Theatre Communications Group Announces New Cultivation Structure

Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre, announces the appointment of Kevin Bitterman as its new director of institutional advancement and partnerships. Since 2008, Bitterman has served as the associate director of artistic and international programs at TCG where he has managed a portfolio of grantmaking, professional development, and global initiatives. As director of the newly created department, Bitterman will partner with TCG's executive leadership, staff, and board to diversify TCG's sources of corporate and philanthropic support along with new strategic partnerships to support the future of TCG's mission-driven programs and advancement efforts.

"In his more than eight years with TCG, Kevin has made a significant impact on the field through his leadership on programs like Audience (R)Evolution and with partnerships like the Global Theater Initiative," said Teresa Eyring, executive director, TCG. "The relationships he has cultivated with foundations, international partners, theatre practitioners, and more make him ideally suited to build capacity for TCG and our field. His promotion also exemplifies our commitment to the professional development and advancement of our staff, and we all look forward to working with Kevin in this new role."

"Like many in our field, TCG played a formative role during the early stage of my career," says Bitterman who first received a TCG New Generations: Mentoring the Leaders of Tomorrow Fellowship before joining TCG in New York. "That experience continues to inform my commitment to the theatre community, and I am eager to serve TCG in this new role as we chart the course for the future of TCG's programs and services."

"Our vision for this new cultivation structure goes beyond transactional relationships and traditional development approaches. Instead, we are seeking to forge deep, reciprocal relationships with our philanthropic and strategic partners," said Adrian Budhu, COO and deputy director, TCG. "Building on Kevin's longstanding relationships in the funder community, this department's focus on cultivating and stewarding strategic partnerships will not only enhance the visibility and impact of TCG's programs, but support the kind of bold initiatives our field needs now."

In his previous role as associate director of artistic and international programs, Bitterman co-developed and managed the Global Connections, Audience (R)Evolution, and Leadership U[niversity] programs. Recent strategic partnerships include co-producing TCG's 2016 Finding Home: Exile, Migration, and Belonging global pre-conference with The Laboratory for Global Performance & Politics at Georgetown University; leading cultural-exchange delegations to Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, and the United Arab Emirates; and serving on TCG's Theatre Nation Workgroup with the EmcArts Innovation Lab for Arts Development Agencies. In addition, Bitterman is a founding member of the Global Theater Initiative (GTI) and member of TCG's Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Workgroup. Prior to TCG, he served as the assistant director of the Bush Foundation's Artist Fellowship Program and the producing artistic associate with Theatre de la Jeune Lune. Bitterman received his Bachelor of Arts from St. John's University, and is a graduate of the Ecole Jacques Lecoq in Paris, France. He is an alumnus of the James P. Shannon Leadership Institute and currently serves on Manhattan Community Board 10 in Central Harlem.

For over 50 years, Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for U.S. theatre, has to strengthen, nurture, and promote the professional not-for-profit theatre. TCG's constituency has grown from a handful of groundbreaking theatres to nearly 700 member theatres and affiliate organizations and more than 11,000 individuals nationwide. TCG offers its members networking and knowledge-building opportunities through conferences, events, research and communications; awards grants, approximately $2 million per year, to theatre companies and individual artists; advocates on the federal level; and serves as the U.S. Center of the International Theatre Institute, connecting its constituents to the global theatre community. TCG is North America's largest independent publisher of dramatic literature, with 14 Pulitzer Prizes for Best Play on the TCG booklist. It also publishes the award-winning American Theatre magazine and ARTSEARCH®, the essential source for a career in the arts. In all of its endeavors, TCG seeks to increase the organizational efficiency of its member theatres, cultivate and celebrate the artistic talent and achievements of the field and promote a larger public understanding of, and appreciation for, the theatre. www.tcg.org.