THE BAY AREA COMMISSIONING FUND, ROUND TWO
SUPPORTED BY THE WILLIAM AND FLORA HEWLETT FOUNDATION DEADLINE: POSTMARK MARCH 23, 2009
ABOUT TCG: Theatre Communications Group, the national organization for the American theatre, offers a wide array of services in line with its mission: to strengthen, nurture and promote the professional not‐for‐
profit American theatre. Through its artistic, management and international programs, advocacy activities and publications, TCG seeks to increase the organizational efficiency of its member theatres, cultivate and celebrate the artistic talent and achievements of the field, and promote a larger public understanding of and appreciation for the theatre field. ABOUT ‘AMERICAN THEATRE’: Since its first appearance in April 1984, American Theatre has taken its place as a major international theatre publication. It has won several prestigious editorial, design and printing awards, and its articles have been reprinted in more than a dozen languages, as well as in a great number of individual theatre programs. American Theatre’s monthly features, news and opinion articles cover all aspects of theatre—
from acting, directing, design, playwriting and developments in international theatre and related art forms, to book reviews and analyses of issues in government, management and media. Today, nearly 75,000 individuals, both inside and outside the profession, comprise its readership, with a subscriber base spread out through 50 states and more than 25 foreign countries, and newsstand sales in major U.S. cities. THE BAY AREA COMMISSIONING FUND BACKGROUND Traditionally, funding for writer/magazine relationships at American Theatre has focused on nurturing the careers of emerging arts journalists, as with the National Theatre Criticism/ Affiliated Writers Program. The Bay Area Commissioning Fund focuses instead on establishing and strengthening lasting professional relationships between the magazine and experienced writers (such as critics, arts journalists, theatre artists and scholars) in the San Francisco Bay Area. The BACF is part of a multi‐pronged effort by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and TCG to strengthen the presence of the Bay Area in the national theatre community. The umbrella program also includes a program to underwrite TCG membership expenses for area theatres and a Bay Area research initiative. GOALS 1. To increase the visibility of Bay Area theatre artists and organizations in the magazine and, by extension, in the national arts scene (effectively doubling the magazine’s coverage of the region during the two‐year program); 2. By means of competitive fees, to enable the magazine to publish a wide range of experienced, connected Bay Area writers with diverse perspectives on the performing arts; 3. To more deeply familiarize American Theatre’s staff with the Bay Area arts landscape; 4. To allow both the writers and the editors to take risks in story assignments and explore untested topics in the context of an ongoing, funded relationship. ELIGIBILITY The Bay Area Commissioning Fund is open only to writers based in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is designed for accomplished writers with outstanding knowledge (general or specialized) of the Bay Area performing arts scene. Writers must be available to complete three assigned articles for issues covering the 2009–2010 season, as well as to check in with the editors by e‐mail on a monthly basis. GRANT STRUCTURE American Theatre’s editors selected four writers to participate in the Bay Area Commissioning Fund last year and will select a new group of four writers for this second round. Each writer will receive a total of $2,500 over the course of his or her affiliation. This includes $500 upon completion of each of three articles (of varying lengths, as assigned), as well as a $1000 payment at the start of the grant, in exchange for which the writer will send monthly e‐mails to the editors reporting information of note and pitching story ideas. To kick off the exchange, two editors from American Theatre will travel to San Francisco to meet with the selected writers. SELECTION CRITERIA Participants will be selected by the magazine’s editors on the following basis: 1. Quality of writing and critical thought as demonstrated in writing samples; 2. Level of knowledge of, and curiosity about, the Bay Area performing arts scene; 3. Potential for a fruitful exchange with the staff of American Theatre; 4. Credentials and prior experience. APPLICATION MATERIALS Applicants for the Bay Area Commissioning Fund must submit the following: 1. Detailed curriculum vitae, including a list of publications in which the applicant’s writing has appeared; 2. Two theatre‐related writing samples (please do not send more than two); 3. A brief statement of purpose (250 words maximum), describing the perspective on Bay Area arts the applicant could contribute to American Theatre, as well as how this program will further his or her professional goals; 4. A list of 3–6 artists, projects, organizations, events or trends in the Bay Area performing arts scene that currently engage the applicant’s interest or admiration. (Note: These need not be story ideas; this list is to give the editors a sample of the applicant’s tastes and interests.) Materials should be mailed to: Bay Area Commissioning Fund Attn: Nicole Estvanik Taylor AMERICAN THEATRE MAGAZINE 520 8th Avenue, 24th Floor New York, NY 10018 DEADLINE Applications must be postmarked no later than March 23, 2009, for participation in the 2009–10 round. Notification and an introductory visit with selected writers by the magazine’s editors will take place by the end of April.