Sometimes Less is Less: A Case for Longer Mission Statements in the Arts
"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.”
-NOT Albert Einstein
A friend who is a brilliant and successful arts leader told me recently that a Mission Statement should never be longer than 10 words. This is someone with impressive experience. He’s someone I consistently go to for advice and inspiration, someone who really knows his stuff. But, in this case, he’s wrong.
Let’s first discuss what a mission statement is and why having one with clarity and direction is critical to success. Your mission is your North Star, your Guiding Light, your compass, your conscience, the reason you get out of bed in the morning, and the thing that keeps you up at night. It is the litmus test for every decision you make in your organization, from programming to messaging to staffing to fundraising and everything else. Additionally, when you have a clear mission statement that communicates your impact, it demonstrates to potential supporters, volunteers, funders, and more that your work makes a difference and is worthy of support.
Here’s what a mission is not: a tagline. Let’s take, for example, one of the most famous taglines in the world, and see if it passes the test. “Just do it.”
JUST DO IT BETTER
In a highly functioning nonprofit, leaders will defend every decision against its mission statement to ensure the work is always focused on advancing their core purpose. Let’s imagine a fictional theatre company, Mission Driven Theatre, using Nike’s brilliant tagline as their mission statement: Just Do It! Here’s a fictional meeting of the fictional leaders at the fictional Mission Driven Theatre:
Artistic Director: I have this idea to create a five hour play with no intermissions and no dialogue. In fact, there are no actors, sets, costumes, sound, or any visuals. The audience seating is intentionally uncomfortable. Nobody will want to come, and that’s the point. It’s a philosophical statement on why art should be uncomfortable and inaccessible. It’s also guaranteed to lose a lot of money, to highlight why capitalism is contrary to artistic expression. I call it: “Stay Home!”
Managing Director: This is perfectly aligned with our mission, so I say, Just Do It!
[Say it with me: Annnd…scene.]
Obviously, this is a gross exaggeration and does my smart friend’s point of view a disservice (but this is my article, so I get to do that). But, it works to highlight why a mission statement can suffer from being overly brief. “Just Do It” lacks the specificity to be the compass that guides their work.
I was disappointed to learn that the quote misattributed to Albert Einstein at the top of this article did not come from the handsome genius himself, but is likely (and extremely ironically) a successful paraphrasing of a much longer and unwieldy statement he actually wrote: “It can scarcely be denied that the supreme goal of all theory is to make the irreducible basic elements as simple and as few as possible without having to surrender the adequate representation of a single datum of experience.” “Just Do It” works brilliantly as a tagline, but let’s examine whether it surrenders the adequate representation of a single datum of experience… or rather, is as simple as possible, but not simpler.
THE SECRET SAUCE
So, what should go into a more successful Mission Statement? Really smart people can have different takes on this, and it’s not a science, so different approaches can be successful in different ways for different organizations. I’ll share with you my approach:
"Just Do It” doesn’t satisfy any of the essential components of the formula. But, for the sake of argument, neither do any of these arts organization Mission Statements*:
“Our mission is to inspire and educate through art.”
"To become the leading institution for Southwestern art.”
"To be a lively center that expands, inspires, and delivers a lifetime of art education and experiences.”
"To serve as the cultural hub of our area, inspiring curiosity and fostering a love for the arts in all."
"To inspire, educate, and entertain with cultural and artistic programs that embrace and uplift the diversity of our community.”
"We are devoted to preserving and promoting art for the enjoyment of future generations."
"To enhance the lives of our community through the power of the arts."
What each of these statements sacrifices for brevity is at the expense of helping the reader understand why their work truly matters and is worthy of patronage and deeper support.
*Note: Only some of these are real (and altered slightly to protect the organization) and some I made up to illustrate the point. This is not about shaming any arts organizations. I am so grateful to them for the work they do and the difference they make, which is why I am committed to helping more arts organizations more clearly articulate their impact in pursuit of greater success.
INSPIRATION IS EXCITING BUT UNCLEAR
Based on my unscientific (take that, Fake Einstein!) review of nonprofit mission statements, I can say confidently that variations of the word “inspire” (inspired, inspiration, inspirational) are among the most frequently used, especially in the arts. To inspire someone is an active and aspirational outcome of our work, and I’m not opposed to using it. I’ve tried to come up with better words, and it turns out, there’s a good reason why it’s chosen so frequently. It’s effective and accurate, but needs to be used with clarity and purpose.
Let’s check in again with our friends, the leaders of Mission Driven Theatre.
Artistic Director: My mission with this piece is to inspire our audiences.
Managing Director: Excellent! Inspire them to do what? Commit genocide?
Artistic Director: As long as they’re inspired, that’s all that matters.
Managing Director: Just Do It!
[Blackout]
If you want your mission to express your desire to inspire, it is critical to clarify what you want to inspire your audience to do.
ARTS LEADERS NEED TO GIVE CONTEXT TO THE IMPACT OF THEIR WORK
I’ve lived a life in the arts. I started performing theatre when I was six years old and kept on until I was thirty. I’ve worked with performing arts companies, museums, arts education, historic preservation, and more. Like most of my peers in this life, I’ve internalized the formative and transformative impact these experiences have had on my life.
As arts leaders, we too often take for granted that this impact is obvious to us, and assume it is equally obvious to others. For example, we often suggest that arts education leads to better academic and professional outcomes because, from our own experiences, we know it to be true.
But, we forget that most people in the world don’t share our lived experiences and honestly have no context for why an arts experience would qualify as anything more than entertainment, a diversion from real life. If we expect them to understand the deeper impact without explaining it to them, we’re not only missing an opportunity to connect with a potential audience member and or supporter, we’re doing our work a major disservice.
I’ve asked many who work in the arts to explain their impact, and the most common response is, “I don’t know how to put it into words, but (hand touching heart) I feel it in here.” This is where we need to do the incredibly difficult work of digging deep to understand and articulate the true impact to the uninitiated.
To be inviting and accessible, your Mission Statement needs to be powerful regardless of the readers’ history with the work you do.
SO, EVERYONE IS DOING IT WRONG THEN?
There are examples of arts organizations who write really compelling mission statements that clearly articulate their impact and why they deserve support. Allow me to share a few really good* ones:
The Art Institute of Chicago
“The Art Institute of Chicago shares its singular collections with our city and the world. We collect, care for, and interpret works of art across time, cultures, geographies, and identities, centering the vision of artists and makers. We recognize that all art is made in a particular context, demanding continual, dynamic reconsideration in the present. We are a place of gathering; we foster the exchange of ideas and inspire an expansive, inclusive understanding of human creativity.”
Mount Vernon
"The mission of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association is to preserve, restore, and manage the estate of George Washington to the highest standards and to educate visitors and people throughout the world about the life and legacies of George Washington, so that his example of character and leadership will continue to inform and inspire future generations."
Jazz at Lincoln Center
"The mission of Jazz at Lincoln Center is to entertain, enrich and expand a global community for jazz through performance, education, and advocacy. We believe jazz is a metaphor for Democracy. Because jazz is improvisational, it celebrates personal freedom and encourages individual expression. Because jazz is swinging, it dedicates that freedom to finding and maintaining common ground with others. Because jazz is rooted in the blues, it inspires us to face adversity with persistent optimism."
And, for good measure, here’s one I wrote:
The Laurent House
"We preserve the Laurent House to share Frank Lloyd Wright's vision of dignity and beautiful living for Kenneth Laurent, a disabled veteran. Through education and engaging experiences, we inspire our community and the world to integrate Wright's innovative principles into their own lives, exemplifying a better way of living that is accessible to all.”
*Note: While these statements effectively show what each organization does and their desired impact, two of them break one of my rules for writing effective mission statements: avoid phrases like “The mission of XXX is to…” or “Our mission is…” It’s unnecessary and can save a few words.
So, whose approach is better, my friend who wants Mission Statements to be 10 words or less, or me, who wrote this lengthy article to demonstrate the hazards of brevity? As much as I’d love to say the obvious answer to the question is me (annd…. Scene!), nothing in this work is that simple. I think it’s possible, in the most perfect situation, to craft a beautiful and compelling statement that is 10 words or less. But, if those 10 words don’t fully articulate your unique value and impact, you have my permission to use more. In fact, I’ll go further and tell you to: Just Do It!
Jeff Goodman is a nonprofit consultant specializing in helping arts organizations clarify their mission and amplify their impact. A former professional actor, he brings a creative approach to his consulting, enabling organizations to tell compelling stories that resonate with audiences and build lasting support. His signature program, Mission Critical, emphasizes collaboration and is dedicated to making the arts accessible, engaging, and exciting for all.