TRU to Host June 'SURVIVAL STRATEGIES' Panel at The Playroom Theater

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) and The Playroom Theatre present the TRU June Panel - Survival Strategies for Non-Profits, and the Current Funding Environment on Tuesday, June 20, 2017 at 7:30pm (doors open for networking at 7pm) at The Playroom Theater, 151 W. 46th Street, 8th floor, NYC 10036. For more details, visit truonline.org/events/survival-strategies.

With panelists Lawrence E. McCullough, Ph.D., Arts & Media Specialist, Skye Consulting; Stacey McMath, director of Program Services at the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA); and Heather Woodfield, Executive Director of One Percent for Culture, a city-wide cultural advocacy organization, and a practicing artist specializing in interactive performance.

The arts have always had to grapple with economic vagaries. In 2017, we may have a new set of variables but the drive to succeed persists. Even in the best of times, funding represents a small portion of income for not-for-profits; and in spite of economic studies across the U.S. that have affirmed that the Arts represent the best possible investment of public tax dollars, the Arts struggle to maintain their footing in the waiting line for political support. We'll look at how government funding fits into a broader plan, whether funding is affected by the current political climate (at least we know the NEA is safe for at least six months), other sources of funding, as well as other sources of income for not-for-profits. We'll include the nuts-and-bolts basics an Artist/Arts group needs to have in place to do basic grant research, and what you need to have prepared to submit a funding request. The discussion will also look at funding interfaces like DataArts (formerly the Cultural Data Project), and the purpose and complexity of Grants Gateway pre-qualification for NY State funding.

Doors open at 7:00pm for networking and refreshments, roundtable introductions of everyone in the room will start at 7:30pm - come prepared with your best 30 second summary of who you are, and what you need. Free forTRU members; $15 for non-members ($12.50 in advance online at truonline.org/events/25-years-of-tru). You may also reserve by phone at least a day in advance (or much sooner): 212-714-7628, or e-mail TRUStaff1@gmail.com.

The next panel Is Off-Broadway Broken? And Can We Fix It? With Darren Cole of the Sohot Playhouse, Erika Feldman of Theatre Row Theatres, Ed Gaynes of St. Luke's Theatre and general manager/producer David Elliott. It will be held on Tuesday, July 18, 2017. For more details, visit truonline.org/tru-event-category/monthly-panels.

The Playroom Theater, a small theater with a purpose on West Forty Sixth Street. Created by longtime theatrical producer Eric Krebs, The Playroom Theater features a 62-seat boutique theater, appropriate for rehearsals, readings, auditions, producers' presentations and workshop productions. Conceived of as an artists' workspace for writers, directors, composers, actors, producers and others committed to the professional theater arts and its industry. "The idea of The Playroom has grown out of my desire to create a small and financially manageable space in the heart of the theater district," commented Krebs. "I want this to be a place where industry professionals can pop over for a reading, a backer's audition or a small production of a work in progress." For more information on The Playroom Theater, call Adam Brunner at 212-967-8278.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) is the leading network for developing theater professionals, a twenty-four year old 501c3 nonprofit organization created to help producers produce, emerging theater companies to emerge healthily and all theater professionals to understand and navigate the business of the arts. Membership includes self-Producing Artists as well as career producers and theater companies.

TRU publishes an email community newsletter of services, goods and productions; presents the TRU VOICES Annual New Play Reading Series and Annual New Musicals Reading Series, two new works series in which TRUunderwrites developmental readings to nurture new shows as well as new producers for theater; offers a Producer Development & Mentorship Program whose mentors are among the most prominent producers and general managers in New York Theater, and also presents Producer Boot Camp workshops to help aspirants develop the business skills they need. TRUserves writers through a Writer-Producer Speed Date, a Practical Playwriting Workshop, How to Write a Musical That Works and a Director-Writer Communications Lab; programs for actors include the Annual Combined Audition, Resource Nights and "Speed Dating" as well as actor workshops.

Programs of Theater Resources Unlimited are supported in part by public funds awarded through the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislatureand the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, 9th district former Council Member Inez Dickens; and with support from the Montage Foundation and the Friars National Association Foundation.

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