Nancy Quinn Fund Program
Now in its 15th year, The Nancy Quinn Technical Assistance Program is designed to provide resources to companies with annual operating budgets under $100,000.
Most small theatre companies are started by an artist or group of artists who have a specific aesthetic, clear artistic vision and a passion for the art form. These theatres provide the training ground for new artists, the testing ground for new ideas and the point of entry for new audiences. Despite their small budgets, these companies have become increasingly influential. For example, Sarah Ruhl, a 2006 MacArthur Fellow, is a founding member of 13P and Elliot, A Soldier’s Fugue by Quiara Alegria Hudes, produced by Page 73 Productions, was a finalist for the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Yet for all their artistic prowess, the artists who start these companies often have little in the way of administrative training. The Nancy Quinn Technical Assistance program provides practical advice and training on topics such as accounting, audience development, financial management, fundraising, individual giving, press and publicity, and special events, through workshops and one-on-one consultations. All the sessions are conducted by experienced professionals in the field.
Last year alone, 110 workshops and individual consultations, were attended by 118 people. Participation in the program is often a turning point for many companies and the workshops generate a plethora of ideas about how managers can run their organizations more effectively and better achieve their goals. In order to help companies execute some of their goals, a companion program, The Nancy Quinn Fund, provides these groups with cash grants.
The Nancy Quinn Technical Assistance Program is generously supported by American Express, the New York State Council on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, and The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation.