Building on What Came Before

The Adaptive Bridge Plan grew out of WESTAF’s 10-Year Vision, developed by stakeholder cohorts from 2017–2018, formally launching in May 2019.

A Colossal Inflection Point

With the onset of the global pandemic in March 2020, followed that summer by the murder of George Floyd and an accelerated racial reckoning, Creative West focused the next two years on delivering relief and recovery to the region, supporting partners whose work had radically shifted or shut down, closely re-examining priorities through a social justice lens, and adjusting to both the challenges and the opportunities of a virtual workplace culture.

New Leaders, Ideas; New Resources, Possibilities

During this time, Creative West attracted new leaders—on the staff, on the board of trustees, through deepening regional networks— who brought with them new ideas and approaches. Significant resources were also secured, and Creative West could begin to explore new ways to respond to the changing world. At the October 2022 annual meeting of the board trustees, the executive committee reviewed these developments, concluding that an interim organizational planning model should be considered—one responsive and relevant to our sector’s needs and reflective of our evolving values.

Forging a Responsive Plan

In September 2023, the Leadership Resource Team (LRT) began identifying Destinations, Objectives and Key Results within a three-year planning horizon. In February 2024, the LRT conducted a half-way point review of the original 10-Year Vision, concluding that 40% of its goals had been completed, with the rest well in-flight.

Past Learning, Future Forward

By May 2024, the new plan was complete. Set to launch in October 2024 during the organization’s 50th year in existence, the Creative West Three-Year Adaptive Bridge Plan brings updated guidance to the launch of a newly-named, re-messaged and visually updated organization—Creative West.