Crowded Fire Theater Launches Ignite Fund

Today Crowded Fire Theater (CFT), known as a vital home for new play development and production on the West Coast, announced a new behind-the-scenes program in support of local designers and technicians. The IGNITE FUND will award up to $10,000 annually to support the growth of and enhance the working lives of Bay Area theater designers and technicians through a competitive grant process.

"We were approached by an anonymous angel donor who wants to impact individual artists and encourage greater diversity in the Bay Area theater ecology," says Artistic Director Mina Morita. "With the shifting economics of our region, we are seeing artists struggling to stay afloat while creating their art -- and in many cases struggling to stay in the field. We know that growth and innovation comes from investment in a sustainable life along with tools and training, and yet there are a limited number of grants for designers and technicians, who are an essential part of our theater. This felt like a group for whom we could make a difference."

Just as Crowded Fire's artistic programming supports a plurality of voices, the IGNITE FUND will be distributed with an awareness towards supporting a diversity of race, culture, class, gender, and age in our local design and technical community. The fund will provide grants for professional development workshops and training opportunities, to purchase design tools and equipment, and to strengthen the economic sustainability of an arts practice. "We've kept it open so that applicants can apply for what they truly need," say Morita.

Each year a total of up to $10,000 will be granted through the IGNITE FUND. Grants will range between $1,000 and $5,000. Applications will be reviewed by a panel composed of Crowded Fire staff members, a Bay Area theater designer and/or technician, and an additional leader in the theater community. Applicants are eligible after working with Crowded Fire once; have four additional Bay Area theater credits in the last two years; and reside locally.

The 2016 application submission deadline is June 1, 2016. Crowded Fire expects to announce the recipients in August 2016. For more information and to apply to the IGNITE FUND, please visit http://www.crowdedfire.org/ignitefund/‎.