Bakehouse Strategic Planning Survey: Here's What We Found

Rendering courtesy of Michael Maltzan Architecture Inc.

We're excited to share the results of our strategic planning survey! We were fortunate to work with Paul Darvasi from Goldbug Interactive on the survey design, which included short videos to help explain why each question was so essential to our thinking.

We received responses from 127 participants who generated over 50 pages of feedback. The responses were rich with ideas and aspirations for Bakehouse's future.

The survey revealed a desire for diverse facilities, emphasizing improved infrastructure, modularity, and communal spaces. The ideal residency program was seen as one that nurtures artists, builds community, and expands opportunities through mentorship and visibility.

In terms of programs, there was a call for a wider variety of offerings that cater to both artists and the wider community. Participants also shared suggestions on how to make Bakehouse more equitable, engaging, and welcoming. Ideas ranged from enhancing the accessibility of our spaces with things like digital signage and an expanded Bakehouse website, to making our application processes more transparent. To share just of many clever ideas: one respondent suggested we work with the city to add a trolley stop close to Bakehouse, which would link us to the Allapattah station and improve our accessibility.

These insights provide direction for our future plans and underscore the importance of creating a space that is not just about supporting art production, but more broadly aspires to become a place that draws innovative minds into an intentional community, while expanding opportunities for personal and professional growth. Bakehouse is the place where people come to find creativity.

For a more detailed overview of the survey results, we've prepared a set of PowerPoint slides, accessible here. We’ve compiled a list of selected arts and culture institutions recommended by participants, available here. We encourage you to explore them as we do, to elevate our collective learning.

We're deeply grateful to all who participated in the survey for their time, input, and commitment to Bakehouse's future. This is incredibly invaluable as we continue to work towards our vision of a vibrant, community-centered cultural campus. There will be more opportunities for community input as we move forward with our plans and planning.