TCG Bulletin
April 2008, Volume 31, Issue 4
Also online this month:
FIELD LETTER
In the April Field Letter, Teresa promotes the upcoming TCG National Conference, Theatre at the Center, and announces two exciting new TCG teleconference series. She reports on her travels to the Bogota International Theatre Festival, and her participation in the Dual Leadership: Partnering from the Inside Out seminar in New Orleans. In other news, Teresa discusses the importance of reinstating NEA site visits for the theatre field, and she writes, “as I speak with colleagues, I am also hearing a strong desire to use this moment as an opportunity to make modifications to the site visit/reporting system to improve its effectiveness and efficiency. We plan on forming a focus group to discuss the current system, what’s working and not working, and what aspects we might propose for a redesign.”
CURRENT TCG NEWS
TCG Theatre Membership Renewals
TCG theatre membership renewal materials were mailed out to all
member theatres at the end of March. We hope that you will once
again choose to join the national theatre field in a spectrum of
programs and conferences designed to further our collective artistic
and management skills, advance internal field communication and
position the field more effectively in our local and national communities.
Please join us again as we tackle the issues affecting the theatre
field this year. As a TCG member, you belong to an increasingly
vibrant community of more than 425 theatres and make a stand for
artistry, effectiveness and advocacy. We look forward to counting
you as part of the TCG family in the coming year.
Action: The early bird renewal deadline is May 1. Contact Jen Cleary for more information or to obtain duplicate copies of renewal materials.
Back to TopTCG Announces the First Leadership Teleconference: Robert Rubin, Former Secretary of the Treasury, Slated to Speak
TCG is proud to offer a new series of teleconferences for trustees and staff of our member theatres. Leadership Teleconferences, a program of the TCG Trustee Leadership Network, will include presentations by experts in various fields who will give their unique perspective on a topic and then will engage in a dialogue with a moderator and a pre-selected panel. Participants will listen to the presentation and have the opportunity to email questions for the speaker. The first Leadership Teleconference—Perspectives on the Economy: A Conversation with Robert Rubin, will take place on Thursday, April 17 from 2:30pm to 3:45pm (EDT). Robert Rubin, Chairman of the Executive Committee of Citigroup and 70th Secretary of the Treasury (1995-1999), will offer his keen observations on the economic realities that we all face and give us his perspective on where we are now and where we could be headed.
Action: Deadline for Registration is Friday, April 4. The registration fee is $25/person and more information is available on the Teleconferences section of the website. First-come, first-served, three person limit per theatre.
Back to TopTCG Announces the First Trustee Teleconference: Karen Bachman, Trustee of the Guthrie Theater, to Moderate
TCG is proud to offer a new series of teleconferences for trustees
of our member theatres. Trustee Teleconferences, a program
of the TCG Trustee Leadership Network, will offer trustees an opportunity
to discuss the challenges, strategies and solutions they face in
governing a not-for-profit theatre. There are no set expectations
for the outcome of the teleconferences; only the inherent benefit
in sharing information and developing a national network of trustees
who can continue to call upon one another long after the teleconferences
are finished. To provide maximum benefit with minimal time commitment,
the teleconference series consists of three one-hour-long telephone
discussions spread out over three months, with a different central
topic pre-selected for each discussion.
The first series of Trustee Teleconferences—Executive
Committee Level, moderated by Guthrie Theater trustee Karen Bachman,
will take place on Thursday, May 8, Wednesday, June 18,
and Thursday, July 10. The teleconference will include
trustees who hold a position on their theatre’s executive
committee. As only one trustee may attend per theatre and there
are only 20 slots available, nominations for participation will
be at the discretion of the managing leader.
Action: Nomination forms and information will be sent to managing directors in late March. The deadline for nominations is Monday, April 14. An email will be sent to confirm that your nomination has been received. Trustees will be informed of their acceptance status by Friday, April 18.
Back to Top2008 TCG National Conference: Theatre at the Center
This year, TCG is hosting our annual conference in conjunction with the National Performing Arts Convention. You won’t want to miss out on five days in Denver, jam-packed with exciting opportunities!
Three Reasons Why You Should Register for the 2008 TCG National Conference:
1. To learn from leading world specialists about
pressing matters!
Our featured speakers: Dr. Alexander MacDonald, Kinney Zalesne,
Will Power, Paula Vogel and Kwame Kwei-Armah will help us better
understand the world in which we live and our relationship to it.
2. To connect and re-connect!
Reconnect with people you know, meet fascinating people you’ve
always wanted to know and discover new contacts while you strengthen
the relationships that will carry you through the year.
3. To have a voice in the future of the performing
arts!
You will connect with members of the national community of performing
artists through AmericaSpeaks caucus sessions and form new alliances
with individuals from dance, opera and music as we Take Action
Together.
Space is limited, so register early!
Action: Registration is open. Visit the Events section of the website or the National Performing Arts Convention website for registration and more information. A TCG press release on the convention can be found in the About TCG section of the website.
Back to TopSave the Date! The Final Round for Expanding the Theatre Manager's Repertoire Slated for August 3-5
For the eleventh and FINAL consecutive year, TCG and Target Corporation are pleased to offer Expanding the Theatre Manager's Repertoire, our popular and invaluable human resources training program. The program will be held August 3-5 in Charleston, South Carolina. Building on Target's own human resources training methods, which exemplify the best practices in the corporate sector, this training is specifically tailored for theatre managers. Over 600 managers have participated in this program!
The program will begin on Sunday in the late afternoon and will end on Tuesday afternoon, which provides a more relaxed pace to the training and allows participants to catch earlier flights home after the final session.
Action: Information on the program will be available on the Events section of the website in late April. Invitations will be sent via email to TCG member theatres in late April/early May.
Back to TopTCG Announces Plans for Free Night of Theater 2008
Free Night of Theater, TCG’s exciting national audience development program to attract new audiences and build general awareness of live theatre, continues its national expansion in 2008, including Chicago, New York City and over 70 other cities from coast to coast. The goal for the 2008 program is to increase individual theatre participation to over 700 theatres that will in turn offer as many as 100,000 free tickets nationally.
Action: Free Night of Theater 2008 will open across the country on Thursday, October 16. For complete details on how to participate in the 2008 campaign, please visit the Events section of the website beginning April 1.
Back to TopMETLIFE/TCG A-ha! Program: Think It, Do It
A program for TCG member theatres that supports creative thinking and action in two ways: Think It grants (up to $25,000) give theatre professionals the time and space for research and development, Do It grants (up to $50,000) support the implementation and testing of new ideas.
Action: Email Roweena Mackay or call (212) 609-5900 x 214 for information about guidelines and application.
Back to Top2007–2008 TCG Theatre Directory
If you have not already, soon you should be receiving your theatre’s complimentary copy of the 2007 2008 TCG Theatre Directory. Please consider ordering additional copies for your staff. TCG’s annual guide to theatres and related organizations contains personnel information from over 450 theatres nationwide, including addresses, email and websites. Also included are notes about theatres’ special interests and an index to theatre and service organization personnel.
Action: Individual copies are $14.95
each and shipping is $5.00 for the first copy and $.50 for each
additional copy. TCG member theatres save 15% ($12.70) when
ordering one additional copy, save 30% ($10.45) when ordering two
to four copies. Order five copies or more and save 50% ($7.45 each).
Contact TCG’s customer service department at (212) 609-5900
for additional information.
RECURRING TCG NEWS
Wanted: Electronic Human Resources Documents for TCG's Topical Files
As a service for member theatres, TCG maintains electronic resource
files for inquiries about performance reviews, job descriptions,
organizational structure, trustee evaluation, software packages
and more. Some of our most useful and most requested files contain
employee handbooks, reviews, job descriptions and contracts that
are submitted by member theatres to be used as a resource by other
member theatres.
All member theatres are encouraged to send us any electronic human
resources-related documents they utilize for inclusion in these
files. We can remove any language that identifies your theatre,
if you wish to contribute anonymously. In particular, we are looking
to expand our collection of employment contracts for full-time and
management-level staff, but we gladly welcome any and all submissions.
Also, if you have worked with a consultant that you particularly
would recommend, please forward their information as well.
Action: If you have any documents that you would like to contribute to our files, please email them as an attachment (Microsoft Word preferred) to Ilana Rose.
Back to TopUpdate Your Staff Contacts with TCG
TCG sends email notification of the TCG Bulletin and Field Letter directly to general managers, education directors, business managers, marketing directors, PR directors, literary managers, dramaturgs, development directors and associate artistic directors at TCG member theatres. We do this in order to keep staff informed of the activities and developments of the not-for-profit theatre field, to deepen staff knowledge of TCG and to increase participation in our programs. Many of these senior staff already participate in TCG programs and have sent TCG their email addresses. However, we are far from a complete list. We strongly encourage you to send us email contacts for all senior staff at your theatre, and to inform us of any staff changes when they occur.
Action: To receive notification of the TCG Bulletin and Field Letter by email or to inform TCG of staff changes at your theatre, contact Kelly Haydon.
Back to TopTCG Requests Production Posters
TCG is requesting posters from your theatre's current season. We prominently display members' posters in our office, which not only creates a lively and attractive work environment but also helps us showcase the full diversity of our membership to the artists, funders, government leaders, theatre administrators and board members who visit TCG. We also remind you to send posters to your federal, state and local legislators. They often like to display their constituents' posters in their offices.
Action: Mail posters to Demosthenes Chrysan, TCG, 520 Eighth Avenue, 24th Floor, New York, NY 10018-4156, as well as your legislators.
Back to TopTCG Trustee Leadership Network
All trustees of TCG member theatres are eligible to join the TCG Trustee Leadership Network. For $75 annually, the network affords trustees the following benefits: American Theatre magazine; annual TCG Theatre Directory; and notification of management publications including the TCG Bulletin, Field Letter and Centerpiece. Please encourage your board members to join.
Action: Visit the Membership section of the website to download a registration form or for more information.
Back to TopTCG and Broadway League Collaborate on Quarterly Information Alerts to Commercial Producers
As part of ACT II's ongoing dialogue between not-for-profit theatres and commercial producers, TCG and the Broadway League have instituted quarterly alerts to commercial producers about upcoming workshops, staged readings and new productions of plays and musicals of particular interest.
If your theatre is developing a new work or production that you feel has commercial potential, it will be suitable for the alert. You will need to provide the following information: name of new work; author(s); theatre; a one-line description; dates and location of workshop, reading or production; and contact name, phone and email at the theatre. Entries will be distributed quarterly to League members.
Action: Submissions for the June 1 issue are due by May 15. To participate, email your details to Ben Pesner, Broadway League.
Back to TopTCG Seeks Interns
TCG's Internship Program is looking for highly motivated individuals with good organizational, communication and computer skills. Learn about contemporary American theatre through contact with the artists and professionals who work in our over 450 member theatres, as well as constant interaction with the TCG staff and its unique resources. Internships are offered year-round in the following areas: Artistic Programs, Fundraising, Communications, Management Programs, Advocacy/Education Programs, American Theatre magazine/Publications, National Conference, Graphic Design, Business Administration and Website. Summer and fall internships are available.
Action: For more detailed information, please visit the About TCG section of the website. To apply, email your résumé and a cover letter indicating primary area of interest to Jen Cleary.
Back to TopClub Quarters: A Benefit for TCG Member Theatres, Affiliates and Individual Members
Club Quarters are private, full service hotels exclusively for member organizations; they offer unique, user-friendly services designed for both business and leisure. Club Quarters have rooms of various sizes for long or short stays and each location has a restaurant and bar, club room, fitness facility and meeting space accommodating up to 250 people.
TCG is a member of Club Quarters, and TCG member theatres, affiliates and individual members can pay low rates for quality hotel rooms in eleven prime urban locations, such as New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington DC, Chicago, San Francisco, Houston and London.
Action: Visit the Club Quarters website or call Club Quarters Member Services at 212-575-0006 to make reservations or for more information. Your password is TCG.
ADVOCACY NEWS FROM THE AMERICAN ARTS ALLIANCE AND TCG
National Arts Advocacy Day March 31 and April 1, 2008. Please Attend or Participate from Home!
Arts Advocacy Day will begin on Monday, March 31, 2008 with a day of legislative training sessions and guest speakers. The Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy takes place on Monday evening at the Kennedy Center. This year’s speaker is Daniel Pink, a best-selling author and an expert on innovation, competition and the changing world of work. On Tuesday morning, the day begins with the Congressional Arts Breakfast on Capitol Hill and continues with Hill Visits to elected officials. Members of Congress want and need to hear from their constituents. Your involvement does make a difference, and we hope you will consider participating in this year’s event.
Action: Arts Advocacy Day is taking place on March 31 andApril 1. If you can attend, please register by visiting the Americans for the Arts website and please contact Laurie Baskin at (212) 609-5900 x228. If you cannot attend in person, but would like to participate in Arts Advocacy Day, please visit the Arts Action Center on the Americans for the Arts website to find a draft letter you can send to your Member of Congress on April 1.
Back to TopAmericans for the Arts 2008 Creative Industries Reports Now Available
Americans for the Arts Creative Industries research is a valuable policy and advocacy tool for anyone who champions the arts—advocates, planners, policymakers and economic development professionals. The new 2008 Creative Industries data reveals exciting growth in both businesses and employment nationwide.
The Creative Industries are businesses involved in the production or distribution of the arts, including nonprofit museums, symphonies, theatres, for-profit film, architecture or advertising companies. The data’s source is Dun & Bradstreet —widely acknowledged as the most comprehensive and trusted source for business information in the United States.
The Standard Report includes a color map with the location of each arts-related business in your selected region, an itemized table detailing the number of businesses and employees in each artistic sector and the percentage of change in each category from 2007 to 2008.
Action: To learn more and order a report, please visit the Americans for the Arts website.
Back to TopReport on the Economic Importance of the Arts in Albuquerque and Bernalillo County
The Bureau of Business and Economic Research at the University of New Mexico has released a report analyzing the area's arts and culture industries, including its economic impact. Among the figures on economic impact, the report cites receipts of nearly $1.2 billion, employment of more than 19,500, and paid wages and salaries totaling $413 million.
Action: To see the entire report, please visit the University of New Mexico website.
ARTS EDUCATION
Dana Foundation Research Finds New Evidence Linking Arts and Learning
New research from a consortium at seven universities reveals close links between training in the arts and improved math and reading skills. These findings add new scientific support to the observation that children who participate in the arts also do well academically, and suggest that changes in attention networks in the brain may be one reason. Scientists did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship, and stopped short of concluding that arts training improves cognition. But the findings illuminate the way for further research and begin to shed light on the neural mechanisms that may underlie the connections.
Action: To see the entire report and to learn more, visit the Dana Foundation website.
Back to TopNew Harris Poll Indicates Music Education Assists in Development of Personal Fulfillment and Effective Problem-Solving
The results of a recent Harris Interactive poll indicate that
music education may lead to many positive results later in life.
Key Findings: Music and Life
• Seven in 10 U.S. adults say that music education had at
least some influence on their current level of personal fulfillment,
with more than one-third (37%) saying that their music education
has been extremely or very influential and one-third (33%) saying
it was somewhat influential.
• Just under half (47%) of those who were in a music program
say music education was extremely or very important in giving them
the ability to strive for individual excellence in a group setting.
• A plurality (44%) say music education was extremely or very
important in teaching how to work towards common goals and two in
five (41%) say it was extremely or very important in providing them
with a disciplined approach to solving problems.
Key Findings: Music and the Workplace
• Just over one-third say music education gave them the skill
of creative problem solving (37%) and how to be flexible in work
situations (36%).
• Two-thirds of adults (66%), and 72 percent of those who
were involved in music, say it equips people to be better team players
in their career.
• Three in five adults (61%) and two-thirds (66%) of those
involved in music say music education provides people with a disciplined
approach to solving problems.
• Three in five adults (59%) and almost two-thirds (64%) of
those who had music education say that it prepares someone to manage
the tasks of their job more successfully.
Action: To see the results of the Harris Poll, visit the Harris Interactive website or the National Association for Music Education website.
DEVELOPMENT
Deloitte LLP Announces "Problem Solvers" Fund
The international financial consulting and management firm Deloitte LLP recently announced the launch of its “Problem Solvers” fund, a national grant program providing large-scale grants to support local community initiatives where Deloitte employees are engaged in pro bono and other skills-based volunteer projects. A partner to Deloitte’s recently announced pro bono initiative, the Problem Solvers Fund will invest more than $1 million in 2008. Deloitte personnel across the country can apply for funding to support strategic projects that demonstrate clear and compelling social impact, and leverage Deloitte’s intellectual capital to address the need.
Action: Visit the Deloitte LLP website for guidelines and more information.
Back to TopNew Report Finds Increase in Foundation Giving
According to a report released by the Foundation Center, the nation’s largest foundations increased giving in all major areas by 16.4 percent in 2006. Part of the Foundations Today series of reports, Foundation Giving Trends analyzed all grants $10,000 or more awarded in 2006 by 1,263 of the largest private and community foundations in the United States. The report finds that awards increased in both amount and number. The report also finds giving to health organizations overtaking giving to education for the first time ever.
Action: A summary of the report is available free on the Foundation Center website. The full report is available for $45.
Source: The Chronicle of Philanthropy, March 6 2008
Back to TopMixed Blood Theatre Company Receives Major Gift
Minneapolis’ Mixed Blood Theatre Company received $200,000 from the Bush Foundation for general operating support.
Action: None
Source: The
Chronicle of Philanthropy, February 21 2008
INTERNATIONAL NEWS & OPPORTUNITIES
9th Annual LaMaMa International Symposium for Directors
Registration is now open for the 9th annual La MaMa International Symposium for Directors in Umbria, Italy. The two Symposium sessions will be held June 29-July 13 and July 14-July 28 at La MaMa Umbria International in Spoleto, Italy. The Symposium is a training program for professional directors, choreographers and actors. Participants will be exposed to a variety of theatrical perspectives in participatory workshops hosted by artists including Patrick Acogny (Senegal/France), Tina Landau (USA) and Ritsaert Ten Cate (The Netherlands).
Action: Registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis through April 15, 2008. For registration information, please visit the La MaMa website.
Back to TopCall for Entries: Music Theatre NOW Awards
The International Music Theatre Committee of the International Theatre Institute (ITI) in cooperation with the German Centre of ITI invites artists to participate in a worldwide competition for the creators of new opera and music theatre. Productions produced professionally anywhere in the world since November 2005 are eligible for submission. Prize winners will be invited to present their work at the international meeting of Music Theatre Now in Berlin, November 2008. Winners will demonstrate a new development in the music theatre art form, and all interdisciplinary performing arts works in which music, especially that produced by the human voice, plays a dominant role will be considered.
Action: Deadline for submission is May 16, 2008. The application form and more information is available at the Music Theater Now website (site in German).
Back to TopCall for Entries: 9th Annual Children's Festival for the Performing Arts 2008
Entries are now being accepted for the 9th Annual Children’s Festival for Performing Arts 2008, to be held in New Dehli, India, from November 27-30 2008. The festival’s objectives include creating a global identity through performing arts and collaborations, keeping the creative experience alive and creating continuity between the new and traditional art forms and concepts of performing art. The Festival is hosted and funded by Ryan International Schools, and will include performances, seminars and workshops.
Action: Visit the Children’s Festival for Performing Arts website for more information.
MANAGEMENT & RESEARCH
Report Predicts a Not-For-Profit Leadership Shortage
Produced by The Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Meyer Foundation, Idealist.org and CompassPoint Nonprofit Services, the new report, The Next Generation of Nonprofit Sector Leadership, polled approximately 6,000 not-for-profit employees, and found that 69 percent of respondents feel underpaid, two thirds have financial concerns about choosing a not-for-profit career and half do not expect to have enough money to retire comfortably. The report also found that while the not-for-profit leadership pipeline is rich with highly educated and committed individuals, long hours, lack of mentorship, few paths to career advancement and financial concerns lead only 12 percent of current not-for-profit employees to respond, “Definitely yes” to the question, “Do you want to be an Executive Director of a not-for-profit someday?”
Action: Visit the CompassPoint website to download a free copy of the report.
Back to TopSecond Nonprofit IT Staffing Report Released
The Nonprofit Times and the Nonprofit Technology Network recently released Nonprofit IT Staffing: Budgets, Salaries, Training, and Planning, the second and final report drawn from the Nonprofit IT Staffing Survey. The report details how much not-for-profit IT professionals are earning, how much not-for-profits are spending on IT and how not-for-profits are supporting IT through training, planning and evaluation.
Action: Visit the Nonprofit Times website to download a free copy of the full report.
Back to TopSt. Louis Arts Groups Create Shared Audience Database
Nineteen of St. Louis’ largest theatres and museums will work together to create DART, a shared database of audience information. Among the program’s participants are Dance St. Louis, St. Louis Art Museum and the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. Each participating group will contribute $3,000 to DART to supplement gifts from funding organizations such as the NEA, the Staenberg Family Foundation and the Monsanto Fund.
Action: None
RESOURCES
Google Offers New Google Grants Blog and Nonprofit Portal
Google recently announced the launch of the Google Grants Blog and Google for Nonprofits. Google Grants, a program responsible for donating over $200 million of online advertising to charities, has started a blog to help recipients and interested organizations take better advantage of the free advertising. Recent posts include “Google Grants, the Real Story”, which attempts to clarify some common misunderstandings about Google Grants, and “Online Training: AdWords Editor”, which announces an upcoming AdWords webinar.
Google for Nonprofits acts as a central location for several free Google applications and tools such as Gmail, Google Docs, Google Analytics and Google Gadgets. The portal includes links to Google Grants and Google Checkout, now offered free to not-for-profits interested in taking donations on their website. The portal also offers ideas and tutorials on how to utilize Google tools to promote not-for-profits, raise money and operate more efficiently.
Action: Visit www.googlegrants.blogspot.com to read the blog, and www.google.com/nonprofits to access the portal.
Back to TopAetna and Fractured Atlas Partner to Provide Affordable Health Insurance to Artists
Fractured Atlas, a national arts service organization based in New York, recently announced plans to provide access to three PPO plans to the 50,000 members of the Fractured Atlas Open Arts Network. Offered through Aetna Advantage Plans, the PPO plans will be available in 29 states and Washington, DC, with slight plan variations from state to state. The three plans offer deductibles from $2,500 to $5,000. Fractured Atlas is also offering Aetna’s Dental PPO plan as a rider to the health plan.
Action: Information and enrollment materials are available at the Fractured Atlas website.
NEW TCG MEMBERS
Chenango River Theatre
PO Box 584
Greene, NY 13778
tel (607) 656-8778
info@chenangorivertheatre.org
www.chenangorivertheatre.org
Bill Lelbach, Artistic & Managing Director
Jeffrey Brooks, Board President
Jump-Start Performance Co
108 Blue Star
San Antonio, TX 78204-1773
tel (210) 227-5867
fax (210) 222-2231
info@jump-start.org
www.jump-start.org
S.T. Shimi, Artistic Director
Marquez Rhyne, Managing Director
Michele Brinkley, Board President
TCG DEADLINES
| April 1: | (Noon EST) ArtSEARCH deadline for April 15 Issue |
| April 4: | Registration deadline for Leadership Teleconference--Perspectives on the Economy: A Conversation with Robert Rubin |
| April 14: | Nomination deadline for Trustee Teleconference--Executive Committee Level, moderated by Guthrie Theatre trustee Karen Bachman |
| April 15: | (Noon EST) ArtSEARCH deadline for May 1 issue |
| May 1: | (Noon EST) ArtSearch deadline for May 15 issue |
| May 9: | Reservation deadline for ads in July/August 2008 issue of American Theatre |
| May 19: | Ad materials/art deadline for May/June 2008 issue of American Theatre |
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