Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats)
Strengths
We understand the artistic culture of Vietnam.
- We have a working relationship with the US Consulate in Saigon.
- We have established contacts politically and artistically in Vietnam.
- We have a well-produced video trailer.
- We have the National Vietnam Veterans Art Museums' mailing lists available to us.
- Kimo Williams has a personal connection to Gary Sinise (actor).
- Kimo Williams is a Vietnam Veteran.
- We have experience in Web development and Internet marketing.
- Kimo Williams has established an educational and artistic relationship with the Ho Chi Minh. Conservatory of Music and the Hue Conservatory of Music through a series of lectures on American music in Vietnam.
- We have received three grants from the Illinois Arts Council and Northwestern University.
- Kimo Williams is co-founder of the Lt. Dan Band and the band is able to do fund raising events.
- Kimo Williams is an internationally recognized composer.
- Kimo Williams has a 4-member band that plays his music that reflects his experiences in Vietnam.
- We have a history of quality arts programming.
- We lack the cash flow to invest in a major marketing initiative.
- We face competitive threats in the donor giving market, requiring us to increase our efforts to find new potential donors.
- We are at a cost disadvantage compared to some of our competitors.
- Our competitors are in a stronger position than we are.
- We do not have as much experience in the international arts markets as we would like, and need to build our capabilities.
- We do not have as well established branding image as we would like, and need to invest in building our USVAP equity to compete more strongly against market leaders.
- We do not have a high profile recognizable supporter of our program.
- We do not have a clean mailing list of potential donors.
- We do not have a strong consistent board that can raise money
- Technology (specifically the internet) allows us access to an expanded potential donor market.
- The U.S. has officially established normalization relations with Vietnam.
- The Vietnamese art community is hungry for art-oriented programs relating to American culture.
- A majority of Americans are supportive of and curious to Vietnam related activities.
- Potential Donors celebrate Veterans Day and Memorial Day.
- Online giving is growing at a rapid pace.
- Kimo performs with and has a link from the Lt. Dan Band Website for visitors to buy USVAP fundraising items.
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- A slow economy
- An idea climate of trust has not been established between Vietnam and America.
- Political/business relationships between Vietnam and Vietnamese Americans (refugees) are unstable.
- Donors are skeptical of security procedures for online giving
- The War in Iraq has most donors attention
In conclusion, our environmental analysis indicates that our market offers opportunities for us to succeed by enhancing our USVAP image. This requires us to communicate more information to our potential donors in order to make sure they understand what makes us unique.
Mission Statement
The mission of USVAP is to provide opportunities for artists from Vietnam and the United States to work collaboratively on artistic projects; to offer encouragement and support for the collaborative process particularly across cultural boundaries; and to positively bring together new and existing audiences to discover or rediscover the cultural and artistic traditions of both countries.
Position Statement
USVAP will go beyond a mere cultural exchange program and provide experiences and opportunities for artists from the U.S. and Vietnam to learn about each other's cultures through artistic expression. These experiences are designed to occur over several years and through interdisciplinary artistic engagements. Ultimately, the goal of USVAP is to present a performance of artists from both countries working (for the first time since the war, and quite possibly for the first time ever) as a single organization.
Our organization offers out target market (Vietnam Veterans, individuals sensitive to the Vietnam Veteran, individuals knowledgeable about or interested in the high quality of the artists involved in USVAP events, individuals interested in the Vietnam War and its impact on our/their culture, and individuals interested in supporting international arts programs/events) an opportunity to engage in cross-cultural interactivity and create a humanistic synergism that will break the barriers that has kept our two countries apart for so many years.
Our organization is unique from our competitors because its leadership includes a connection to Vietnam through artists and individuals that fought in the war or are personally impacted by the war and are passionate about reconciliation. Also, USVAP will offer a benefit that will involve multi-disciplined collaborative events of artistic works by artists from the U.S. and Vietnam. These events/productions will include thematic dual commissions, exhibitions, master classes, education interactivity programs and symposia on cross-cultural issues.
Principals
- USVAP is committed to engaging both countries in artistic interactions.
- The strategic plan and individual project marketing plans will guide all activities for USVAP.
- The primary responsibilities for the USVAP officers and directors are to contribute resources, identify external resources and provide the leadership that will support the implementation of the strategic plan.
- The organization values cross-cultural artistic involvement without any politically motivated association.
- The organization is committed to insure that all decisions relating to program and event development are inclusive (i.e., incorporating leadership from both countries within the means of our resources).
- USVAP values the traditions and culture of all people associated with our mission.
- USVAP is committed to providing a vehicle for artistic expression without censorship (in so far as the expression is consistent with our mission).
- USVAP considers education the infrastructure for future cultural dialogue between the United States and Vietnam and is therefore, committed to engaging the younger generation in program events and presentations.
Goals [back to top
- To raise and distribute funds to support programs and events produced by USVAP.
- To maintain and improve the organization and develop a strong board.
- To present quality art and educational events that is collaborative in nature between Vietnamese artists living in Vietnam and United States artists living in the United States.
- To insure artistic decisions are inclusive of individuals from Vietnam and the United States.
Goal #1: To raise and distribute funds to support programs and events produced by USVAP.
Objectives
- Sponsor at least two USVAP benefit/fundraising events annually.
- Maintain and update our internet presence at usvap.com
- Develop a web portal that is also capable of processing donations by April 2008
- Develop a donor database by April 2008
- Form a mutually beneficial working relationship with other organizations, including state and city, to address areas of commonality and promote USVAP as the leader in its chosen mission by September 2008.
- Develop visibility and understanding of the USVAP mission and our role as a cultural synergy program by May 2008
- Formally submit at least 4 new funding/grant applications per quarter beginning 2nd quarter 2008.
Goal #2: To maintain and improve the organization.
Objectives
- Develop a stronger board structure made up of members from Vietnam and the United States by December 2008.
- Develop a 2008/2009 annual operating and project budget by April of each year.
- Develop a 10 member Board of Directors with members who will actively (financially, in-kind or physically) contribute to the mission of USVAP by April 2006 and one new board member each quarter there after.
- Develop USVAP 2008/2009 fiscal year Marketing Plan by July 2008
- Develop a USVAP 2008/2009 fiscal year Fund Raising plan by March 2008 year.
Goal #3: To present quality art and educational events that are collaborative in nature between Vietnamese artists living in Vietnam and United States artists living in the United States..
Objectives
- Organize and conduct symposia for participating artists that will take place in conjunction with each USVAP event. The symposia should explore various considerations in cross-cultural collaborations, cultural and artistic traditions as well as arts management at least 2 weeks before scheduled production.
- Organize and conduct public educational programs that bring about a greater understanding for each of our roles in developing a global community, and attract audiences to the production, at least 6 weeks before scheduled production.
- Develop an inaugural 2008/2009 USVAP production season (to include a description and budget) by July 2008
- Develop a fourth quarter; fundraising, marketing and education plan by March 2008
Goal #4: To insure artistic decisions are inclusive of individuals who are Vietnamese living in Vietnam and Americans living in the United States.
Objectives
- Insure at lease one Vietnamese who reside in Vietnam is a member of the board of directors.