Dear Dreamers and Doers,

We stand with you in what has become an unthinkable moment for arts and culture in America. The very expressions of humanity that have carried us through our darkest hours — our stories, our music, our creative spaces — are now caught in the crosshairs of a widening cultural divide.

From national art institutions to your local children’s library, we’re witnessing unprecedented challenges to the foundational belief that human expression deserves to be protected, honored, and shared. Many of you have reached out, voices filled with a mixture of determination and concern, asking how to navigate these treacherous waters while staying true to your mission.

When the Ground Shifts Beneath Your Feet

The language that once united us in our efforts to create inclusive, representative spaces has been weaponized. Words like “diversity,” “equity,” and “inclusion” — which at their heart simply acknowledge our shared humanity — have become lightning rods in the current storm.

But remember this: The politics of the moment may claim certain words, but they cannot claim the timeless values behind them or the actions you’re employing. When your museum shows ancient artifacts from multiple civilizations, when your theater produces works from varied perspectives, when your dance company incorporates diverse movement traditions — you’re not being “political.” You’re being human. You’re being arts and culture.

It’s still true: actions speak louder than words.

Return to Your Higher Purpose

When you don’t know what to do, go back to basics. Just as the overwhelmed fundraiser goes back to the simple task of working the money, arts leaders must return to the work of focusing on their purpose.

Your mission probably hasn’t changed. The world around it has. Again.

Ask yourself: What is our higher purpose? What human need does our organization serve? How do we articulate that need without getting blown to bits in today’s verbal minefields?

Flexibility Within Firmness

Every organization’s situation differs. Some will gain more by holding firm in resistance, making bold statements that honor their values regardless of consequences. Others need strategic flexibility to remain resilient and continue serving their communities through uncertain times. There is no single right answer. Only the answer that aligns with your organization’s unique role, community, and circumstances.

Reimagining Our Language

If certain terms have become weaponized in the war on woke, consider alternatives that carry the same values: unity, representation, community, pluralism. We have other great choices. But remember—it’s not about finding perfect terminology. It’s about focusing on people and acknowledging their humanity.

Words matter, yes. But people matter more.*

Listen Before You Leap

Now more than ever, understanding your community’s mind is essential. Use surveys, focus groups, and roundtable discussions to listen deeply. Then serve accordingly.

The data you gather may surprise you. In tumultuous times, people often crave connection and meaning more than ever — precisely what arts and culture organizations are uniquely positioned to provide.

You’ve Weathered Storms Before

Remember: You survived a global pandemic. You activated strategies, pivoted programs, reimagined delivery methods, and continued your work when the world shut down. The resilience you demonstrated then lives within your organization now.

This moment calls for the same courage, creativity, and commitment that brought you through before.

The Path Forward

As you navigate these uncharted waters, consider these guiding principles:

1. Center on your values without becoming entangled in terminology wars
2. Strengthen community connections when divisiveness threatens
3. Focus on human experiences rather than political positions
4. Tell stories that transcend the current moment
5. Find strength together with other arts organizations

We don’t pretend to have all the answers. Every organization’s journey through this landscape will be different, influenced by factors that may be invisible to outside observers.

But this we know for certain: The arts have survived centuries of challenge precisely because they speak to something essential in the human spirit. It will survive the destruction of DEI and the woke wars. What you do matters profoundly. Perhaps now more than ever.

Here’s to Standing Strong,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl

 DRMTM is your thought partner in helping to solve these issues and more. Let’s talk. Reach out to us at https://scheduler.zoom.us/laura-morse/drmtm-bold-brand-conversations to schedule a conversation.

 *We love how VocalEssence captures this perfectly in their messaging:

Mission: VocalEssence draws upon the power of singing together to nurture community, inspire creativity, affirm the value of all persons, and expand the influence of choral music.

 As a professional choral organization, we live our values in order to:

• Bridge societal difference,
• Remain open to continuous learning,
• Celebrate singing as an essential human expression

For more, see VocalEssence Who We Are.  

Dear Dreamers and Doers,

Honesty Zone – this article is a good 4 to 5-minute read and worth it if you’re even THINKING of working on your brand in the next couple of years. If you’re both time-pressed and hungry for strategic insights, this article is perfect for that coffee break epiphany moment!

The hard truth about cultural branding? Timing is everything — and most organizations leap before they look.

We’ve all felt that brand itch: the nagging sensation that your visual identity doesn’t quite match your ambitions, your messaging sounds like everyone else’s, or worse—your internal team can’t consistently articulate why you matter. But before you race toward that shiny rebrand horizon, pause to consider whether you’re truly ready for what comes next.

At DRMTM, we’ve guided numerous arts and culture organizations through transformative rebranding journeys, and we’ve learned one critical lesson: the most successful projects begin with honest self-reflection, not color palette debates.

The Brand Readiness Revelation

Your brand is intensely personal — your collective identity, your mission embodied, the foundation of your uniquely important message. And yet, we consistently see organizations dive into rebranding without fully understanding what they’re committing to.

The pattern is predictable: initial enthusiasm gives way to resistance when the process challenges preconceptions. Team members who swore they wanted “bold and different” suddenly retreat to “safe and familiar” when faced with truly breakthrough ideas. The board that unanimously approved the rebrand starts second-guessing when they see concepts that push beyond their comfort zone.

Sound familiar? You’re not alone.

Successful rebranding requires more than a cool new logo or catchy tagline — it demands organizational readiness to embrace change, challenge assumptions, and get vulnerable with your authentic purpose.

How to Know If You’re Actually Ready

Before embarking on a brand transformation journey, ask yourself these revealing questions:

1. Is your leadership stable and aligned?

Brand evolution requires steady guidance. If your executive director is leaving, your artistic director is battling the board, or you’re undergoing significant structural changes, pause the rebrand conversation. A brand project led by a leadership team in flux almost always results in wasted resources and half-measures.

2. Do you honestly know what your community thinks?

Not what you hope they think—what they actually think. Most organizations operate on assumptions rather than evidence. Are you regularly gathering objective feedback from audiences, non-audiences, donors, and partners about how they perceive your organization? If not, you’re building on quicksand.

3. Can your organization handle healthy disruption?

Transformative branding should challenge assumptions and push comfort zones. Does your culture embrace informed risk? Can you have productive debates without descending into drama? Do you retreat to “we’ve always done it this way” when faced with new perspectives?

4. Are you resource-ready?

Branding isn’t just a creative exercise — It’s an investment with ongoing implementation needs. Beyond the initial development costs, consider:

• Will you need to update signage, materials, and digital platforms?
• Do you have staff capacity to manage consistent application?
• Is your budget realistic not just for creation but implementation?

A beautiful new brand that’s inconsistently applied or that sits unused because you can’t afford to implement it is worse than your current imperfect brand.

5. Are you seeking evolution or validation?

Perhaps the most revealing question: Are you genuinely open to change, or are you secretly hoping for external validation of what you already believe? The most successful clients approach branding with genuine curiosity rather than predetermined conclusions.

The Readiness Assessment Approach

At DRMTM, we begin every potential brand partnership with our Brand Readiness Assessment — a diagnostic tool that evaluates an organization’s capacity for meaningful brand evolution across multiple dimensions:

• Alignment between internal identity and external perception
• Clarity about current brand strengths and weaknesses
• Organizational culture and change-readiness
• Resource capacity for implementation
• Leadership stability and decision-making processes
• Research foundations and community understanding

The assessment isn’t about grading your efforts — it’s about setting up for success. Sometimes the most valuable outcome is recognizing you need six months of groundwork before launching a rebrand.

Whether your organization is large or small, DRMTM’s expert consulting support can create your readiness plan and position your branding project for success.

Your Next Steps

If you’re contemplating a brand evolution, start with honest self-assessment. Remember, delaying a rebrand until you’re truly prepared isn’t time wasted — it’s strategic wisdom that will ultimately lead to more transformative outcomes. Sometimes the bravest decision is recognizing you need to strengthen your foundation before building your beacon.

When you’re genuinely ready to create a brand that boldly articulates your mission, authentically connects with your community, and strategically drives your future growth, we’re here to guide the journey.

Want to review your brand readiness? Schedule an appointment to talk it over by clicking HERE. 

Here’s to Ready, Set, Go!

DRMTM

Dear Dreamers and Doers,

Let’s talk about the elephant in the cultural center lobby: relevance. It’s that nagging feeling when your programs are stellar but attendance is slipping. When your mission statement sounds impressive but doesn’t move hearts. When you’re speaking, but your community isn’t listening.

The Truth About Relevance in 2025

Here’s the bold truth: If you don’t know where you’re going and why you matter, you don’t have a brand – you have a logo and some nice fonts. Relevance isn’t just about being current; it’s about being necessary to your community’s cultural fabric.

Signs You’re Facing a Relevance Revolution:

• Your identity feels disconnected from today’s community needs
• You’re leading communications with programs instead of purpose
• Your brand speaks more about you than the people you serve
• Your messaging sounds like it could belong to any arts organization
• Your visual identity doesn’t reflect the diversity of your community

The Power of Research-Driven Relevance

Remember this: You are what they think you are. Not what your board thinks. Not what your marketing materials claim. What your community actually experiences is your brand. This is why understanding your relevance requires asking tough questions and listening harder than you speak.

Getting Real About Relevance

Want to measure where you stand? Answer Yes or No to these critical relevance points:

1. Purpose Clarity

• Can you articulate your higher purpose without mentioning a single program?
• Does your mission statement make people feel something?
• Are you solving real community needs or just running nice programs?

2. Community Connection

• Do your materials speak more about your community than about you?
• Are diverse voices and faces authentically represented in your storytelling?
• Can people see themselves in your brand?

3. Bold Communication

• Have you eliminated insider language and jargon?
• Does your messaging inspire action or just share information?
• Are you brave enough to stand for something meaningful?

The Relevancy Reality Check

Time for some real talk: Your answers should say Yes to at least six of the nine relevance points. Below that? You’re likely struggling to connect meaningfully with your community. But don’t panic – this is fixable.

Your Next Bold Moves:

1. Survey your stakeholders (yes, ALL of them) about what truly matters to them
2. Audit your materials for jargon and replace with human language
3. Look for places where program information drowns out your purpose
4. Gather testimonials that reflect your community’s diversity
5. Ask yourself: “Could any other organization say exactly what we’re saying?” Learn to speak from the uniqueness of your mission.

Relevance isn’t a destination – it’s an ongoing dialogue with your community. It requires constant attention, authentic listening, and the courage to evolve. When you nail it, though? That’s when your brand becomes not just seen, but sought after.

Ready to revolutionize your relevance? Start by giving your brand an honest assessment. The first three organizations to reach out this month will get a complimentary relevancy assessment with DRMTM. Email us at hello@thedrmtm.com.

Here’s to being sought after,

DRMTM

How’s that for keeping it real?

Dear DRMRS and Doers,

Welcome to 2025! While folks are still busy making (and breaking) their New Year’s resolutions, we’re declaring something bigger: 2025 is officially The Year of the Bold Brand.

Why? Because playing it safe is so 2024. And if you’re not updating your strategy for success with your brand in mind, you’re still in the 20th century.

At DRMTM, our 2025 goals include leading revolutionary brand strategy that builds democracy and capacity, drives fundraising, and creates lasting cultural impact for arts and culture organizations just like yours.

Your Strategic Strike Force

Yes, we build the sector’s best brands. But we’re also an expert consulting firm available to guide your current brand’s focus and growth. That nagging question about sub-branding your new initiative? We’ve got you. Board members stuck in 1995 about your rebrand? We’ll help you navigate that conversation. Need to know if your brand is truly serving your community? Let’s dig into that research.

What’s Coming in 2025

Each month, we’re dropping knowledge bombs on the topics that keep arts leaders up at night:

• Brand relevance (who you are to people) in the age of AI and immersive experiences
• Building authentic brand culture (HR, listen up)
• When to evolve vs. when to overhaul your brand
• Making your board your biggest brand champions
• Sub-branding without losing your focus
• Brand democracy: if you build it they will come
• The connection between bold brands and fundraising success

Plus, we’ll share some insider-info about how to get your whole team to actually agree on that new logo. (Yes, it’s possible. We have evidence.)

Ready to Go Bold? Don’t wait for a crisis to think about your brand strategy. Whether you need a full transformation or just a strategic gut-check, we’re here with the expertise, tools, and let’s be honest — the most fun you’ll have while tackling serious organizational change.

Here’s to bold, bolder, boldest,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl

P.S. Got a burning brand question? Hit us up here on Calendly. First three organizations to reach out in January get a free Happy Half Hour strategy session to ask us anything about your brand.

Chorus America Collab is a Dream Come True

Dear DRMRS and Doers,

When Chorus America invited DRMTM to share our branding wisdom in their award-winning publication, The Voice, we couldn’t help but sing from the rooftops! From presenting at their Atlanta conference to diving deep into brand strategy for their national magazine, 2024 has been a harmony of creative collaboration with this incredible organization.

Your cultural organization or national arts agency can also discover how a bold brand is the key to greater impact. Our latest article breaks down the what, when, and why of cultural transformation through strategic branding. Enjoy reading The Voice and getting to know the incredible brand culture of Chorus America. We know you will love them as much as we do!

Click Here To Read Article!

Finished reading? Email us here at hello@thedrmtm.com to chat with our team about bringing this strategy to your organization or conference.

Here’s to incredible collaborations,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl

Have You Been Kheli-fied Yet?
​Meet Our Culture Transformation Guru

Dear DRMRS and Doers,

Real talk: building a bold brand isn’t just about killer logos and punchy taglines (though we love those too). It’s about creating genuine cultural transformation from the inside out. That’s why we’re over the moon to introduce you to our brilliant brand culture expert, Dr. Kheli Willetts.

Why We’re Impressed and Obsessed
​Picture this: 25 years of nonprofit and education leadership + a PhD + super-powers in IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access) = one absolutely incredible force for organizational change. Kheli knows how to turn big ideas into real, actionable culture shifts that stick.

The Kheli Effect
When major players like the National Museum of African American Music and the Bullock Texas State History Museum need to level up their cultural game, they call Kheli. As DRMTM’s primary IDEA and brand culture operations consultant, she’s our secret weapon for helping organizations walk their talk – from mission statements to daily operations.

Super-Powers Include:

• Nonprofit genius
• Arts programming mastery
• Community engagement magic
• Leadership transformation
• Infrastructure development skills
• IDEA implementation expertise

But Wait, There’s More
​Because being amazing at one thing isn’t enough, Kheli also serves on the board of the Texas Association of Museums and spent 15 years dropping knowledge in higher education.

Ready to Get Kheli-fied? If your organization is ready to transform its culture from the inside out, you’re in luck – Kheli is part of our DRMTM family. And trust us, family doesn’t let family build brands without solid cultural foundations.

Click this email link at hello@thedrmtm.com to request a culture chat. We’ll connect you with Kheli faster than you can say “cultural transformation.”

Here’s to building better brands from the inside out,

Surale + Laura + Cheryl