The Priddy Foundation, Arts and Culture Plan for Wichita Falls

In late 2011, The Priddy Foundation saw arts organizations struggling in Wichita Falls, TX, a city experiencing many challenges, from a weak economy to a shrinking population. The Foundation recognized that—despite ongoing financial support—the arts grantees continued to deal with the same financial and operational challenges year after year. Rather than continue to parcel out funds piecemeal and reactively, the Foundation aimed to elevate the entire arts community and to do it strategically. Above all, the Foundation prioritized creating a ground-up approach in which arts organizations would help design the plan rather than be handed a directive.

In early 2012, the Foundation engaged Lord Cultural Resources to develop a “strategic arts plan” wherein the local cultural community was extensively involved. Lord and the Priddy Foundation led a grassroots mini-movement, involving 55 arts and cultural organizations, numerous individual artists, all the major local foundations, governmental agencies, the city manager, mayor and 1,100 individual residents of Wichita Falls. The result was the Arts and Culture Plan for Wichita Falls launched in July 2013. Already, the Foundation has forged a partnership with four other funders to establish a new umbrella arts entity and is collaborating with the city government on a free concert series.

The Priddy Foundation itself has undergone a transformation. Through skillful diplomacy, transparency and old-fashioned goodwill, the Foundation is working to address deep-seated social, racial and economic divides underpinning the audience development, funding and governance challenges faced by local organizations. Now, the Foundation is not only providing financial assistance but helping shape cultural policy and advocating for the arts. The planning process has resulted in an actionable arts plan that will help guide both the Foundation and the community of arts and non-arts organizations and individuals who will work with together to see the plan through.