Industry Pro Newsletter: Con Edison Ends Arts Philanthropy, Voting Now Open for Next on Stage
As the BroadwayWorld Regional Awards Get Underway, Voting is also Open in Season 4 of our Next on Stage Competition, Sponsored by AMDA
By: Alex Freeman Nov. 20, 2023
Happy Thanksgiving Week to our readers in the United States, and Happy Monday to our international readership. As we prepare for the parade (and we’ve got your guide on the Broadway performances below), we also get some good news out of the UK where Panto producers report that ticket sales are trending strongly in the right direction for the holiday tradition.
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Industry Trends
Voting Opens for Season 4 of BroadwayWorld’s Next on Stage
Voting for the first round of these talented high school and college students opened last week and continues through November 27th - so make sure to check out these incredible videos and cast your vote!
National Endowment for the Arts Launches ArtsHERE Grant Program
The National Endowment for the Arts has initiated ArtsHERE, a groundbreaking grant program to support organizations with a demonstrated commitment to equity. This article delves into the program's specifics, highlighting its mission to bolster arts organizations across the nation. By providing crucial financial support, ArtsHERE aims to fortify the cultural landscape, ensuring the resilience and creativity of various artistic ventures.
ALADDIN, CHICAGO, A BEAUTIFUL NOISE To Appear On CBS Thanksgiving Day Parade Coverage
Getting excited for the parade? So are we at BroadwayWorld. This year’s CBS coverage will include performances from Aladdin, Chicago, and A Beautiful Noise.
Broadway/New York
Industry Trends Weekly: Con Edison Becomes Latest Philanthropic Contributor to Turn Away From the Arts by Cara Joy David
New York energy company Con Edison, a longtime local supporter of the arts, is the latest corporation to back away from funding them. Dwindling corporate giving has been a problem across the country, as I’ve previously written. But this move from Con Ed is still surprising given that the company reinforced its dedication to the arts in recent years, launching “Arts Al Fresco”—a program of free outdoor experiences in the five boroughs, and Westchester, Orange and Rockland counties—in 2021, and bringing it back in 2022. Additionally, Con Ed continued to support other organizations, some it donated to for decades, as well. However, the company is now shifting its philanthropy focus and the arts is simply no longer a priority.
Con Ed had focused its philanthropy in the arts and culture, civic affairs, community development, education, and environmental spheres. Con Ed was always proud of its commitment to the arts—consistently donating to over 100 organizations and promoting that funding. When Arts Al Fresco and Con Ed's associated $850,000 sponsorship was announced, former Vice President Frances Resheske (who retired last year and herself had a commitment to the arts, serving for years as the President of the Queens Theatre Board of Directors) stated: “Con-Edison’s long-standing commitment to making the arts accessible to all New Yorkers is more important today than ever.”
Nevertheless, Con Edison materials explain, beginning in 2024, the company is “re-aligning our charitable grant efforts to invest in nonprofits who share our vision to combat the effects of climate change, advance social justice in the communities we serve, and create green jobs across our service territory.” Internally, company personnel are referring to these as the “three pillars” of giving.
I heard from someone at Con Ed that the transition to these “three pillars” is supposed to be a three-year process, but I spoke to seven arts organizations who have received Con Ed funding for many years, and each was told that they’ve already received their final grant or they will receive a final grant next year (some of these final grants will be less than an organization's historic annual grant). That doesn’t mean arts organizations can’t reapply for funding; Con Ed has an application process and a team to review those applications. Unfortunately, none of the organizations I spoke to, including a theater company that focuses on social justice (and therefore might fall into these new parameters), were given much hope about future funding by their Con Ed point person.
This is a blow at a time when other companies have already turned away from the arts and when Mayor Adams just proposed significant cuts in city spending (with more expected). None of the people I spoke to said their organization would completely collapse from the Con Ed-related funding gap—but they were each getting $10,000 to $30,000 annually from Con Ed and will feel that loss, now more than ever. (I also only spoke to a very small subset of grant recipients; the damage might be greater for other organizations.)
But there is hope. New Yorkers for Culture & Arts is encouraging organizations to send a letter to Con Ed, which it partially drafted. The letter thanks Con Ed for its contribution to the arts, has a hole for an organization to insert its own story on how much the Con Ed contribution has meant to it, and notes there is overlap between the arts and at least two of the three pillars. The draft letter reads in part: “The cultural community has similarly emerged in this time with a rededication to the social and community justice and environmental aspects of all that we do. It’s worth noting that the funding you have given was particularly important to cultural organizations in communities of color, who often have limited access to private support. Losing this funding will be a real loss for those organizations and communities.”
“Lots of organizations depend on their annual gift from Con Ed, so it’s really rippling through the ecosystem,” Lucy Sexton, New Yorkers for Culture & Arts Executive Director, said. “Because they fund arts groups and festivals in every borough, they've been a real democratizing factor. It’s a real loss. I hope they reconsider, and I hope they at least consider funding arts groups that work in the social justice space.”
The Flea Theater Appoints Dr. Lauren Britt-Elmore as New Executive Director
Dr. Lauren Britt-Elmore assumes the role of Executive Director at The Flea Theater. The article highlights this key appointment, emphasizing Dr. Elmore's leadership in steering The Flea towards new horizons. Her diverse experience positions her to play a pivotal role in shaping the theater's future direction and impact.
Broadway Marketing Agencies Win Big at the Clio Entertainment Awards
Broadway marketing agencies achieve notable success at the Clio Entertainment Awards, as reported by BroadwayWorld. The article looks at the victories, underlining the recognition for their work in promoting Broadway shows.
Regional
The New York Times: In a Texas Town, a Win for Transgender Performers
After school administrators canceled their production of Oklahoma, in part due to the casting of a transgender performer in a leading role, residents of one town rallied in support of the students - and won. The school board is now investigating the administrators who made the initial decision to cancel.
The Aspen Times: Emily Zeck Named Theatre Aspen Managing Director
Following stops at the Denver Center, Philadelphia Theatre Company, and New York Stage and Film, Zeck returns to the organization where she previously served as managing director from 2009-2013.
American Theatre: Paula Tomei Leaving South Coast Rep After 44 Years
After 44 years with the organization, and 30 years serving as the company's first and only Managing Director, Paula Tomei will depart South Coast Rep in August. The company, known for its new play development program, has been an anchor of both the Costa Mesa arts community, and the wider non-profit regional theatre community.
Axios: North Carolina Theatre Faces Financial Challenges
Emerging from the pandemic, North Carolina Theatre is facing a financial crisis and is in need of wider community support to close the gap. The challenges they are facing are two-fold: ticket sales are down, and so is corporate sponsorship.
International
The Stage: Pantomime Producers Report Substantial Ticket Sales Growth as Shows Officially Return
Pantomime producers celebrate a remarkable resurgence in ticket sales as the beloved theatrical tradition officially returns. The industry reports significant growth, signaling a positive recovery post-pandemic. The revival of pantomimes not only marks a joyous comeback for audiences but also serves as a promising indicator of the performing arts sector's resilience and potential for renewal.
Missed our last few newsletters?
November 13, 2023 - Fewer Royalties for Broadway Albums, One Year On from NPO Funding Changes
The funding models are changing - we’ve known this for more or less the whole time the industry has been re-emerging from the pandemic, and we’ve seen the struggles of regional theatres large and small as temporary government funding tied to the pandemic came to an end - but how are theatres in England doing one year removed from the largest reshuffle of national arts funding in history? We’ve got that story in the newsletter this week. We also look at the announced closure of Here Lies Love and the shows unusual path to Broadway, while we have a Forbes article looking at yet another change in the business model of Broadway as Spotify changes the formula for distributing royalties to artists.
November 6, 2023 - Banff Centre Board Dismissed, Goodspeed Musicals Crews Join IATSE
More data out last week about the impact of the arts on the economies of the cities and small towns that many regional theatres call home - and the results show that theatre not only contributes to the cultural life of a community, but is contributing significantly to the economic life of many small towns. Additionally, we’ve got stories about the backstage crews at Goodspeed Musicals joining IATSE, and a deeper look at why the full board of the Banff Centre was dismissed earlier this year.
Some of our more significant stories this week come from across the pond: the first being that a new survey indicates that the vast majority of women working in theatre don’t feel like they are seeing an increase in opportunities. While the data comes from the UK, I think we would find a lot of anecdotal agreement in the US industry as well. In the UK, we also see yet another move away from the traditional Artistic Director model, and the impact of a new green travel initiative on theatregoers carbon emissions.
BroadwayWorld Resources
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