The Nancy Quinn Fund
The Nancy Quinn Fund was created in honor of Nancy Quinn, one time A.R.T./New York board member and former Artistic Director of Young Playwrights, Inc. Ms. Quinn strongly believed in the importance of giving young talent an opportunity to “have their say.” She showed tremendous respect for the voices of the next generation of artists and was committed to fostering the work of new, emerging, and small theatre companies. After she passed away in 1993, A.R.T./New York launched the Nancy Quinn Fund to assist its largest and most rapidly growing sector of member theatres – those with annual cash budgets under $100,000 – by providing management seminars, annual grants, and other services designed to help companies facing the challenges of producing in New York City.
Often on the cutting edge of the theatrical experience, these small theatres frequently produce world premieres that launch new careers, technology, techniques, and plays into the American Theatre lexicon. Despite the number of companies this size, however, very few funding resources are available to them. The Nancy Quinn Fund is designed specifically to help fill that need by providing general operating grants to those companies with budgets under $100,000.
Drawing on our experience with Quinn Fund theatres, it is A.R.T./New York’s belief that the companies that will thrive in the 21st century will best address the following questions:
- Does the company have a strong artistic center?
- Does the company clearly articulate its mission and core programming?
- Does the company work with an effective and appropriate management structure?
- Is the company fiscally responsible?
Grants range in size from $500 to $2,000 with no grant exceeding 10% of the theatre's expenses for its most recently completed fiscal year. If your organization's budget is less than $5,000, apply for the $500 minimum grant. If your most recently completed fiscal year was unusually small, you may take the average expenses of your last two completed fiscal years.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
The application for the 2012 Nancy Quinn Fund grant cycle is now closed. Information on the 2013 grant cycle will be available in late 2012.
ELIGIBILITY
- Applicant must be a Full or Associate member of A.R.T./New York in good standing.
- Applicant must have had annual expenses totaling under $100,000 for its most recently completed fiscal year.
- Applicant must have participated in Organizational Planning and Process Part 1 and Part 2. The one-on-one individual session is not required. The theatre does not have to have participated in this year’s sessions if it participated in past years.
- Applicant must not have an outstanding final report from previous years’ grant cycles.
A company does not have to be incorporated or have 501(c)(3) status to apply for the grant.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
Applicants will be asked to provide digital versions of the following documents during the application process.
- Budget Worksheet that includes your most recently completed fiscal year, current year-to-date actuals, and year-end projections. Please use the Budget Worksheet provided (download PDF | download Word .doc). If your theatre program is only a portion of your programming, please include a separate budget for the theatre program.
- Budget notes. All applicants must submit budget notes. Please note any category that changes more than 10% (up or down) between subsequent years. Be as specific as possible when describing the rationale behind these changes. Also footnote anything you feel needs to be explained, clarified, or illuminated. The panel appreciates those applicants who submit thorough, easy to read budget notes. There is no form for this attachment.
- Your performance history for your most recently completed and current seasons. Include staged readings, full productions, school programs, and any other artistic output of the organization. For each piece, list the title and performance dates. Use the prepared Performance History template (download here).
- You may include up to TWO additional attachments that will enhance the panel's understanding of your organization and help them evaluate your application.
For more information about this program, please contact Zach Hollwedel at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (212) 244-6667 ext. 241.
FY11 NANCY QUINN FUND GRANT RECIPIENTS
- Banana Boat Productions
- The Bushwick Starr, Inc.
- Circus Amok, Inc.
- Collapsable Giraffe Inc.
- Crossing Jamaica Avenue
- Dark Lady Players
- Desipina Productions, Inc.
- Downtown Art
- Flux Theatre Ensemble
- Fulcrum Theater
- Immediate Medium
- La Troupe Makandal, Inc.
- The Movement Theater Company
- New Worlds Theatre Project
- NY Artists Unlimited, Inc.
- Palissimo Inc.
- Parallel Exit, Inc.
- Polybe + Seats
- The Queen's Company
- Rabbit Hole Ensemble
- Resonance Ensemble Corporation
- Rising Circle Theater Collective
- Roots & Branches Theater
- The Stolen Chair Theatre Company
- Studio Six Theater Company
- Treehouse shakers, Inc.
- Vampire Cowboys Theatre Company
- Voice & Vision
- White Horse Theater Company
Funding for the Nancy Quinn Fund is generously provided by The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, Con Edison, and the Adolph and Ruth Schnurmacher Foundation.
