TRU, The Field and Back Stage Present Funding Panel 1/20

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU), The Field, and Back Stage present the industry panel Funding: The Current Struggle on Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 7:30pm at Roy Arias Studios, 300 W. 43rd Street, NYC.

This panel of funders and fundraisers explores the granting process, how applicants and granting organizations work together, and the future of arts funding within the larger economic climate. We will also discuss the guidelines for opportunities offered by panel organizations and best practices for making a targeted ask.

Panelists will include Kevin Bitterman, Associate Director of International Programs, Theater Communications Group; Jonathan Herzog, Entertainment Attorney on the Board of Trustees for The Anna Sosenko Assisted Trust; Zach Hollwedel, Member Services Associate for A.R.T./New York (The Nancy Quinn Fund Grant, The Fund for Small Theaters and the Edith Lutyens & Norman Bel Geddes Design Enhancement Fund); W. Kerry Huang, Executive Director, Mud/Bone Collective; Stacy Cooper McMath, Associate Arts Program Specialist, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs; and Morgan von Prelle Pecelli, Development Director, Performance Space 122.

Doors open at 7:00pm for networking and refreshments, panel starts promptly at 7:30pm. FREE for TRU members and members of The Field; $12 for non-members. Please call at least a day in advance for reservations: 212-714-7628 or e-mail TRUnltd@aol.com.

TRU was founded in 1992 to promote a spirit of cooperation and support within the general theater community by providing information and a variety of entertainment-related services and resources that strengthen the business capability of producing organizations, individual producers, self-Producing Artists and other theater professionals. The company holds monthly seminars on a wide range of subjects important to theatrical producers and artistic directors conducted by panels of experts from both the commercial and not-for-profit segments of Broadway, Off-Broadway and the motion picture industry. These educational forums have been a core program of TRU since its inception, and in recent years executive director Ost has partnered with Back Stage to generate topics of interest to both TRU membership and Back Stage readers. "Through TRU, Back Stage is able to reach beyond its actor base to a wider theater community," said Ost, "and we get more visibility through the Back Stage connection."

TRU also publishes a monthly email community newsletter of services, goods and productions. In addition, TRU produces the TRU VOICES Annual New Play Reading Series and the TRU VOICES Annual New Musicals Reading Series in which TRU underwrites developmental readings of new works for theater. In 2001, TRU began giving annual scholarships to The Commercial Theater Institute, to encourage the development of aspiring producers, created a Producer Development Program whose mentors are among the most prominent producers and general managers in New York theater, and presents Producer Boot Camp workshops to help aspirants develop the business skills they need. Upcoming: "Raising Money for Theater: How, Who and When to Ask" on Saturday January 22nd.

In March '08, TRU was associate producer of its first Equity showcase, Missives at 59E59 Theatre, a play that was developed in the 2006 TRU reading series. TRU programs for actors include an Annual Audition Event, Resource Nights and "Speed Dating" as well as free monthly actor events, including workshops.

Founded by artists for artists, The Field has been dedicated to providing impactful services to thousands of performing artists in New York City and beyond since 1986. From fostering creative exploration to stewarding innovative fundraising strategies, we are delighted to help artists reach their fullest potential. Now in our 25th year, more than 1,900 performing artists come to The Field each year to build their businesses. Each year 2,000+ new art works are developed under our stewardship, and our services are replicated in 11 cities across the U.S. and Europe. In tandem with this significant growth, we remain true to our grassroots origin and artist-centered mission to: strategically serve the myriad artistic and administrative needs of independent performing artists and companies who work in the fields of dance, theater, music, text, and performance art. Field services include career-building workshops (grant writing, touring, internet strategies, etc.), fiscal sponsorship, creative residencies in New York City and out of town, an "Artists' Kinkos" Resource Center, and Membership benefits.

Programs of Theater Resources Unlimited are supported in part by public funds awarded through the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) and the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, as well as generous support from the Friar's National Foundation Association.

For more information about TRU membership and programs, visit www.truonline.org or call 212-714-7628. For information about programs of The Field, visit www.thefield.org.