A.R.T./New York Announces Three Regrant Opportunities for New York Theatres

The Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York announced today two regrant opportunities for theatres in New York City (the New York City Small Theatres Fund and the Strengthening NYC Theatres Grant), as well as a regrant for theatres throughout New York State (the NYSCA-A.R.T./New York Creative Opportunity Fund).

Combined, these grants are some of the only general operating support funding available to small theatres in New York City/New York State. NYSCA is very cognizant of the role that NYC-based theaters play in the local and national theater ecosystem and is focused on ensuring that upstate theaters are aware of and applying for the Creative Opportunity Fund. Their investment in this program is meant to create a statewide impact and ensure that all New York state residents have access to theater in their local community.

A.R.T./New York is fortunate to have a very close partnership with the Howard Gilman Foundation, a longtime supporter of A.R.T./New York and a major source of funding support for its members. The Foundation is one of the more proactive philanthropic institutions supporting theater today and with their guidance, A.R.T./New York has developed the New York City Small Theatres Fund with a very intentional focus on multi-year support ranging from $5,000-10,000 per year. By offering a two-year committed grant, this program will provide meaningful financial support for small theatres who typically do not have many options for accessing general operating support. The current grant will support two cohorts of two-year grants.

A.R.T./New York is committed to building accessible grant application processes that are supportive to applicants. This year, they are launching a common application for their three grants accepting applications in Fall 2021. Applicants interested in applying for any or all of these three grants will only need to complete and submit one application. All applications will be accepted online, and applicants who have accessibility needs can contact Adam Mummery or Corinne Woods at grants@art-newyork.org for support.

Additionally, A.R.T./New York will provide multiple opportunities for applicants to receive support on their application, including live and recorded Info Sessions throughout New York state, one-on-one Office Hours to answer questions and provide feedback to applicants prior to submitting their application, and post-notification panel feedback to help applicants understand how their application was considered in the panel process.

All of A.R.T./New York's annual grant programs are reviewed and scored by a peer panel of New York-based theatre artists and administrators. A.R.T./New York accepts panelist nominations from the public to fill their grant panels and looks to put together a diverse group of panelists from a range of roles and affiliations across the nonprofit theatre field and who have particular knowledge of or experience with small theatres. For information on the responsibilities of a grant panelist and how to nominate yourself or a colleague, visit www.art-newyork.org/panelist-recommendation. Panelist nominations are accepted on a rolling basis, but applicants are encouraged to submit nominations for the Fall 2021 grant cycle by November 29, 2021.

THE NYSCA-A.R.T./NEW YORK CREATIVE OPPORTUNITY FUND

The NYSCA-A.R.T./New York Creative Opportunity Fund is a state-wide theatre regrant program in partnership with the New York State Council on the Arts. The Creative Opportunity Fund will provide one-year general operating support grants of $2000-$5000. A.R.T./New York estimates making around 100 grants for 2022 through this program and will be offering virtual and in-person office hours and info sessions throughout the state to answer questions and share the grant opportunity with eligible applicants statewide. Eligible applicants will be theatre companies providing virtual or in-person theatre programming in New York State, with annual budgets under $500,000. For additional eligibility requirements, visit www.art-newyork.org/creative-opportunity-fund.

The program aims to distribute flexible funding to support theatres throughout the state with capacity building and stabilization; to reduce barriers for accessing state arts funding for New York State theatres who may not be eligible or able to apply directly to NYSCA; and to support a range of theatrical aesthetics, styles and methods of working that provide New York State artists, audiences and communities with artistic experiences and opportunities.

In addition to offering grants for 2022, A.R.T./New York will be distributing additional funding, provided by NYSCA, to past recipients and applicants to the 2021 Creative Opportunity Fund. Total additional funding awarded to 2021 grantees and applicants will be over $350,000.

"NYSCA supports local artists and non-profits by administering vital funding to regrant partners across all regions of our great state" said NYSCA Executive Director Mara Manus. "Our Fiscal Year 2022 strategic goals prioritize expanding eligibility and increasing access for the full and richly diverse ecosystem of artists and arts organizations of New York. A.R.T./New York regrants are critical to NYSCA's mission to develop and support the diverse spectrum of artists living and creating in New York State."

NEW YORK CITY SMALL THEATRES FUND

The New York City Small Theatres Fund is a new regrant program in partnership with the Howard Gilman Foundation, which will provide two-year general operating support grants of $5,000-$10,000 annually to around 10 companies each cycle. Eligible applicants for the FY23 Small Theatres Fund will be theatre companies working for at least two years in the five boroughs of New York City, with annual budgets of under $250,000. For additional eligibility requirements, visit www.artny.memberclicks.net/new-york-city-small-theatres-fund.

By offering a two-year committed grant, the New York City Small Theatres Fund will provide meaningful financial support for small theatres who typically do not have many options for accessing general operating support. The grant will support a wide range of theatrical aesthetics, methods of production and artistic communities throughout the five boroughs who are engaging their artists and audiences in meaningful, exciting and committed creation and production. A.R.T./New York aims to fund a group of applicants who reflect the diversity of New York City theatre-making and increase opportunities for theatres and artists who have been historically under-resourced due to barriers associated with racial, economic, disability, gender, and/or sexual identity and/or geographic location.

"The Howard Gilman Foundation is thrilled to take our long-standing partnership with A.R.T./New York to a new level with the New York City Small Theatres Fund" stated Laura Aden Packer, Executive Director of the Howard Gilman Foundation. "Small theatres have a huge impact on our field - seeding the ground with new talent and bringing culturally relevant work directly to communities. We hope this fund will provide greater stability to small theatres in these challenging times."

STRENGTHING NYC THEATRES GRANT

Building on the 20+ year history of the Nancy Quinn Fund and its general operating grants for the smallest New York City-based theatres, A.R.T./New York is excited to announce the Strengthening NYC Theatres Grant program. Aimed at providing New York City theatres with an opportunity for flexible, general operating support to strengthen and sustain their companies, this grant program provides an accessible and streamlined application process scored and distributed by a peer panel of theatre-makers.

This grant program provides theatres throughout the five boroughs of New York City with annual budgets under $250,000 with one-year flexible, general operating support grants of $1000-$2000. Since inception, A.R.T./New York has awarded over $1 million dollars to the constantly evolving, most culturally diverse and artistically influential sector of our community.

"A.R.T./New York has historically made funding opportunities available to theatres with budgets under $250,000 because these theatres are where artists and administrators get their start in a competitive, overwhelming field. And the comparatively small size of these theaters is not a symptom to be diagnosed and cured; smallness is nimbleness, cultural and aesthetic expertise, and an intentional choice. We wish for theatres to self-determine the size that best serves their missions, and we will meet them where they are," affirmed Risa Shoup, Interim Executive Director of A.R.T./New York.

For more information about the NYSCA-A.R.T./New York Creative Opportunity Fund, New York City Small Theatres Fund and the Strengthening NYC Theatres Grant, including how to apply for the grants, visit www.art-newyork.org.

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