Finding Our Way Through, Together.
- From Co-Executive Directors, Risa and Talia
Dear Colleagues,
What a moment to be making theatre. What a necessary moment for the power and possibility of making theatre. After the COVID closure and attendant disruptions to our livelihoods and communities, many of us have been awaiting a “return to normal.” Meanwhile, the world around us has continued to change, and yesterday’s normal gets further and further away. In the words of Tony’s Angel, “the world only spins forward.”
Still, in a blazing summer when every day seems to bring a new headline about theatre closures, reduced seasons, and layoffs, we know there is a lot of anxiety and hurt in the field. Living with constant reminders of how precarious our lives and industry are is stressful, but together we can and will develop new ways of working that respond to these challenges. What was true at our founding fifty years ago is still true today: we are stronger in community, and we believe in the resilience, creativity, and audacity of our sector to define this moment together.
Many people have written long articles about how we got here, why this is happening, and who should be responsible. This is not another one of those. Instead, this is a message TO and FOR our community: theatremakers, artists, administrators, leaders, funders, and theatre lovers. If you’re invested in the health and success of this field, we’re invested in YOU. And this is what we think WE can do, together.
A.R.T./New York Supports You
As we have since our founding, A.R.T./New York is committed to stepping boldly into the moment that is while co-creating the world we want to see. This requires all of us to embrace innovation and creativity, even when we don’t know the answer – especially when we don’t know the answer.
In that spirit, we are announcing some of our Fall Offerings – some new and some familiar – all of which are designed to provide community, solidarity, and where possible real solutions to the challenges we are all facing. Stay tuned for more information, and reach out to us if you have any questions.
Re-launching Loan Program - *NEW*
We’ve partnered with SeaChange Capital to enhance our cash flow loan program. Loans up to $50,000 will be available at a very low-interest rate for A.R.T./New York members in need. We expect to launch our revitalized loan program on August 17th. Stay tuned for more information!
- Application Opens: August 29, 2023
- Office Hours: August 29 - October 13
- Application Closes: October 17, 2023 at 5PM ET
- NYSCA-A.R.T./New York Creative Opportunity Fund provides general operating support grants of $2,000-$5,000 to small professional theatres with budgets under $500,000 working throughout New York State.
- NYC Small Theatres Fund is a 2 year general operating support grant to New York City-based theatre companies with annual budgets below $250,000. The fund provides multi-year grant awards between $5,000-$10,000 each year.
Introducing Fall Forum - *NEW*
SAVE THE DATES! To help our members lean into community, and to best support collaboration and resource sharing, we are pleased to announce our upcoming Fall Forum. This multi-day event will be an opportunity for collective learning, relationship building, and solution sharing. Programming including workshops, networking opportunities, and social events will take place October 23-25, 2023 so mark your calendars! Stay tuned for details as well as dates for a similar gathering in Spring 2024.
Labor in Transition >>
- Tuesday, August 22, 2023, | 11 am-12:30 pm // In Person Only - In Studio G at 520 8th Avenue
Fall Roundtables >>
- General Managers & Financial Directors // Budgets of $1M+ >>
- Wed. August 16, 2023 | 11am-12:15pm // Virtual Only
- A colleague-to-colleague networking event for current General and Finance management staff of A.R.T./New York member theatres with annual budgets over $1,000,000.
- General Managers & Financial Directors // Budgets from $250k-$1M >>
- Wed. September 13, 2023 | 11am-12:15pm // Virtual Only
- A colleague-to-colleague networking event for current General and Finance management staff of A.R.T./New York member theatres with annual budgets from $250,000 to $1,000,000.
- What I Learned From Donor Events >>
- Tues. October 3rd, 2023 | 11am-12:15pm // Virtual Only
- Is event attendance dropping off? Are people showing up, but not offering financial support the way they did just two years ago? Join us to reflect on your donor engagement and fundraising events, and learn about other companies' experiences.
Office Hours with Risa and Talia - *NEW*
Have a question? Want to share feedback about our programming? Need to vent? Sign up for a 20 minute meeting with Talia via Calendly. Please note that Risa is on parental leave beginning in late August through October 31, and will post their availability upon return.
Virtual Open Door - *NEW*
Keeping the lines of communication open right now is our top priority. Use this form to give A.R.T./New York feedback, ask a question (nothing is too obvious or too opaque), or share an idea. We will read all of these and endeavor to get back to each submission.
Creative Space Program is open! >>
$12/hour rehearsal space at SOS at 520 for companies with budgets under $750K. Book today.
More to come this year around:
For Your Consideration
A.R.T./New York has never sought to be prescriptive, in large part because we know that this moment is affecting each of you differently, and we don’t assume to know better than you what you need. As many leaders and collaborators are facing challenging decisions in the months and years ahead, we hope you can call on the wisdom that “No one knows everything, but together we know a whole lot.” Here are some of the collected invitations and reminders we’ve heard from you that we wish to amplify:
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Lean into the community! When facing challenges, it can be easy to put on your blinders, but this is exactly when you should lean into colleagues. We hope that the offerings we shared about like the Fall Forum, Roundtables or Office Hours are supportive resources for the community, but they aren’t the only options. Find what works best for you, but don’t try to muscle through alone.
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Get creative about collaborations and resource sharing. One of the best things that came from the pandemic was people working beyond their own institutions. Co-productions, shared marketing efforts, creative staffing solutions - see what works for you and don’t be afraid to try something new. Intentional gathering and relationship building will be key components of the Fall Forum, so if you are looking to make a connection with a potential collaborator, be sure to save the dates and stay tuned for more details.
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For Funders and Boards: INVEST! This is the rainy day we’ve been saving for. It’s not the time to enforce austerity in service of a balanced budget. The future of the field is in strategically leveraging the assets you have during this period to continue making art, serving audiences, and employing the valuable people who make theatre magic.
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For theatre lovers (that’s all of us!): SEE SHOWS! Take risks. Tell your friends. Make donations (of any size) to the companies that you love. Beyond your monetary support, knowing that you are in our corner means the world. Interested in finding more tangible ways to support the companies you love? Join a board!
Lastly, a reminder to all of us: Making theatre is an act of making collective meaning. In a world that can feel overwhelmingly challenging at times, there is no better antidote than to harness the power of collaboration to imagine a new, better, more just way forward together. There’s no group of people more prepared to dream up a world that doesn’t exist yet. We believe in you and we believe in us, together. The Great Work Begins.
