Impact Stories
In this page, you can learn more about our work with past arts partners. These “impact stories” include testimonials and case studies.
Leadership Retreat Facilitation: Strategic Vision Alignment
National Museum of Mexican Art, Chicago
Julie Simpson Consulting Services & Terra Cotta partnered with the National Museum of Mexican Art (NMMA) in Chicago to design and facilitate a leadership retreat focused on aligning the Museum’s strategic vision around shared definitions, collective values, and impact goals. Through a collaborative process, we helped clarify the Museum’s mission, values, and long-term impact while reflecting on its nearly 40-year history. The retreat fostered a deeper awareness of key partners shaping the Museum’s future, established practices for strategic decision-making, and strengthened leadership engagement. Outcomes included concrete recommendations for ongoing internal alignment and collective decision-making, ensuring NMMA moves forward with clarity and purpose.
Business (Not) As Usual Workshop
For artists and creatives
In partnership with solidarity economy designer Renata Ballesteros, we facilitated our “Business (Not) As Usual” workshop at the Chicago Art Department in March 2024. During this workshop, art makers, creative entrepreneurs, and cultural workers explored different approaches to incorporating their creative businesses: nonprofit organizations, limited liability companies (LLCs), and cooperative (co-op) structures.
The main objective of this session is to offer individuals various incorporation options that align with their values while considering anti-capitalist and liberatory principles rooted in solidarity economy.
Contact us if you’re interested in offering this workshop at your organization.
Participatory Research & Collective Data Analysis
2023 Imagining America Gathering
Building upon the conference theme of “Radical Reckoning: Invoking the Elements for Collective Change,” terra cotta conducted a workshop in collaboration with Judy Pryor-Ramirez, NYU Professor, Researcher & Facilitator for Social Change.
Judy and Constanza, terra cotta’s founder, explored methods for creating conditions for equitable participation in group settings where uneven power dynamics might arise. They combined two research and data collection/analysis methods: Story Circles and Brainwriting + Affinity Mapping.
Strategic Envisioning & Planning
Water People Theater
Water People Theater is a Latina-led nonprofit organization that believes in the transformative power of theater. Their mission is to leverage the power of high-quality performances and educational offerings to advance social values, defend human rights, and inspire people to become changemakers.
Testimonials
"The experience with terra cotta has been crucial for our organization, Water People Theater. The vision of its leader, Constanza Mendoza, is relevant and timely for an organization like ours, which, after 22 years of history, needs a moment of reflection to continue growing.
terra cotta and Constanza have been instrumental in this turning point and evaluation to define how we live our present, leading us to a new story.
Constanza is a high-level professional due to her immense humanity, ability to listen and empathize, and commitment. We have learned a lot while working with her. Thank you, terra cotta and Constanza!"
terra cotta and Constanza have been instrumental in this turning point and evaluation to define how we live our present, leading us to a new story.
Constanza is a high-level professional due to her immense humanity, ability to listen and empathize, and commitment. We have learned a lot while working with her. Thank you, terra cotta and Constanza!"
"In June 2020, the Sala Mendoza Foundation conducted the Online Organizational Culture Laboratory for artistic and cultural institutions. Directed by Constanza Mendoza, it was an unprecedented initiative in Venezuela, as organizational thinking in the cultural field tends to need more offers not linked to academia.
Focusing on creating strong and competent organizational structures, the program conveyed the vital needs and routes to defining mission, vision, and values. Constanza developed a memorable and useful experience that generates fundamental reflections beyond cultural management and organizational culture."
Focusing on creating strong and competent organizational structures, the program conveyed the vital needs and routes to defining mission, vision, and values. Constanza developed a memorable and useful experience that generates fundamental reflections beyond cultural management and organizational culture."
“Constanza's advice was accurate and stimulating. We were able to share valuable creative exchanges and respond to challenges with the necessary speed and precision.”
Working with terra cotta has been one of the best decisions as an organization and team. Constanza is very professional, compassionate, motivating, and precise. In working with her, communication has been the vehicle to progress, identify obstacles, evaluate, and grow strategically.
terra cotta is a space for connection, humanity, and certainty. terra cotta is the future. Thank you, Constanza!"
terra cotta is a space for connection, humanity, and certainty. terra cotta is the future. Thank you, Constanza!"