CASE STUDY
NASAA 2025 Executive Forum
FACILITATION
The Challenge
The National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) convenes state and jurisdictional arts agency leaders to learn from one another, share ideas, and strengthen the field. The 2025 Executive Forum brought together executive and deputy/assistant directors from across the country during a particularly critical moment—a time of policy shifts, budget uncertainties, and significant leadership transitions within state arts agencies.
NASAA wanted to create a space where this group of peer leaders could engage in in-depth, professionally facilitated dialogue about pressing issues facing state arts agencies, while also building the relationships and trust essential to a field experiencing considerable turnover. The forum needed to balance serious strategic work with genuine rest and renewal, honoring both the expertise participants brought and their need to feel supported and less isolated in their leadership roles.
Approach
Working alongside co-facilitator Jake McIntire of Union Creative, the two-day executive forum in Omaha was designed around three intentional pillars: connection, learning, and rest. A variety of facilitation methodologies were utilized to facilitate different learning and conversation styles.
A unique collaboration with the Special Agent Collage Collective (SACC) brought art into the room through a participatory collage mission titled “Why Art?”—inviting contributing artists to respond visually. Responses were compiled into Dossier #5, a zine distributed to all forum participants and contributing artists, creating a shared artifact for reflection.
Graphic recorder, Tim Foss, of More Belief documented the event through live graphic recording and collaging, pulling directly from World Cafe table notes into a final composite piece. This approach revealed collage as a powerful metaphor for how large-scale agency work functions—combining diverse ideas and learning from multiple sources into something cohesive and unique. The facilitation team remained deeply responsive to participant needs throughout, adapting in real time to honor both professional and personal dimensions of the experience.
The Impact
- Participants expanded their facilitation toolboxes with structured yet flexible approaches they could bring home to their agencies
- Creativity embedded throughout the forum strengthened engagement, learning, and emotional safety
- Safe space created for authentic self-expression and vulnerability among peer leaders navigating uncertain policy landscapes
- Participants experienced reduced isolation and renewed sense of collective purpose across the state arts agency field
- Collage emerged as both artistic practice and conceptual framework for understanding collaborative systems work
- Dossier #5 zine provided ongoing resource for reflection and facilitation inspiration
Capabilities & Roles
Capabilities Utilized: Visual Facilitation & Harvesting, Collaborative Design, Systems Thinking, Creative Integration and Arts Direction
Roles Fulfilled: Facilitator, Collaborative Designer, Creative Director
When asked, “What mattered most to you about how we facilitated the forum?” participants shared the following thoughts:
“Facilitators (and of course, NASAA staff). Seemed to have done pre-homework and knew your audience!”
“Very flexible facilitation. Lots of great discussion encouraged and stayed on time!”
“Approach and expanding the toolbox for our agencies.”
“Realized I am not experiencing this alone. Collage mentality!”
“The zine. The paper, markers and ability to doodle during World Cafe.”
“The opportunity to be able to openly express ourselves.”
“Interaction with peers. Didn’t want to do it, but needed it.”
“The variety of exercises and the injection of creativity and art. I also love the zine and the butcher paper notes (World Cafe).”
“Creation of a safe space was achieved more than usually achieved, encouraging lots of individual particiation and buy-in.”
“Really loved the facilitation methods and balance of open-ended and focused. As someone who facilitates a lot, I learned so much. Thank you!”
“The flexibility and choice allowed in how we addressed topics. Thank you!”
“The facilitation was on fleek, as the kids say. Thank you for a thoughtful, nourishing conference.”
“Very responsive to our needs (personally and professionally), the creativity built into everything.”
“Well prepared and organized in a way that allowed for genuine listening.”
