Ensemble Theatre Collaborations Grant & Travel Subsidy Program

Funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

Program Background
How to Apply
Grant Guidelines
Helpful Definitions
Online Application Form

PROGRAM BACKGROUND

Travel subsidy grants are available for ensemble theater directors, producers, presenters, managers, artists and agents to see work by ensemble theater companies that have initiated planning for potential partnerships or have identified work that is relevant to current and future long-term collaborative program planning. This may include travel to see the work of ensemble theater companies participating in the annual Under the Radar Festival and Symposium, January 7-18, 2009 in New York City. Applicants that have received Arts Presenters travel subsidy funding within the last 12 months will not be eligible to apply. Travel conducted by agents and managers for the purpose of business development and developing artist rosters is ineligible. Grants are available for up to $1,000 for domestic travel and $2,000 for international travel.

Application deadline: October 10, 2008
Travel period: November 1, 2008 – April 30, 2009
Grant awardees announcement: October 24, 2008

HOW TO APPLY

1. Complete and submit the online application form.

2. Prepare and upload a SINGLE document (Microsoft Word preferred), using the format below, containing the following supportive materials:
   • A narrative that describes in less than 800 words:
     • Why you want to see the work of specific ensemble theatre artists (make sure to address the relevance of the company viewed to your current and future long-term program planning);
     • What types of professional development opportunities you hope to gain from this trip; and
     • How this trip will assist you in future presentations and productions of theatre artists and/or foster cross-sector collaboration between the theatre and presenting fields.
   • Documentation of a three year history of your work in the field.
     • For theatres, provide a three-year history of working with touring artists;
     • For presenters, provide a three-year history of presenting ensemble theatre artists;
     • For managers, provide a three-year history of booking and managing ensemble artists; and,
     • For independent producers and presenters, provide a listing of freelance activities with corresponding budgets and a resume detailing professional experience
3. Fax and email a current copy of your 501(c) 3 status. For those without 501(c) 3 status, submit a letter of support that verifies the individual is traveling on behalf of an ensemble theatre, a theatre, or an arts presenter or consortia of theatres and arts presenters and is authorized to make informed decisions in communicating about and/or managing a planned project or collaboration.

Need assistance with this grant application? Contact Apple Reese, Programs Associate, toll free at 1-888.820.ARTS or areese@artspresenters.org.

GRANT GUIDELINES

• Be an ensemble theater or independent director, producer, presenter, manager, artist or agent at a nonprofit theatre, presenting organization, artist management company or artist agency;
• Be traveling for educational purposes that will assist in making more informed decisions about managing an existing or planned theatre project or collaboration between ensemble theatres and theatre partners, an arts presenter partner or consortia of theatres and arts presenters;
• Travel internationally or in the United States between November 1, 2008 – April 30, 2009; and,
• Be able to demonstrate a continuous three-year organizational history of working with theatre artists (for presenters) or with touring artists (for theatres) prior to the season in which the application is submitted. Artist management companies must have a minimum three-year history of booking and managing touring of theatre work prior to the season in which the application is submitted.

1. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
2. Only one applicant per application is permitted.
3. Team travel is permitted but applicants must identify their respective roles and responsibilities in a planned partnership or collaboration.
4. Applicants that have received Arts Presenters travel subsidy funding within the last 12 months are not eligible to apply.
5. Ensemble theater actors or artists that have booked travel with the intention of performing will not be awarded travel subsidies.
6. This fund does not provide travel support for individuals whose primary purpose is to attend meetings, convenings or conferences, or to build an artist agency’s artist roster or its business development.
7. Ensemble theater companies who have been awarded support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation’s Leading National Ensemble Theatres Program are not eligible to apply.
8. Reimbursements will be funded for up to $2,000 for international travel or $1,000 for domestic travel. Funds will cover roundtrip airfare (based on a 14-day advance economy fare) and per diem (e.g. hotel, meals and local transportation), not to exceed $40 per day for up to 10 days ($400 maximum). Per diem will be based on the total amount of days traveled.
9. Funds are issued once original copies of all travel and per diem receipts are submitted with a final report within 30 to 90 days of travel. If the grantee does not use the funds to travel within four months of the announcement, the grantee forfeits the full amount of the travel subsidy

HELPFUL DEFINITIONS

Ensemble Theatre Company
A group of artists working together consistently over an extended period of time to develop theatre works. The ensemble or the work may be driven by a group of actors, a playwright, a director or another type of theatre artist with a permanent group of performers and collaborators. An ensemble theatre company may be an extended family of artists who by culture, ethnicity or experience are committed to developing a specific theatrical experience for one another and their audiences but who are not always able to operate as an ongoing ensemble. Some ensemble theatre companies create works over a period of time but are not regularly linked to a facility. Ensemble theatre companies may also rely on touring opportunities to develop their work and their audiences. For the purposes of this granting program, both U.S.-based and international ensemble theatres collaborating with U.S.-based theatre or arts presenting partners are eligible for funding support.

Theatre Partner
The collaborating theatres tend to have access to more resources - physical, financial and infrastructure - than ensemble theatres in general. For example, they may tend to own and/or operate their own rehearsal, production, and performance facilities more often than ensemble theatre companies. These theatres play vital roles in producing and developing theatre artists and audiences as producers of their own work. These theatres do not generally have sustained ensembles of theatre artists. Instead, these theatres audition and cast each production, and productions are generally script based with directors serving as interpreters. Theatres that have existing ensembles are encouraged, for the purposes of this grant, to partner with an outside ensemble.

Arts Presenter Partner
Arts presenters form a sector of the performing arts field comprised of a variety of sizes, functions, configurations and artistic and curatorial interests – all of which share the mission of providing opportunities for artists and audiences to share the performing arts through performances, commissioning projects and education initiatives. Arts presenters generally work with touring artists to create programs that complement the existing artistic activities in their communities and to provide local audiences and artists with consistent access to creative expression and works that are not limited by geographic borders. Arts presenters generally present performances of existing work produced by artists in the community or from elsewhere. Some presenting organizations contribute commissioning funds, facilities and other resources toward the development of new work. Arts presenters work with artist managers, producers and agents, who provide key support to artists to help realize their visions and cultivate presenters’ interests.

Arts Presenters Awards $425,000 to Support Ensemble Theatre Collaborations (March 2008)

Arts Presenters Awards $448,175 to Support Ensemble Theatre Collaborations (October 2006)

Arts Presenters recently awarded grants totaling $448,175 to 15 ensemble theatres and performing arts presenting organizations. These Ensemble Theatre Collaborations project grants, supported by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, support the creation, production and presentation of leading ensemble theatre work in the country.

Ensemble Theatre Collaborations Grant and Travel Subsidy Program is a two-year, $1.3 million pilot program funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation as part of its larger Theatre Initiative. Over the course of this program, project grants in amounts ranging from $10,000-$40,000 each will be awarded to ensemble theatre company collaborations with theatre or arts presenting partners. Project grantees may also become eligible for infrastructure support grants in the range of $5,000-$10,000 to assist with booking, tour coordination and management. In addition to project grants, travel subsidy grants of up to $2,000 each are available to theatre producers, presenters, managers, artists and agents to attend performances by ensemble theatre companies while artistic, production, education, publicity or marketing staff at ensemble theatre companies are eligible to receive travel grants to visit a regional theatre or arts presenter. View the Recipients of the 2007 Project Grants

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