In Philadelphia, New Stages for Dance was formerly known as the Theater Rental Subsidy Program, launched in 2008 by Dance/USA Philadelphia. Leadership Support for the New Stages for Dance Initiative is provided by MetLife Foundation.
New Stages for Dance (NSD) 2012 guidelines
Project Period: January 1, 2012 - June 30, 2013
Pre-Register your request by 5pm Sept. 30, 2011
Line up (if needed): Oct. 3, 2011 at Dance/UP 1427 Spruce St. #1F
Funding is distributed on a first-come first-served basis.
All applicants must schedule a meeting with Lois Welk before the Sept 30 Pre-Registration deadline to discuss their application. Meetings can be scheduled by calling the Dance/UP Office at 215-922-5970 Mon-Thurs 10am-6pm; Thurs 10am-8pm.
After Oct. 3, check our website for updated information regarding the balance in the fund. We continue to accept requests until the 2012 NSD fund is depleted.
Download NSD Guidelines 2012
Download NSD Application 2012
THE NEED
Producing dance companies and presenting organizations have limited access to many wonderful venues in Philadelphia because rental rates are often prohibitive for them. This has a negative effect on audience development, on production values and on visibility for the art form in general. It is important that dance programmers have affordable access to as many quality venues as possible to accommodate Philadelphia’s vibrant and growing dance community and to engage local audiences.
THE GOALS
• Provide affordable access to quality venues for dance producers and presenters
• Increase the capacity of dance companies/artists to produce successful home seasons
• Build audiences for dance by leveraging marketing support from the participating venues
• Encourage consortia of artists/companies to collaborate on mixed bill programs. (A mixed bill features more than one company/artist on a program.)
• Reduce the financial risk related to self-producing
• Raise production values
• Increase rental income for area venues
We encourage artists to take advantage of this opportunity to fully develop their vision by allotting ample time in the theater to polish the technical aspects of the work, and to schedule video tapings, photo shoots and cultivation events.
ELIGIBILITY
Who Can Apply?
1. Dance companies with 501(c)3 non-profit status based in the five-county Philadelphia region that have been presenting or producing in Philadelphia for three years or longer at the time of application. Dance companies can apply in two categories:
Single Company home season (minimum of three performances)
Lead Applicant on behalf of a mixed bill (minimum of three performances)
A lead applicant, is a dance company applying on behalf of multiple Philadelphia companies/artists sharing a program (which may include individual artists and unincorporated performance groups based in the five-county Philadelphia region). The Lead Applicant is responsible for signing the rental contract, securing liability insurance, and providing over-arching Artistic Direction and coordination of the shared program. Lead applicants must be performing arts companies that are participating in the shared bill. (Third party co-producers are not eligible.)
Dance Companies are limited to ONE proposal in each category during the 2012 funding cycle.
2. Presenting organizations with a 501(c)3 non-profit status based in the five-county Philadelphia region that have been presenting or producing in Philadelphia for three years or longer at the time of application.
Dance Presenters are limited to ONE request in each cycle of New Stages for Dance funding.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
in order to apply....
1. The contact person for the applicant organization must be a current Dance Pass holder.
2. All applicants are required to discuss their projects with the Director of Dance/UP prior to negotiating their rental projects.
3. Some applicants may be required to take advantage of technical support provided by Dance/UP; this will be determined during the initial conversation with Director Lois Welk. Technical support is provided to support rental contract negotiations, marketing plans and budget development.
4. The applicant organization and ALL artists/ensembles participating in any funded mixed bills, are required to maintain a Cultural Data Project profile with 2010 financial data complete and reviewed by the Pennsylvania Cultural Data Project by the time of your request to Dance/UP.
5. Past contracts and obligations related to this or any other program of Dance/USA Philadelphia must be in good standing in order to access this program.
6. All applicants are encouraged to consult Dance/UP’s Advance Planning Calendar when scheduling their performance dates. (If you need access: email admin@danceusaphiladelphia.org).
7. All dance companies applying for single company home seasons and/or shared bills must schedule a minimum of 12 hours of tech time (not including strike). (Presenters are exempt from this requirement).
If tech is completed in less than recommended time, we recommend using the balance of the time for a photo shoot, videotaping, cultivation event etc..
8. Each NSD production must have at least 3 performances.
Once you are funded....
1. All productions funded by New Stages for Dance are required to credit the NSD program and MetLife Foundation with credit language and the Dance/UP logo in all printed materials and electronic promotions including their website according to our specifications. Credit language & logo will be provided.
2. Marketing requirements for funded productions:
a. All organizations are required to list the performances on the PhillyFunGuide.
b. All organizations are required to publicize the running time of the concert (estimates are OK) in their marketing materials.
c. All organizations are required to offer audiences a mechanism for purchasing tickets in advance on-line.
d. Attendance figures must be tracked per performance. This data will be requested in the final report.
e. All organizations are required to support Dance/UP’s efforts to survey their audiences with a standardized survey tool provided by Dance/UP. The data will be compiled by Dance/UP and shared with the producing company/presenter.
3. Rental fees related to the funded production must be paid in full within 30 days of the close of the production.
4. Final Report: Presenters, dance companies and participants in mixed bill programs will be required to complete a final report in the form of an electronic survey to be provided by Dance/UP.
Levels of Support
Subsidy will be provided, on a first-come, first-served basis, according to these guidelines:
• 75% Subsidy: provided to presenters and single company productions with a cap of $7,500
• 90% Subsidy: for mixed bills with a cap of $9,000
Marketing Support
Partnering Venues will provide FIVE or more marketing services in support of the subsidized production. Discussion of these services must be part of the contract negotiation.
Examples of marketing services include:
• Include the production in the venue’s season brochure
• Announce the production on the venue’s website with a link to the renter’s
website
• Insert a promotional flyer, provided by the renter, in programs during the weeks prior to the subsidized dance production
• Exhibit a poster in the marquee
• Announce the production in the venue’s e-newsletter
• Provide one-time access to the venue’s mailing list
• Donate ad space in playbill or other publication
• Post to the venue’s Facebook page
It is the responsibility of the dance company/presenter to provide publicity materials and ticket information to the venue according to their marketing timeline.
HOW TO APPLY
1. Before contacting any venues, all applicants are required to contact Director Lois Welk to discuss their intention to apply. (In some cases Technical Support services will be scheduled.)
2. Review the list of venue partners. Visit their websites to determine if the space is a good fit for your production.
3. Contact a venue from the list of partners, identify dates and negotiate a rental contract. Discuss marketing support as outlined in the application form and outline specific terms of agreement between venue and artist in regard to implementing the marketing support plan.
4. Download and complete the application form. Have the venue complete the marketing section. Two signatures are required from the venue: the staff person responsible for rentals and a marketing staff person.
5. Make two copies of the application (one for yourself and one for the venue) and attach the original to a hard copy of the negotiated contract. The rental contract does not need your countersignature at this point. We do not recommend signing the rental contract until you are notified that you have been approved for funding. Once your request is approved you have five business days to deliver the countersigned contract. If a countersigned contract is not presented within five business days the money will revert back to the NSD fund and be offered to the next applicant in line.
6. Attach a copy of your Federal Tax Determination letter as proof of your non-profit 501c3 status.
7. NEW: On or before 5pm Sept. 30, 2011 -- Pre-Register your request by sending the application form as an attachment to loiswelk@danceusaphiladelphia.org (Dance companies making two requests should send two separate emails.)
We will tally the total requests. If the total amount requested does not exceed the funding in this cycle, applicants will not have to line-up on Monday morning, Oct. 3rd. Watch for an email on October 1, 2011. If the line-up is not necessary, your complete packet of materials can be delivered to Dance/UP anytime on Oct. 3 for approval.
If we need to have the line-up for first-come first-served distribution:
We will begin to process applications at 10am on Oct 3, 2011 at 1427 Spruce Street #1F, Philadelphia PA. Send a representative(s) to Dance/UP with:
a. the negotiated rental contract (with the venue representative’s signature (your signature is not required at this point)
b. the signed application form (with venue staff signatures) stapled on top of the contract
c. copy of your IRS Tax Determination letter.
Arrive early and be prepared to wait in line. All eligible organizations that submit complete applications will be processed and funded in the order they are received, until the funds for that year are depleted.
After Oct 3, 2011, applicants are advised to contact our website for a fund balance prior to negotiating contracts. We will continue to process requests until the funds for this cycle are depleted.
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Dance/USA Philadelphia will provide technical support to applicants who can benefit from one-on-one coaching related to contract negotiation, budgeting, union relationships and production management. Some applicants may be required to take advantage of the technical support provided through New Stages for Dance. The need for technical support will be determined during the initial conversation with Director Lois Welk. Some examples of applicants that might be required to take advantage of technical support include: an applicant who is using a specific venue for the first time, an applicant that is producing a mixed bill for the first time, or an applicant moving from a studio performance environment to a proscenium theater for the first time.
Participating Venues:
Painted Bride Art Center Contact: rentals@paintedbride.org
The Performance Garage Contact: rentals@ruddydance.org
Wilma Theater Contact: icampbell@wilmatheater.org
The Chapel of Four Chaplains, Temple Performing Arts Center Call 215.204.9860
Mandell Theater at Drexel University. Contact: mandell@drexel.edu
Christ Church Neighborhood House Contact: rentals@christchurchphila.org
Harold Prince Theater, Annenberg Center. Contact: gallaghr@ac.upenn.edu
Chi Movement Arts Center Contact: kyldphilly@gmail.com
Crane Arts, White Space Contact: whitespace@cranearts.com
Suzanne Roberts Theatre, the home of The Philadelphia Theatre Company. Contact: events@philadelphiatheatrecompany.org
FOR RECIPIENTS: Download the Dance/UP logo