Strategic Plan

Strategic Plan + Framework 2024-2028

 

Our Mission

The Ringling serves as the legacy of John and Mable Ringling—a place of art, architecture, and circus in an environment that inspires, educates, and entertains.

Identity: The Ringling is the State Art Museum of Florida and is administered by Florida State University. It features an historic mansion, art museum, circus museum, historic theater, and reference library, situated on 66 acres of bay front property in Sarasota.

Vision: The Ringling is an extraordinary center of art and culture that engages the local, state, and global communities and is accessible to and inclusive of all.

Values we believe in:

  • Collaboration
  • Innovation
  • Relevance

Values that define us:

  • Accountability
  • Inclusivity
  • Integrity

Core Commitments

  • Preservation, enhancement, and interpretation of our collections
  • Operational and fiscal integrity
  • Outstanding experiences for our visitors

Strategic Plan Commitments (full text below)

  1. Foster meaningful experiences for everyone
  2. Embed accessibility and inclusive excellence in all we do
  3. Invite, host, and center our varied communities
  4. Sustainably develop our collections, exhibits, and performances with our strategic partners
  5. Enhance investments in our staff and volunteers
  6. Better reflect who we serve and expand our audience
  7. Uphold and honor The Ringling’s historic legacy

 

Inclusion

Commitment 1

As the state art museum governed by Florida State University, foster personally meaningful experiences for all people by broadening and deepening our impact locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally

Objectives

  1. Listen to and learn from our local community to improve The Ringling’s relevance and impact for our mutual benefit.
  2. Build trust to establish reciprocal partnerships with community organizations.
  3. Lead as a cultural organization in museum research, innovation, and practice.
  4. Distinguish The Ringling among our national and international peers as a world-renown organization.
Commitment 2

Ensure that Accessibility and Inclusive Excellence are incorporated into all of our museum practices.

Objectives

  1. Holistically review and integrate accredited museum practices throughout all Ringling policies and procedures to increase accessibility and inclusive excellence.
  2. Implement accredited museum practices throughout all Ringling departments, operations, exhibitions, performances, programs, and spaces to enhance accessibility and inclusivity for all people.

Inspiration

Commitment 3

Seek, invite, host, and center individuals and organizations representing the range of local, regional, and global communities

Initiatives
I: Implement programming practices and procedures that foster learning and collaboration with t partners inside and outside the Ringling for all exhibitions, performances, programs, and spaces.

II: Invite relevant partners to co-create new work, exhibitions, performances, and programming within all Ringling spaces.

Commitment 4

Sustainably develop our collections, exhibits, performances, interpretation, and programs by collaborating with artists, curators, educators, fundraisers, and other cultural leaders to better reflect our local, regional, national, and international communities.

Initiatives
I: Preserve the Ringling’s collections and assets to increase accessibility and inclusivity for all people.

II: Proactively acquire assets for The Ringling’s collections relevant to our mission and vision of being inclusive and accessible for all people.

III: Develop and publish research and share ideas focused on our mission, vision, and strategic plan commitments.

Excellence

Commitment 5

Invest in staff members and volunteers by providing sufficient resources, training, tools, and opportunities that enhance professional development, retention, and well-being.

Initiatives
I: Review, develop, create, and support staff and volunteer professional development programs to increase job fulfillment and satisfaction.

II: Review, develop, create, and support staff and volunteer retention programs.

III: Review, develop, create, and support staff and volunteer wellbeing programs.

Commitment 6

Develop The Ringling’s board, staff, volunteer corps, members, and donors to better reflect the community that we serve and to expand our audience. 

Initiatives 
I: Enhance staff and volunteer recruiting policies and procedures to better align representation of our community and visitorship.  
 
II: Enhance board, membership, and donor recruiting policies and procedures to better align representation of our community and visitorship.  

Inclusion, Inspiration, Excellence

Commitment 7

Understand and contextualize The Ringling’s legacy and impact.

Initiatives
I: Research and share the legacy and impact of John and Mable Ringling.

II: Research and share the legacy of The Ringling as an institution.