UTSA seeks community input on ITC Centennial 2068 visioning process

FEBRUARY 3, 2022 — Editor's note: Availability of the online survey has been extended through Thursday, February 17.

The University of Texas at San Antonio recently completed the first phase of the ITC Centennial 2068, a community-wide visioning process to plan for the future of the Institute of Texan Cultures. UTSA invited diverse community leaders to form three task forces to focus on areas of importance for future planning: “Museum of the Future”; Community Engagement and Sustaining Support; and Facility and Land Stewardship. Each task force concluded their work with recommendation reports, which will inform the next phase of the visioning process by the steering committee.

The public now has an opportunity to provide feedback on the recommendations from the three task forces through a survey, the results of which will be shared with the steering committee led by Sabrina Casas-Avila, vice chair of the ITC Advisory Council, and Carlos Martinez, chief of staff and senior vice president for institutional strategic planning, compliance risk management, and office operations for UTSA. The steering committee will then carefully consider and integrate each task force’s recommendations and an additional round of community input to develop feasible scenarios to present to UTSA President Taylor Eighmy for further consideration. 

“Ultimately our goal is to ensure the ITC remains—and exceeds expectations—as an exemplary cultural heritage institution.”

“We’re grateful for the commitment of our task force members who have so diligently and generously given of their time and expertise to bring us to this transition phase in the ITC Centennial 2068 visioning process,” Casas-Avila said.

“Task force members studied expert consultant reports and historical materials, listened to panels of diverse experts and considered the wide range of community input in developing their recommendations,” Martinez added. “Their reports will provide the foundation, alongside the input from community members, from which to develop feasible scenarios for consideration. Ultimately our goal is to ensure the ITC remains—and exceeds expectations—as an exemplary cultural heritage institution.”

A Year of Progress

UTSA first introduced ITC Centennial 2068 in January 2021 to further advance the university’s efforts to provide current and future generations with a greater awareness of and appreciation for Texas’ unique cultural heritage. The initiative continues to make strides towards completing the visioning process for the next 50 years of the Institute of Texan Cultures and its museum, the only resources in Texas devoted entirely to the state’s rich, diverse culture, past, present and future.

At the onset of the initiative, each task force was asked to develop a recommendation report to shape the potential for what the ITC could become to serve future generations. Task force members reviewed a wealth of background information, and studied impact reports and analysis from experts in museums, land use, development and community engagement. Finally, they surveyed community input to bring forth final recommendations.

“UTSA and San Antonio have a tremendous opportunity to shape the way Texas preserves and shares the story of its rich culture, while also leveraging our talented students and UTSA's designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution and R1 research university,” said UTSA Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Kimberly Andrews Espy. “We believe we can find creative solutions that take advantage of our Hemisfair location to support the ITC and downtown San Antonio, and to create a compelling, accessible and educational museum experience for visitors from across the state and around the world.”

Task Force Reports

Previews of each task force report are outlined below, and the full reports are publicly available for review.

• The “Museum of the Future” task force recommends a “new, multi-purpose facility that would remain in or around Hemisfair, to meet the requirements of the Alliance of American Museums, the Smithsonian Affiliate Program and other museum peers.” The group also recommends “the ITC strengthen its relationship with UTSA to support its dedication to telling the complete, non-biased history of Texas, and to further academic research, scholarship, and evidence-based exhibitions and programs.”
  
  
• The Community Engagement and Sustaining Support task force recommends the ITC “convey a new sense of the Institute’s relevance — what it stands for, its mission, its programming, and its place in serving a meaningful role in our community and beyond.” The group also advocates for the ITC to “pursue new opportunities for community partnerships and entrepreneurial revenue streams” to “build a sustainable, community-based model for the future” of the institute.
  
  
• The Facility and Land Stewardship task force recommends focusing on “five key areas: clarifying targeted users, identifying top functions and uses for the facility, enhancing access, surrounding the institute with shared spaces and attractors, and creating flexible interior spaces.” The group also indicates that an optimal ITC “support expanded cultural events, offer permanent and traveling exhibits, support academic facilities and have affordable dining and retail options.”

Community Conversations: Round 2

Members of the Roadrunner community and the general public are invited to share their feedback on the task force reports via an online survey, which is available now through Thursday, February 17. The steering committee welcomes and highly encourages survey participation—sooner rather than later—to ensure community voices are heard, and concerns and ideas incorporated, throughout the committee’s planning process.

As mentioned above, the community will have a final opportunity to provide input on the scenarios put forward by the steering committee from its synthesis of the task force recommendations, expert consultations and prior community feedback. More information on this public input opportunity will be posted on the ITC Centennial 2068 Visioning website later this spring.

ITC Operations and Events

The ITC will reopen to the public on Thursday, February 10, resuming its regular hours of operation from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays. This semester, ITC staff will host several UTSA student projects as it continues to strengthen experiential learning and creative classroom opportunities. Students will participate in podcast creation and data driven digital humanities projects that will further promote Texas’ rich cultural heritage. Visit the ITC’s website for additional details.