At the height of the pandemic, KST staff, board members, artists, and community members came together to reflect on the impact KST has made in our community and to imagine the impact KST will have 100 years from now. We envisioned KST as a national cultural destination, a brave and creative home for bold voices, owned by a Black Cultural Trust. Huddled around the Zoom screen, we recognized that the future of our organization hinges on our ability to strategically plan for the next three pivotal years. Owning our Future. Thriving Where We Live. sets forth KST’s path toward ownership, sustainability, and making this vision a reality.
Our plan has four pillars — four interconnected priorities for realizing our goals: Our Story, Our Space, Our Capacity, and Our Money.
Our Story guides KST’s strategic communications so regional and national audiences understand, share, and stand in support of major KST initiatives.
Our Space means developing and effectuating a plan that anchors KST in East Liberty as a property owner.
Our Capacity means ensuring KST is staffed and resourced sufficiently in order to provide our artists, patrons, and partners with high-quality, thought-provoking experiences.
Our Money addresses enhancing our business model in order to generate new earned revenue streams.
For KST, ownership is about safeguarding the spaces where we create as a community. Where we care for one another. And where we unapologetically claim our right to possess and present our stories. Our vision represents a collective moment to set brave intentions. For Pittsburgh, our region, and nationally. We must ensure our Black and queer communities have the freedom, ownership, and opportunity to nourish new generations. We must control our futures.
We choose to own our futures.
We choose to thrive where we live.
We will achieve our vision by working in partnership across sectors with community, allied partners, and You. We are determined to own our future and thrive where we live: Join us.
As you read our strategic plan, imagine where you will fit into this journey. Consider Supporting the mission by adding your voice today.