Altered Esthetics conducted a community outreach project to connect with additional organizations and people in Minneapolis. They followed a 9 step process: 1) identifying key components, 2) creating a timeline, 3) engaging stakeholders, 4) establishing infrastructure, 5) implementing the plan, 6) reviewing what worked and didn't, 7) changing implementation, 8) connecting results to other groups, 9) conducting an overall review. The outreach was successful in meeting its goals and Altered Esthetics plans to conduct more education-focused outreach and engage stakeholders earlier in future projects.

1. Altered Esthetics
Community Outreach - Action Research
Nduka, Lindy, Janayah, Jamie
Ae - Coloring Outside the Lines, 2008

2. Today we’ll review:
Ae’s Outreach Process
Notes for Future Outreach
(we’ll try not to bore you.)
Ae - MPLS vs STPL, 2008. Pamela Valfer-Airport Series

3. Step 1 - Key Components
Outreach Need
Altered Esthetics
needed to continue
reaching out to
additional audiences
in the community,
connecting with other
organizations
Ae - Bike Art, 2008

4. Step 1 - Key Components
Guiding Principles
Be time considerate
Be mission driven
Make sure the stakeholders
are on board
Create a project/process that
is effective/useful
Consider the budget
Be Creative! Ae - Bike Art, 2007

5. Step 1 - Key Components
Desired Audience
Additional organizations and people in
Minneapolis, particularly Northeast
Ae - Resident Artists, 2007

6. Step 1 - Key Components
Identify Stakeholders
Artists
Volunteers
Interns
Board Members
Donors
Ae - Coloring Outside the Lines, 2008

7. Step 1 - Key Components
Project Goals
Create an outline for future
use
Connect with additional
organizations directly
Connect with 50
organizations or people
(artists, volunteers, etc.)
Ae - Resident Artists IV, 2008

8. Step 1 - Key Components
Possible Results
Plan for various types of responses
Make sure connection mechanisms are set up
Ae - Anxiety Dreams, 2008

9. Step 2 - Timeline
There was a quick
turnaround!
So, we set weekly
goals and deadlines
and we kept the
scope moderate
Ae - Bike Art, 2007

10. Step 3 - Stakeholders
Connected with primary stakeholders via:
Surveys (more on that later!)
Emails
Meetings
Phone Calls
Ae - Interns, 2008

11. Step 4 - Infrastructure
Website landing page
Surveys
Business cards
Google docs for tracking
Wiki
Ae - Arty Garage Sale, 2008

12. Step 5 - Implementation
Sent letters
Made Calls
Posted via social networking tools
Sent enews
Sent direct emails
Ae - Bike Art, 2008

13. Step 6 - Review
Discovered: Scheduling was difficult for calls
Discovered: Some information we collected
was incorrect or outdated
Ae - Installing track system, 2008

14. Step 7 - Change Implementation
Helped each other with implementation
Used e-communication as much as
possible
Added more specific
social networking
tools
Added... video (more
on that later!)
Ae - Art Vending Machine, 2008

15. Step 8 - Connecting the dots
Tracked responses
Forwarded info to other
people in the organization
Ae - Rejected, 2009

16. Step 9 - Ae’s Review
What worked?
A solid plan!
We had a structured plan with a mission, goals and guidelines
The right tools!
From the wiki to google docs, we had a variety of helpful tools to use
The right people!
Our engaged team, our direct connections, our stakeholders
@ the right places.
Meeting both at school AND the gallery itself was helpful

17. Step 9 - Ae’s Review
What could have been better?
More time
More feedback from class
Additional Stakeholder Involvement, time willing

18. Step 9 - Ae’s Stakeholder Survey
(selection of questions and responses)
Used creative questions, such as: What 3 words would you use to describe
Altered Esthetics to a friend? What have you enjoyed about your experience at
Ae? What are your suggestions for the future?
What type of new activities would you like Altered Esthetics to
coordinate? - Workshops: 76.2%
Would you recommend Altered Esthetics
to a friend or relative? Yes: 100.0%
Ae / Black Dog- Bike Art, 2008

19. Step 10 - Ae’s Future Notes
Education is a great place for the
next outreach project
Time willing, connect with
stakeholders before project is
started
Keep notes from projects and
build upon research already
done
Ae - Guerrilla Art, 2006

20. The future!
Ae - Bike Art in the Northeast Parade, 2008