Education & Public Practice

San Francisco, California

In 2016, SFMOMA reopened following a major architectural expansion designed by Snøhetta — a transformation that positioned the museum as more outward-facing and integrated with the civic life of the Bay Area.

Amid this institutional renewal, the Education and Public Practice (EPP) department sought to reflect on its evolving role and deepen its relationships with the diverse communities it serves.

CSC partnered with EPP to evaluate and strengthen three partnership-centered initiatives, including collaborations with public high schools, civic institutions, artists, and local cultural organizations.

Rather than treating evaluation as performance measurement alone, the engagement examined the relational and structural conditions that enable meaningful collaboration. Drawing insight from adjacent fields — including ecology, social justice, equitable planning, and ensemble-based arts practice — the work explored how collaborative models generate shared value across institutions and communities.

The process focused on:

• Identifying conditions that support trust-based partnerships
• Clarifying how collaborative programming expands access and relevance
• Examining how institutional design shapes community engagement
• Developing an evaluation framework to support adaptive learning

The resulting framework strengthened EPP’s capacity to design programs rooted in reciprocity, accountability, and cultural responsiveness — ensuring that partnership is not episodic, but embedded in institutional practice.

This engagement reflects CSC’s broader commitment to aligning organizational design, relational infrastructure, and community-centered strategy — supporting cultural institutions in deepening their civic role with integrity and intention.