Reaching into Arts Park, a crowd of hundreds soaked up the energy and excitement that flowed down the steps of the Allentown Art Museum, spilling onto Fifth Street when “The Big Reveal” was unveiled and an ambitious trajectory was set for the arts in the Lehigh Valley.

On a “Third Thursday,” a once-month center city Allentown arts destination event, it’s not a coincidence that Museum officials would reveal its strategic plan for the 21st century, drawing the curiosity and attention of an estimated 250 Lehigh Valley residents, museum members and supporters, politicians, professionals, business people and art lovers during an evening of film, art, music, performance, poetry and discussion that continued until 9 p.m. Oct. 19.

“We are here today to ‘Ignite the imagination and light the slow fuse of the possible,’ said Priscilla Payne Hurd President & CEO David Mickenberg, quoting author Emily Dickinson, as he set the stage for revealing a five-year plan to transform the Museum.

“A little over two years ago the board designed, created and adopted a strategic plan. We are in a very changing world. So, we’ve got to change,” said Museum Board of Trustees Chair Dolores Laputka.

Laputka said the board overwhelmingly supports a commitment to embracing all of the arts and making the Museum the epicenter for artists, educators and the community, and declaring the arts a pathway to cultural and social discourse and collaboration.

Mickenberg announced the new strategic plans and operational, programatic and management initiatives derived from four key pillars: increase community impact, ensure excellence, engage audience and build capacity. These include:

Center for Innovation and Creativity -An expansion of the Museum structure, revenue generating affordable artist housing, conference center and community space;

Museum Institute -A think tank for collaborative community and cultural discourse on the role of the arts, also where artists are taught to be educators. The Institute will be the core of the Museum’s strategy to engage the community in the arts of all forms;

Middle School Summer Arts Camp -Free to 100 students, starting in summer 2018, and

Artline -Walking trails from 30 Allentown schools to the Museum traversing parks, historic sites, architecture, public art, conservation lands.

A City Center Allentown partnership includes memberships and programming for downtown Strata apartment residents, artist residences and programming partnership with the Museum Institute.

Board Development Committee Chair Michelle Stringer backed up the plan with financial and operational successes noted in the Museum’s 2016 Annual Report.

“These museum doors opened 90,000 times to visitors last year. We are transforming our community one person, one idea at a time, meeting social and economic and educational goals of our community. But we are also transforming ourselves,” Stringer said.

The Museum’s location in downtown Allentown creates an opportunity for collaboration with schools, government, and business, and with City Center Allentown, a hallmark downtown developer.

“Arts organizations and their patrons have generated over $186 million for the Lehigh Valley in 2015 alone, and the Allentown Art Museum has been a foundational institution in our arts community for over 80 years. It’s not only been a cultural leader but it’s been a key economic driver,” said J,B. Reilly, City Center Allentown president, CEO and Co-Founder. “We are very excited about the future of Allentown and the expanded role the arts will play to make this a more vibrant and livable community.”

Dan Wells, chair of the Board of Trustees Marketing Committee, said the visual persona of the Museum is transitioning with a new logo.

Allentown residents Kate and Peter Kareha, co-chairs of Circle 31, represented the Museum’s future through their leadership in Circle 31, the voice of the younger generation providing guidance and feedback to the Museum as the new programs and partnerships are developed.

Mickenberg said plans are being developed to expand facilities, design a marketing program to reach untapped audiences, address staff development and training, and launch a capital campaign.

Sustainability and financial stability will also be evaluated. The Museum is looking toward a future of growth and expansion with manageable debt and revenue generation through creative use of the proposed expanded facilities. The logo, a new website, expanded social media reach and “Synergy,” a redesigned magazine for Museum members, will help share in-depth information with the community about what the Museum is doing and why, according to museum officials.