PuSh Organizational Development

Over the past four years the PuSh board and staff have been working on organizational development with the aims of creating a just and equitable creative structure for governance, leadership, and programming; to build respect and trust; and to ensure PuSh has a well-articulated vision to support its ongoing development and transformation.

This work was based on the community consultation begun in 2020 and undertaken collaboratively between board, staff and contractors. We are thrilled that it has led to a new mission, vision and values for the PuSh Festival.

We are also grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from Dr Margo Kane for several years. Under Margo’s guidance, and in collaboration with Lisa Cooke Ravensbergen, PuSh has started a process of building good relations with local Indigenous Host Nations and local Indigenous artists. Margo and Lisa have brought PuSh staff and board together with elders, artists and knowledge keepers from a variety of Indigenous communities. 

During that process, one of the requests made of PuSh was that we step back from our Indigenous programming for the 2025 festival and reflect on how we can better engage with Indigenous artists and communities in ways that are fuelled by practices of care and respect. We were advised to take the time to focus our efforts towards establishing more meaningful relationships. This is a request that we have honoured, and we are looking forward to growing our understanding of our role in reconciliation. We are deeply appreciative of Margo’s role with PuSh from 2021-2024, and we are committed to the work that she has guided us towards.

We are continuing to move forward with further strategic and organizational development.

The staff and board at PuSh have continued to work on the Organizational Development progress.

Objective 

Continue the process of organizational review that began in the Fall 2020. This includes clear steps towards establishing administrative, management, governance, and resource systems that are Just and equitable while demonstrating sound business and fiduciary responsibility. 

  • Indigenous Initiatives – Our multi-phase plan is still in progress. We are moving towards creating an MOU with an Indigenous Advisory Circle to continue dialogue with Indigenous elders and knowledge keepers to develop Indigenous-centred and indigenous-led initiatives that would uplift Indigenous artistry and voices fuelled by practices of care and respect. 
  • We have conducted an organizational review process led by Nicki Khanmamoui to realign the organization’s mission, vision and values. 
  • We reinvigorated the fundraising committee to support the staff and overall organizational health. 

Objective 

Further define the leadership structure and qualities of permanent leadership.

  • The board continues to work alongside Gabrielle and Keltie to define what the collaborative leadership structure should look like. 
  • Dr. Margo Kane, our Director of Indigenous Initiatives, has stepped down from PuSh. We acknowledge Margo’s decision and the process she undertook to come to this decision. We understand that Margo’s wisdom and generosity are needed elsewhere and priorities had to shift. We are so grateful for the time we spent with Margo and appreciate all the work that Margo undertook and the path she points out for us moving forward.

Objective 

Continuing to develop a robust board that can navigate current duties and envision long-term goals.

As our board operates hybridly, the needs and priorities of our directors are diverse and extensive. We have developed a core group of directors that are committed to the long-term goals and ideas of the society. However, we are still onboarding passionate individuals that seek to offer their time, wisdom and services to support more specific pieces. The board is a stable but fluid one.

Goals

Continue to develop a robust and sustainable board structure to support the work at Push. 

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of PuSh by acknowledging the collective generosity from staff, board, partners, artists, funders, sponsors, and community that fuelled the festival’s longevity.

Continue to cultivate a climate of healing and wellness for the PuSh Festival and its stakeholders.

Implement structures to further support indigenous voices and leadership at PuSh.

The staff and board have been continuing the trajectory set by the interim board and detailed in the following objectives that are still in process:

Objective 

Continue the process of organizational review that began in Fall 2020. This includes clear steps towards establishing administrative, management, governance, and resource systems that are Just and equitable while demonstrating sound business and fiduciary responsibility. 

  • Indigenous Initiatives – We now have a restricted allotment of funds to support Indigenous-led community-engagement. 
  • We have been conducting an ongoing organizational review examining the viability and sustainability of the current working model of the board. As a hybrid collective with practicing artists, arts administrators and art loving supporters of various professionals, we have been committed to exploring a new board model – one that not only incorporates our ways of working as artists and art administrators, but also integrates the staff’s wisdoms and presence. We are committed and excited to deconstruct structural barriers that obstruct our goals to work collaboratively as an institution. 

Objective 

Implement an interim artistic team that can review and advance PuSh programming from a Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (JEDI) lens.  This will further define the leadership structure and qualities required for a transition to permanent leadership.

  • We’ve appointed Gabrielle Martin to a permanent leadership position, and Keltie Forsyth as Director of Operations. Together, with Dr. Margo Kane, Director of Indigenous Initiatives, the collaborative leadership team is settled in. Gabrielle is currently on maternity leave, with Tom Arthur Davis filling in as Interim Director of Programming.

Objective 

Begin to create a sense of unity and common purpose amongst the board, staff, and immediate stakeholders. This includes robust internal and external consultation.

  •  The Board has established a Listening committee that is committed to be in dialogue with our external community and our internal community here at PuSh. We are in an ongoing process of discovering how to “talk with” the communities as opposed to “talk to” them.

Objective 

Eventual transfer power from an interim to permanent board.

  • Our board has developed a core group of directors that are committed to developing long term goals and ideas with the society. However, we are also still onboarding passionate individuals that seek to offer their time, wisdom and services to support more specific pieces. The board is a stable but fluid one.

Objective 

Seek feedback and engage in dialogue with a community of supporters and knowledge keepers.

  • This ongoing work is part of the organization review and restructuring. Moving forward feedback and dialogue will be woven into the structure. The board has established a Indigenous Initiatives committee that is working collaboratively with Dr. Margo Kane seeking consultation from Indigenous knowledge keepers. We are committed to developing a way of working that honours the practices and teachings of the people who steward these lands and waters.  

Goals:

  • Create a climate of healing and wellness for the PuSh Festival and its stakeholders.
  • Begin transformation towards a responsible, equitable, and accountable organization.
  • Get back to the business of giving cultural workers meaningful employment that enables delivering excellence in the performing arts.

In March of 2021, we, a group of community members concerned about the state of the society, stepped forward as a transitional Board of Directors aiming to help transform the organization into the future. 

We came together as volunteers, not as a traditional Board, but practicing artists and arts administrators of diverse backgrounds and opinions, to roll up our sleeves and  work together to help PuSh overcome the challenges of the time.  Under the light of the Truth and Reconcilliation Commission, in the wake of the murder of George Floyd and the disruptions of a global pandemic, organizations like ours, who often explore these important themes on stage, have had to reckon with our own poor decisions and toxified systems.  Individuals were damaged and our community had a range of reactions: some angry, some baffled, some hurt, some surprised, others not. Organizations can either ignore, deny and try to move on, or they may buckle and dissolve under the pressure.  Those of us who stepped up to work on the Board believed, not that we were better, but that we had the energy to strive for a better way. Some of us had never met but we had that shared value, knowing the task is not an easy one.  

We were elected on a platform of goals and objectives. Our progress on these objectives is detailed here:

Objective 1

If not already complete by that time, immediately begin to finalize a healthy and just resolution with former staff.

We formed a ‘right relations’ committee that engaged in private meetings and discussions with specific former staff since March, 2021.  Several outcomes were mutually agreed upon as a road-map, which we carried, to our best efforts, while maintaining our commitment to a culture of care. 

Objective 2

Continue the process of organizational review that began in Fall 2020. This includes clear steps towards establishing administrative, management, governance, and resource systems that are Just and equitable while demonstrating sound business and fiduciary responsibility. 

We have engaged and been working with a Human Resources consultant and are developing a staff feedback mechanism that is rooted in the positive values we aspire to.  Most recently, we welcomed back our organizational review consultant. The board is working on creating a prioritized action plan leading to transforming the board relationship to the organization into one that embodies a culture of support.  

Objective 3

Implement an interim artistic team that can review and advance PuSh programming from a Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (JEDI) lens.  This will further define the leadership structure and qualities required for a transition to permanent leadership.

A Collaborative Leadership Team was created, structurally embodying the values we are striving for. We were proud to welcome Gabrielle Martin and Dr. Margo Kane onto the staff team.  Both have been working diligently to orient themselves to their new roles and move forward with bringing performances to the stage.  We are continuing to explore this structure and how it will best serve our mandate while staying rooted in the values of a culture of care.

Objective 4

Begin to create a sense of unity and common purpose amongst the board, staff, and immediate stakeholders. This includes robust internal and external consultation.

One of the first acts that took place was to invite staff to all board meetings at their discretion.  Except for instances during which privacy requires more limited attendance, the board has an open door policy with staff attending and participating in board meetings and on appropriate committees. 

Objective 5

Eventual transfer power from an interim to permanent board.

The new hiring process took a bit longer than anticipated.  In order to ensure we set these individuals, and the 2022 programming up for success, we have pushed the AGM back to post festival time.  We are now focussing on welcoming new board members, while some in our transition team have moved on after incredible contributions. 

Objective 6

Seek feedback and engage in dialogue with a community of supporters and knowledge keepers.

Members of our Listening Committee and individual members have been in constant dialogue with funders, donors, artists and audience members in mostly informal or semi-formal exchanges.   Our other objectives taxed our resources and the decision was made to have more formal feedback sessions after the 2022 Festival.

Goals:

  • Create a climate of healing and wellness for the PuSh Festival and its stakeholders.
  • Begin transformation towards a responsible, equitable, and accountable organization.
  • Get back to the business of giving cultural workers meaningful employment that enables delivering excellence in the performing arts.

We believe we are on track with our three goals.  Any kind of transformational work is slow and messy as well as being exhilarating and revelatory.  Rewards and challenges crop up in the most unexpected places.  We remain committed to these goals and look forward to what lies ahead. 

Finally, I’d like to thank the staff who continue to persevere, who created a successful 2022 Festival and who accept the changes that come.  A particular mention goes to Jason Dubois who is moving on from PuSh.  We wish him all the best on his new adventures  

I’d like to give gratitude to my fellow board members, Sadira Rodrigues, Camilla Tibbs, Carmen Aguirre, and Johnny Wu for their continued efforts while saying a public good-bye to those who are moving on: Shanae Sodhi, thank you for jumping on board last March and bringing your creative and probing energy at the start of this journey. Justine Chambers, your grace, resilience and deep empathy have provided a heart-based compass for us all. Lisa Cooke Ravensbergen, you challenged us to think beyond the now with deep passion,  we wish you all well in your future endeavours. 

Finally, I’d like to thank the artists, audience, funders and supporters that have faith in the idea of PuSh. 

Kind regards,

PuSh Festival Board of Directors

Please note, this is a working section and will continue to be updated.

Organizational Review Guidelines & Outcomes

What are we hoping to achieve through the Organizational Review process:

  • To rebuild PuSh with a just and equitable creative structure for governance, leadership, and programming.
  • To restore PuSh as an organization & festival respected amongst our colleagues, where volunteers, staff, and board feel proud and energized about their work, and artists feel cared for and valued.
  • To ensure PuSh has a well-articulated vision to support its redevelopment.

The guiding principles for the Organizational Review:

  • We are doing this work in the interest of PuSh’s mandate.
  • We will design a transparent process that is responsive and iterative with clear delineation of responsibility and accountability.
  • We will consult, seek input, and authentically engage with one another and our many communities, compassionately, and in good faith. We will listen and do our best to heal our relationships. We want to move forward in a good way.
  • “We will do the best we can until we know better. Then when we know better, we will do better” — Maya Angelou
  • We will continue to respect and maintain the privacy of current and former staff/board members as well as other participants.
  • We will question everything: our assumptions, structures, processes, policies, and the distribution of power within the organization and will take an equity-focused view in rebuilding the organization.

We recognize that:

  • PuSh has budgetary constraints and will work within those.
  • The constraints of operating as a non-profit within current funding and legal structures – we will push to the edges of those constraints.
  • We are doing this work during a pandemic.
  • We are in relationship with many communities.

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