Author: andyfife

Established in 1994 with the help of Dale Chihuly, Hilltop Artists is a 501(c)3 non-profit glass arts program that provides classes and individualized instruction for over 500 students each year.Hilltop Artists provides youth, ages 11-20, with hot glass instruction, related arts training, and adult mentors focusing on increasing students’ academic and interpersonal success. 

Over the course of an 18 month period, Fife Consulting provided a series of strategic retreats for the board to define campaign priorities, coach engagement strategies and establish a long-term strategic plan.

eSe Teatro is a company of professional theatre artists from the greater Seattle area actively promoting diversity in the local art scene, building artistic bridges w/local, underserved populations & providing a sense of place for Latino artists.  They employ Latino & Spanish-speaking theatre artists often marginalized on the mainstream stage. eSe strives to give these artists space for self-expression: physical, creative and/or developmental space; space for dialogue w/Latino communities or simply, space to have their work honored & validated.

Fife Consulting provided coaching and facilitation for strategic planning conversations by the board in summer of 2013.

The Food Empowerment Education and Sustainability Team (FEEST) is a weekly youth-run organic dinner program that engages young people in issues of civic and social justice, food security, cultural expression, systems change and community development.  It is a practical laboratory for new and unique methods for youth engagement and development around food that provides a new model for communities nationwide.

FEEST started as a program of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center in 2006 and has been nested in a couple of other organizations during its growth and development since then. With a generous multi-year award from the WK Kellogg Foundation, FEEST began the process of development towards autonomy and larger instutitonal sustainability.

Starting in early 2013, Fife Consulting began working with FEEST on an eight-month series of projects to articulate a strategic plan, develop an organizational structure and define a system of operations.  During that time we developed an employee handbook, improved the benefits and compensation packages, drafted a communications plan, built logic models and program development plans, grew the stakeholder base of the organization and engaged them in strategic planning, established the first formal board of directors and wrote bylaws.  All culminated in the establishment of a new Business Manager position and the publication of a five-year strategic plan.

Currently, we continue to provide coaching support to the Executive Director and board through our partnership with The Ostara Group.

The Austin Creative Alliance (ACA) is a central Texas service organization established to shepherd the work of the community-led Create Austin Plan.  It’s mission to advance, connect and celebrate Austin’s arts, cultural and creative communities in order to nourish and strengthen the character, quality of life and economic prosperity of the region.

The ACA was born out of a legacy organization, the Austin Circle of Theaters (ACOT), and is going through a period of redevelopment as it grows its activities beyond the ACOT programming and expands its base of support.

Early in 2013, Fife Consulting was brought in to do an organization-wide strategic assessment, help facilitate board discussions, provide technical support to program management and coach the executive leadership.

Twilight Artist Collective was an artist-run gallery in West Seattle (now Twilight Gallery and Boutique).  Previously, it was a volunteer-run community-based artist collective gallery.

During his time at Shunpike, principal Andy Fife provided planning guidance and coaching, helping to establish an organizational development plan.

Theatre Off Jackson operates a multi-user mid-size theatre facility in Seattle’s International District neighborhood, offering a season of projects co-produced with local performance companies.

During his time at Shunpike, principal Andy Fife provided facilitation and coaching for board and leadership and advising on financial systems.

The Genius Awards, The Stranger’s non-profit granting program, delivers $25,000 of cash support each year to local talented artists in the disciplines of visual art, literature, film, music, and theater. There is no application process for this honor, as honorees are selected by the genius alumni and editorial staff of The Stranger.

During his time at Shunpike, principal Andy Fife provided coaching and business advising to The Stranger of fundraising and messaging as well as the development of a joint fundraising event.