Growing Up Musical; How [title of show] Continues to Inspire 8 Years Later

 
Contributed by Gabby Weinstein
 
Today started out as a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. And then, by some twist of fate I was introduced to one of my original theatre idols Hunter Bell and was reminded of my love for musicals and for Indie Theatre.

To give you some context here: yes, I was born in 1994, but I promise you that in no way hinders my ability to love and appreciate theatre. And was raised in NYC by two moms who taught me to love theatre without censorship. They took me to many a show where I was the youngest in the audience.

My history with [title of show] starts when I was 12. My mom had sent me a letter at camp with the New York Times article enclosed and a letter which said something like,

“A musical about two guys writing a musical, about two guys writing a musical! - I’m going to take you kids to this when you get home”

When the time came, my brother and I, being couch potatoes at heart, both were grumpy to be pulled from our regularly scheduled Nickelodeon programing to walk the 5 avenues to The Vineyard Theatre.

When we got there my mom pointed to a poster for Avenue Q - I had been listening to that soundtrack for around two years at that point (my moms wouldn’t take me to see it, but gave me an iTunes-burned soundtrack, save for one or two choice songs)- and told me that it had premiered here, and was in the same festival that [title of show] came from. (Note: I think that this, in fact, is wrong, but it was nonetheless important as a memory) I remember thinking how crazy it was that there were musicals in places other than Broadway stages. A whole festival for shows that didn’t take place in Times Square? My mind was blown.

I can still remember exactly where we sat in that theatre and the strange looks we got when we toted a booster seat for my eight year old brother through a row of mostly middle aged men and women. Seeing that show was an experience like no other. I hadn’t exactly grown up on Oklahoma or Fiddler on the Roof (in fact I had to go seek those out myself), but [title of show] taught me that there is beauty in quirky musicals and that you can make a business out of loving theatre. My whole family listened to that soundtrack for years. My mom even took me to see it on Broadway in 2008.

In a class of mine recently I was asked to write down a list of pieces of theatre that had most made an impact on me. I read my list to the class.

“All musicals?” my teacher asked.

I realized that nobody else had a list even close to mine; which was filled with shows like [title of show], Avenue Q, and Bat Boy. This is not to say that I don’t love plays, I do, but musicals are my fuel and my fire.

I could feel all the eyes in the class on me and I realized that all of my classmates thought that plays or experimental theatre were somehow greater than musical theatre and not equal to. It was like I was someone who binged on The Real Housewives in a room of Mad Men diehards.

After I met Hunter today, and listened to [title of show] for the upteenth time on the subway ride home, I realized something. My love for musicals is something to be celebrated. Hunter and the rest of the team created a show that encapsulates a love for musicals that can’t be put into words. After listening to it again I started to understand jokes that I hadn’t even known were jokes when I first saw it.

I love Indie Theatre because it celebrates artists and their love for what they do. Indie Theatre is the theatre that matters because it supports theatre that matters to real people. [title of show] is a show that reminds me what it means to be a theatre artist and to love my craft.

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Gabby Weinstein: 2014 Innovative Theater Awards Intern. New York CIty based Theatre Artist and Stage Manager. She is currently the Social Media Intern at the New York Innovative Theatre Foundation. She has recently worked with the Keen Company on their eighth season of Keen Teens and as the Production Stage Manager of Lysistrata Jones at the New Studio on Broadway. Other recent Stage Management credits include: Execution of Justice (SM), Spring Awakening (ASM), and The Who's Tommy (PSM). She is currently pursuing a BFA in Theatre with a focus in Stage Management and Lighting Design from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.

Technological Terror

Contributed by Brian Petty

Technology is a readily present aspect of the theatrical industry today. From lighting and sound to projections and special effects, the theater has been all but consumed by the technological advancements of the present and future alike. But is this myriad of tech a help or a hindrance to the overall purpose of theater?

To even think about answering this question, we must first define what exactly the purpose of theater is. In the grand scheme of things, theater is an art form. While theater itself may be hard to define it would seem fitting to claim that the purpose of art overall is to “make us think, to make us react, to make us more than what we were before we read/saw/heard it.” Or, at least, this is the claim that the Shakespeare Ensemble makes in the newspaper at MIT.

So if we use this notion to define any piece of artistry, then we could make inferences to better define theater as an art form. Eliciting a visceral response or cathartic reaction from an audience member has become a socially accepted way to describe the experience theater is trying to achieve. These are the words that the theatrical community has acknowledged as ways to describe the purpose of theater.

So, now that we have a somewhat solidified definition, let’s refer back to this concept of technology and the analysis of its effect on this purpose we are trying to achieve. Currently, most would argue that technology greatly aids in the creation of catharsis by adding spectacle and realism in order to aid the actors. But at what point does this technological realism and spectacle stop aiding in the overall purpose and start hindering it?

One clear cut example is the new technology called Hologram Theater. Hologram Theater or Holographic Projections are starting to be experimented with in certain theatrical spaces. Studio 44 mounted a production in 2009 called St. Joe that utilized this concept of Holographic Projection in a very new and innovative way. Essentially, St. Joe can be described as a literal “show in a box” that only requires one crew member to set up and press play. While this would seem convenient to many, for the actors and artists within the industry, it likely comes across as threatening.

Similar to the struggle of factory workers during the industrial revolution, this new hologram theater is threatening to the jobs of the actors, designers, technicians and even managers in the theatrical world. “Live” performance is beginning to look less and less live each day and with the addition of your neighborhood friendly robot, people are starting to be replaced by machines. Our lighting spot ops have been replaced by computerized follow spots, our box office attendees have been replaced by automated ticketing programs and our designers and technicians have all but yielded their real duties to software and computer programs that do the work for them. With all of these positions falling by the wayside, it only seems like a matter of time before all shows turn into these ominous “shows in a box.” So, at this point, I know what you are probably thinking. Man can never be truly replaced by machine when it comes to actors. Acting requires a sense of human emotion and presence that a machine could never replicate, right?

Well, with the recent success of the Turing Test, I don’t know that we can be so sure.  Machine has officially fooled man. Robots have developed an interface that can replicate a human consciousness so closely that they appear human. With every passing day, the threat of technology creeps ever closer to the death of this industry. So, I ask you. Do we simply sit back and wait for human beings to be void of the theater scene because android model 9XZ762 was the best fit for the part? Or do we make a stance against the onslaught of this technological mayhem and take our raw natural art form back into what it was originally intended to be?

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Brian Petty: 2014 Innovative Theater Awards Intern. Senior at Ramapo College of New Jersey with Double Major in Theater Design/Technology and Business Administration: Management.
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The Beauty of Off-Off-Broadway

Contributed by Sally Burgos

When watching commercial theater, like shows on Broadway or even Off Broadway, I found most to be clean cut, predictable, but yet still had the magical charm I look for when watching theater. The shows are like clean cut stories with music and spectacle. What attracted me to theater, as a young girl entering High School, was the thrill that anything could happen when you are on stage or watching as an audience member. It was exciting to be immersed and get lost in a story with a whole room on the same journey. I feel such good energy when watching a show on Broadway but at the same time, as a young lady entering her senior year of college, I cannot connect with the show the same way I can to a show Off-Off-Broadway.

When I watch a show Off-Off-Broadway, I feel this raw, electric, artistic energy in the room. This extra energy comes from the companies and all of the people who worked on the production. When you watch their shows, you can see their strong efforts even if they lack a huge budget. When it comes to shows that are non-for-profit, they tend to have an open and close date verses the commercial theater that tends to have an open run, especially if they win a Tony. Since they are aware of their end date, they put their all into it for little to no pay. It is beautiful.

The audience also makes an effect because this is Indie Theater, theater that is, in my opinion, so rebellious and is not afraid to try something bold and new. It speaks to my young rebellious artistic heart. The audience ranges in age but I find myself being able to speak to another fellow audience member. It is welcoming and passionate and bold.

Long live Off-Off-Broadway and artists that are not afraid to try something new. 

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Sally Burgos: 2014 Innovative Theater Awards Intern. A senior at Marymount Manhattan College, she studies Theater Arts with a concentration Producing and Management. She is currently interning for the New York Innovative Theatre Foundation under Production and Stage Management. She hopes to see the world and work for theaters around the world as a manager

NYC Living

Contributed by Sophia Gutchinov

Since I was little, I have always gone to NYC to see the Christmas tree or for a day trip since I am from NJ. When I was in high school and a drama major, I went more frequently for acting auditions. I did some jobs here and there and every time I went to NYC, I loved it even more. I love how every person has a story in this world and how even more interesting people’s stories in NYC happen to be. People come from all around the globe to the USA for opportunity and a better way of life. Certain individuals come to NYC to pursue their dream. I did just that. I applied to colleges around the Northeast coast and one in California. I applied to two colleges in NYC. I ended up at Marymount Manhattan College, as a BFA acting major with a minor in neuroscience. I have now lived in NYC for 10 months of my life and intend to live there for the next three years at the least. I chose NYC not because it is close to home, but because I really feel like I belong here. I enjoy the rush hour that seems to be every hour of the day. I enjoy meeting new people every day with such inspiring, hear trenching, and interesting stories. I fully realized what it is like to come to America with no money when I started my new job as a server’s assistant at The Mark Restaurant by Jean-Georges two months ago. I work with people from Bangladesh, Egypt, Senegal, Albania, Georgia, Poland, and around this country. Some of my coworkers really came here with nothing and decided to make a new life for themselves in NYC and I respect that entirely.

Being in NYC as a 17-year-old freshman for the first time away from home was self-shaping I have to say. In NYC, you are alone and must fend for yourself. Someone will take that empty seat on the subway train or bus before you even spotted it. You are one in a city of 3 million and you can be easily replaced, if you allow yourself to blend in as a number. I did not do that. I took opportunity where I saw it and never took a break. I have now learned this summer working full time and having three internships is a lot to handle. But now as an incoming sophomore, I will take a break because by living in NYC, you can caught up in it all and never stop moving.

I do enjoy my peace and quiet, though. After living somewhere where every moment is go-go-go, it is really worth it to take a ride away from the commotion of the city and go somewhere like Brighton Beach or a spot that no one seems to know about, which you have to find for yourself. Don’t get me wrong; it is not easy living in an over-populated city where everyone is in competition. But this is what keeps us “New Yorkers” going, right?

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Sophia Gutchinov: 2014 Innovative Theater Awards Intern. Attends Marymount Manhattan College to receive the Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree theatre and minors in neuroscience. Her educational achievements are: Dean’s List, International Baccalaureate Certificate, and previous member of National Honor Society.Other achievements are: Rising Sun Performance Company General Management Intern, NY Innovative Theatre Awards Production Intern, Research Assistant for a Multiple Sclerosis at Aspire Health and Wellness Center, Emerging Leaders program at MMC, creating a chapter of Glamour Gals-volunteer organization at MMC, modeling in Tara Subkoff’s Imitation of Christ “This is Not a Fashion Show” Fashion Week 2012 Event-NYC, Two River Theatre Playback Program, Barbizon Outstanding Personality Award. Her personal interests are: animals, biking, cosmetology, swimming, nutrition, fitness, yoga, geography, culture, psychology, art, photography, museums, traveling, and music. Wherever her life’s journey takes her, she always wants to continue helping the world through her altruism.

The Interns Take the Stage

"Thanks to our interns
So young and eager and savvy
Sophia, Heide, Karley, Lidia and Gabby
Rebecca, Sally, Stephanie and Brian Petty
Their all so freaking awesome, it makes us a little heady
You deserve so much more than just a college credit
If we had a million dollars you can bet that you would get it.”

                                 ~ Jason, Shay, Nick and Akia

This year we had an incredible group of interns who worked with us to host the 2014 celebrations.

They are smart, dedicated and incredibly capable.If you have a chance to hire any of these amazing theatre artists, DO IT! You will be glad that you did.

We asked our interns to write about their impressions of OOB, NYC and theatre in general. Over the next week we will post their thoughts.

 

The Arts Stimulate Creativity

“In my own philanthropy and business endeavors, I have seen the critical role that the arts play in stimulating creativity and in developing vital communities….the arts have a crucial impact on our economy and are an important catalyst for learning, discovery, and achievement in our country.”
              ~ Paul G. Allen, Co-Founder, Microsoft

Favorite OOB Resources

There are some invaluable resources that just defy categorization. This list includes champions, services, products, associations and just great resources. Here are some of our favorites:


Indie Theater Now (ITN)
www.indietheaternow.com
ITN is a digital library of the scripts that are being produced now on Indie stages. Not only does this service help preserve these plays, it also helps to promote them, share them to a larger audience and gives you some insight about the playwrights. And plays are available for download for only $1.29. Read more about Indie Theater Now.

United Stages
www.unitedstages.com
United Stages provides professional, low-cost playbills for Off-Off-Broadway. It also offers some great cross-marketing opportunities.

Custom Merchandise
There are companies that produce small batch custom promotional merchandise such as T-Shirts, messenger bags, caps or even iphone covers. It is a great way for OOB companies to create unique products that feature their company logo or a show specific design. Unlike many companies that create merchandise in bulk, which can require a significant upfront cost, there are a couple of sites that offer on-demand or one-off purchasing. Our favorites are:

• cafe press
• Zazzle

Stage Directions Magazine
www.stage-directions.com
Stage Directions covers the "art and technology behind making theatre." It also featured a "Jobs" section, reviews and information on all kinds of theatrical equipment, and a nice resources section for backstage and front of house.
Show Business Weekly
www.showbusinessweekly.com
This performing arts magazine includes: news, reviews and features. Because it is dedicated to helping actors find "success in their careers," it has issues that provides listings for agents, managers and casting directors.

Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
www.vlany.org
VLA believes that artists and arts organizations deserve the proper counseling to understand legal issues that affect and protect their creative endeavors and when needed, qualified legal representation. They meet this mission by providing, legal services, advocacy and education.

NYC Performing Arts Spaces
nycpaspaces.org
This is a searchable online database of performing arts spaces that are available for rent in NYC.  It includes details such as location, stage dimensions, house size, and much more.

Alliance of Nonprofits (ANI)
www.ani-rrg.org
ANI is a non-profit insurance company for non-profits. The organization is dedicated to providing affordable insurance fort the nonprofit sector.

Actors Welfare Fund 
www.actorsfund.org
"The Fund" is a nonprofit human services organization that supports "everyone in entertainment" - not just actors.  It has some really fantastic programs including: health care services, employment training, housing assistance and financial assistance.
National Performing Arts Convention (NPAC)
www.performingartsconvention.org
NPAC is an coalition of national performing arts service organizations. The goal of this organization is to address the "priority areas" of artists across the country to help build a better environment for the performing arts in America. The focus of their efforts include: advocacy, diversity, education and technology.
American Association of Community Theatre 
www.aact.org
Ok, we know that Off-Off-Broadway is not "Community Theatre," but this is still a great resource. These organizations have an immediate and meaningful impact for neighborhoods and communities and their events can offer a great opportunity to make connections across the country. Their services include: advocacy, research, networking, and participation in festivals.

DCA's NYCultural calendar
www.nyc.gov/portal/site/nycgov/menuitem.6a3b6e0c54cc5afac634761056a09da0/
The DCA not only provides funds, it also has an arts and culture calendar. The great thing about listing your production on their site is that its free, it reaches general public, and it gets picked up and distributed to other NYC community calendars.

Theatre Library Association
www.tla-online.org
If you are a theatre scholar, you should know about the members of the Theatre Library Association. The TLA represents: curators, libraries, historians and archivists. Their list of theatre libraries and archives is great and they have a nice resource list as well.



Do you LOVE a resource that we missed?  Please share it with us.

Favorite OOB Funding Resources

We are all, always trying to raise funds. Whether it is through personal appeals, crowdfunding, grants, sponsorship or fundraisers, it may even seem as though the majority of our time is spent trying to get enough money in the bank to pay for a down payment on our next performance space. We can't make it any easier, but we can share some of our favorite funding resources.


Crowdfunding
Off-Off-Broadway is a perfect platform for these crowd sourcing sites which focus on short-term, project-based collaborative goals, such as an OOB production. It is an easy way to leverage your social circles and social media presence. The idea is that everyone gives a little and soon the project is fully funded. The two biggest and most used sites are Kickstarter and Indiegogo.

Kickstarter 
www.kickstarter.com
Kickstarter was one of the first to pioneer the crowdfunding model and is one of most successful.  It focuses on the arts and creative endeavors (and gaming and technology). It has the largest user base, which means that your project may pick up additional supporters or attention even beyond your distribution circles. It is also a popular and highly trusted site and many potential donors already have accounts set up. However, as Sally Outlaw of Entrepreneur notes, "Kickstarter 'curates' its projects, meaning it has a rigorous submission process, and if you aren't approved to post, it can be quite disappointing." One other point of interest, which may be a perk or a pain depending on how you look at it; if you don't reach your funding goal, you don't receive your pledged funds. On one hand a funder knows that they are only giving money to projects that are capable of reaching their goals, which may encourage tentative donors. On the other hand..... "ARGGGGG! fundraising is hard and we need every cent we can get our hands on. Please don't take it away from us when we've worked so hard......."

Indiegogo
www.indiegogo.com
Indiegogo is "available to anyone, anywhere, to raise money for anything." Which means that it is available to help fund OOB productions as well as personal projects. While it does not boast the same reach as Kickstarter, it is still a very popular and well known site. Because it is smaller, it is actually easier for OOB projects to be featured and garner more attention. Indiegogo also offers options on how you set your funding goals; flexible or fixed. With the flexible model, you get all of your pledged funds, but Indiegogo takes a higher percentage of those donations. With the fixed model, again, you only get your pledged funds if you reach your goal and Indiegogo takes a much lower percentage.

Other Crowdfunding Sites:
GoFundMe - www.gofundme.com
GoGetFunding - gogetfunding.com
MoolaHoop - www.moola-hoop.com

Having trouble deciding which crowdfunding site would work best for you?  Here is an article  that looks at 22 such sites and thorough a pretty great diagram helps you decide which one is right for you.


Grant Search Sites
If you are searching for grants there are a number of sites that help you filter and find grants that are appropriate for your project.

Foundation Center
foundationcenter.org
The Foundation Center offers information about 550 foundations and has the most comprehensive grants database in the U.S. They also offer research and training programs designed to help the applicants create more effective applications and better identify those grants that are applicable to them.

Grants.gov 
www.grants.gov
This is a centralized list of over 1,000 national government grant programs. You can filter and search grants, complete and submit uniformed grant applications online and follow up on the process.

GrantVine
www.grantvine.net
GrantVine is a searchable grant database that was designed by development professionals. In addition to having access to their database, there is also an option for customized research where one of GrantVine's trained experts "wades through numerous databases, books and resources, as well as the current federal, state and local competition announcements, in order to provide you with the most up-to-date opportunities."


Funding Agencies

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
arts.gov
The NEA is an independent agency of the federal government that awards grants to artists and arts organizations. The NEA is "dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts, both new and established; bringing the arts to all Americans; and providing leadership in arts education."

New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA)
www.nysca.org
NYSCA is New York state's arts funding council. They award over 2,700 grants each year and are "dedicated to preserving and expanding the rich and diverse cultural resources that are and will become the heritage of new York's citizens."

Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA)
www.nyc.gov/html/dcla/html/home/home.shtml
"The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) is dedicated to supporting and strengthening New York City's vibrant cultural life. Among our primary missions is to ensure adequate public funding for non-profit cultural organizations, both large and small, throughout the five boroughs."


And of course, you could always apply for the Caffe Cino Fellowship Award, which includes a grant.   : )


Do you have a favorite funding resource that we missed?  PLEASE let us know.

Human Spirit is the greatest Resource

"There are incalculable resources in the human spirit, once it has been set free."
                                    ~ Hubert H. Humphrey

2014 Award Applications Available Online

Honorary Award Applications 

Due Monday, May 1, 2014 @ 6PM

The Honorary Awards are:

• The Artistic Achievement Award, presented to an individual who has made a significant artistic contribution to the Off-Off-Broadway community;
• The Caffe Cino Fellowship Award, presented to an Off-Off-Broadway theatre company that consistently produces outstanding work. This award also includes a grant to be used toward an Off-Off-Broadway production.
• The Ellen Stewart Award, presented to an individual or organization demonstrating a significant contribution to the Off-Off-Broadway community through service, support and leadership.

Complete an Honorary Award application TODAY!

Outstanding Stage Manager Applications

Due in June  2014

Help us recognize your Outstanding Stage Manager.
Read about our previous OSM Recipients

Complete an OSM application TODAY!

Favorite Production Materials Resources

One of the hallmarks of Off-Off-Broadway is the modest budgets. But we all know that lack of funds will often force us to think beyond traditional solutions and can lead to some extraordinary innovations. We are also lucky that there are a number of organizations that provide production materials at low or discounted prices and sometimes, even for FREE!


Reuse.  Recycle. Repurpose.
There are several organizations that are helping theatre artists be more Eco-friendly by keeping reusable items out of landfills while simultaneously making valuable production materials available.

Materials for the Arts (MFTA)
www.nyc.gov/html/dcla/mfta/html/home/home.shtml
MFTA collects unneeded items from businesses and individuals and makes these donations available for free to its members. Read more about MFTA.

The Freecycle Network
www.freecycle.org
A grassroots organization where people give stuff and get stuff for free. Membership is also free. Check out their promotional video.
(Heather Cunningham and Shawn Harris both say that this is one of their favorite production materials resources) 

FAB's Load OUT!
fabnyc.org/About-Load-OUT.php
Fourth Arts Block (FAB) encourages you to bring your used costumes, props and furniture to their Load OUT event. These items may be repurposed by other artists. Likewise, you may find just the piece that you've been looking for.  The next Load OUT! event is scheduled for Saturday, April 26th, 2014.

TDF's Costume Collection
www.tdf.org/TDF_ServicePage.aspx?id=83
The TDF Costume Collection accepts costume donations form opera companies, touring companies, Broadway shows, private collections,  educational institutions, and other performing arts companies. They maintain and care for these costumes and make them available for rent at moderate rates. Read more about the Costume Collection.
(Akia says this is one of her favorite production materials resources)

Build it Green (BIG NYC)
bignyc.org
Is a non-profit retail outlet for salvaged and surplus building materials. Some of the materials they offer include: doors, shutters, lumber, kitchen cabinets, flooring and more. They resale these items at deep discounts.

Secondhand Stores
Good Will, Thrift Shops, or the Salvation Army all offer secondhand items at big discounts. Check out The Thrift Shopper to find secondhand stores near you.
(Viviane Galloway recommends Unique Thrift Store, which offers 50% off sale)


Other Awesome Production Resources

The Sand Box
www.facebook.com/TheSandBoxSpace
The Sand Box is a place where small companies can build and store sets, props, and costumes before their tech week. It includes a 12' x 22' scene shop with tools and a slop sink. It also has a 16' x 17' rehearsal space.  Read more about the Sand Box

Tech Soup
www.techsoup.org
Tech Soup accepts donated software and technology from big brand technology companies and then makes it available to nonprofits and libraries either for free or at a discounted price.


Do you have a favorite resource that we missed?  Please share it with us.

Favorite OOB Advocacy Groups

Creating theatre can be a tough game. There may be times when you feel over whelmed and like you are out there on your own. However, there are lots of organizations that have your back, are advocating on your behalf and are cheering you on.


Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York (A.R.T./NY)
www.art-newyork.org
A.R.T./NY provides many resources and opportunities for the Off-Off-Broadway community through its four core programs: Funding, Training, Space, and Connections. However it also acts as an advocate, helping to educate and engage key elected officials and civic leaders about the needs of the NYC theatre community.

League of Independent Theatre (LIT)
litny.org
The League of Independent Theater is a 501(c) 6 advocacy organization for the creators and practitioners of Independent theater in New York City. LIT activities include advocating for funding, preservation of venues, negotiating with unions and developing relationships with elected officials.

New York Artists Equity Association (NYAEA)
www.anny.org/2/orgs/0033/nyae.htm
For 60 years NYAEA has been a resource network and a support group. "Its primary purpose is to disseminate information regarding legislation and legal rights, all in the interest of effectively addressing "survival" issues specifically relevant to artists."

New York Council of Nonprofits (NYCON)
www.nycon.org
Founded in 1927, NYCON is a membership-based organization. They provide legal and financial advice and support, development training, and technical assistance.

Arts NYS Coalition
artsnys.org
The Arts NYS Coalition  is a group of colleagues who joined together to ensure that the public has access to information on the state of the arts in New York State. In addition to disseminating information, they also help arts organizations understand how legislation will effect them, they help craft a unified message on behalf of those organizations, and they plan state-wide advocacy events that allow the community to share that message with their legislators.

Women in Arts & Media
www.womenartsmediacoalition.org
The Women in the Arts & Media Coalition addresses issues of concern to women in the arts, media, and new media through advocacy, networking, and events.  

Americans for the the Arts
www.americansforthearts.org
Americans for the Arts endeavors to maximize the impact of arts in the U.S. and to ensure that they are always represented in local and national legislation. They focus their efforts on advocacy, research, leadership programs and creating connections for artists across the country.

Americans for the Arts is hosting Arts Advocacy Day on March 24th in Washington D.C. It is a great way to participate in an organized advocacy effort, to learn about the policies that will be affecting you and to join with other artists from around the country to make your voice heard.
Learn more about Arts Advocacy Day.

Community Boards
Many of the Community Boards throughout NYC have committees dedicated to arts and culture. These committees make sure to weigh the impact of board decisions on the arts and culture in their neighborhoods. We would encourage all artists to consider joining a community board.
     Here are our Top 5 Reasons to Join A Community Board.
     Find your Community Board now


There are many advocacy organizations that support Off-Off-Broadway. Did we miss any?  Let us know.

Intern with us this summer!

And speaking of opportunities, the Innovative Theatre Foundation is currently accepting applications for summer interns.

The Innovative Theatre Foundation Internship Program offers a rich and challenging experience for qualified college students, graduates and young professionals who are actively pursuing careers in professional theater. ITF interns are entrusted with a great deal of responsibility and have the opportunity to work closely with IT Awards staff and Indie artists in New York City’s large and diverse theater community. Interns will learn about the Independent Theater Community, while building their resume, gaining references and contacts in the New York City performing arts industry.

We offer internships in the following areas:

• General Management
• Social Media
• Production Management
• Graphic Design
• Web and Systems Development
• Video Production

Check out a full description of our internship program.

And turn in an application!

We Love Our Interns

We have a truly awesome group of amazing theatre creators helping us out this year.  Our entire staff keeps saying how incredible they are. They are smart, responsible, capable, fun and very talented.

In honor of them, next week will be "WE LOVE OUR INTERNS" week here on our blog.

We will be featuring posts by these wonderful artists.