Karamu House makes changes to staff, programming

Karamu House announced on Thursday that it will make significant changes to its programming for children and reduce its staff.

In a press release, Karamu said it will temporarily discontinue its after school programming, transition its Early Childhood/Daycare program to another provider, and reduce its theatre, administrative and operations staff. 

The organization said these actions, unanimously approved by Karamu's board of directors, are part of a strategic plan to strengthen Karamu's mission and eliminate or reposition programs that place a disproportionate strain on its finances. 

Karamu said in late 2014, it faced a change in funder priorities and an uncertain financial future. The board launched an extensive strategic planning process that looked at all parts of the organization. After more than a year of review and analysis, it was clear that the organization was not sustainable at the time and changes needed to be made.

According to Karamu, transitioning the Early Childhood/Daycare program will eliminate eight full-time positions, discontinuing the after school program will eliminate two full-time positions, and the cut on staff will eliminate three full-time and two part-time positions, including that of longtime Karamu Artistic Director Terrence Spivey. 

Karamu said it expects to restart newly designed after school programs in Fall 2016. 

“The board and leadership do not take these actions lightly and these decisions were made only after careful consideration and review of alternatives and their financial implications,” explained Karamu President and CEO Tony F. Sias. “We took a holistic approach in looking at the entire organization. We are confident that the new, streamlined structure is sustainable and will strengthen this historic institution and help it remain a vital part of Cleveland’s cultural traditions.”

The Karamu House also offered a list of frequently asked questions related to the changes. It can be viewed below.

Karamu House

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What action did the Board take?

In January 2016, the board of directors unanimously adopted a new strategic plan which, by streamlining and re-focusing all parts of the organization, will carry Karamu into its next century and help ensure that we continue to fulfill our mission.
 

2. Will there be an immediate impact on the organization?

 

As part of a holistic approach to the strategic planning process, the board and staff leadership looked at programs that do not advance Karamu’s mission, or that place a disproportionate strain on its finances and viability. As a result we made several difficult, but necessary decisions:

• Transition our Early Childhood/Daycare program to another provider resulting in eliminating eight full- time positions.
• Temporarily discontinue our after-school program and work with other nearby providers to place students currently in that program, resulting in eliminating two full- time positions. We expect to continue a pick-up service for our students to a new provider if needed from February 29, 2016 through March 11, 2016. We expect to restart a newly designed after-school program in the fall of this year.
• We are meeting with parents and sending letters home explaining our Early Childhood/Daycare and after-school programs transition and offering assistance in helping them identify alternatives.
• Streamline theatre, administration and operations, resulting in eliminating three full-time and two part-time positions.

3. Why now?

 

For a century, Karamu House has been a gem of the Fairfax neighborhood, providing theatre, arts education and community programming that honors the African-American experience. In late 2014, faced with changing funder priorities and an eroding and uncertain financial picture, Karamu’s Board launched an extensive strategic planning process that examined and analyzed all parts of the organization. After more than a year of thorough and careful review and analysis, it became clear that the status quo wasn’t sustainable and that changes needed to be made.

 

4. How will you streamline theatre operations?

 

Our new, leaner leadership structure aligns arts education across all program areas. Theatre operations will be co-led by the Director of Programs and Production Manager under the direction of the President and CEO. This action results in eliminating two full-time positions, including the role of Artistic Director.

 

5. Why did you choose to eliminate the role of the Artistic Director?

 

The board and leadership do not take these actions lightly and these decisions were made only after careful consideration and review of alternatives and their financial implications. We took a holistic approach in looking at the entire organization. The new, streamlined structure is sustainable and leverages the multiple competencies of a team of professionals with decades of artistic, technical and administrative experience.

 

6. What are you doing to maintain Karamu’s century-old legacy of outstanding theatre?

 

We are confident that these difficult, but necessary changes will strengthen this historic institution and help it remain a vital part of Cleveland’s cultural traditions. Aligning arts education across all program areas will restore Karamu’s legacy as a training ground for lifelong learners in the arts. In addition, we will do an extensive renovation of our largest theatre, thanks to an Ohio Facilities Commission grant specifically earmarked for that purpose.

 

7. What happens to those whose programs or positions are being eliminated?

 

Any employees whose positions are eliminated as a result of these changes will receive severance pay. We are working with the Council for Economic Opportunity in Greater Cleveland (CEOGC), which has indicated that they may extend employment opportunities to some of our current Daycare teachers.

 

8. How will you improve your arts education program?

 

Our goal is to align arts education across all of Karamu’s program areas and redesigning the pathway to our stage. The suspension of the current arts education effort will give us time to design and pilot new programs. . Options we plan to consider include a formal youth and adult theater training initiative; ways to more actively engage people in the Fairfax neighborhood and across Greater Cleveland in the theater; and more. We are committed to becoming a premier training ground for dance, theatre and vocal music for lifelong learners.