Two Grants Awarded to National Corporate Theatre Fund for New Works and Theatre Education Across the U.S.

On July 10, the National Corporate Theatre Fund (NCTF) announced it has received two significant grants that will help develop exciting new works for theatre and strengthen innovative theatre education programs at NCTF's theatres across the country. The Ford Foundation awarded $250,000 to five significant regional theatres celebrating their 50th anniversaries-Actors Theatre of Louisville, Guthrie Theater, Hartford Stage, Seattle Repertory Theatre, and Trinity Repertory Company through the National Corporate Theatre Fund. And The Hearst Foundations will award $100,000 to Impact Creativity which supports interdisciplinary and innovative theatre education programs at NCTF's 19 theatres, a critically important grant as arts education budgets are cut across the country.

The Ford gift carries on the legacy of the 1963 Ford Foundation grants championed by the Foundation's former Vice President, W. McNeil Lowry-a name familiar to theatre leaders. He gave millions of dollars in support to get these theatres up and running. Those grants launched the regional theatre movement in the United States and transformed the country's theatre arts landscape.

Each 50th anniversary theatre will receive $50,000 to fund commissions, workshops and world premieres of new plays and musicals. In the last 50 years, not only have these theatres staged a wide range of award-winning dramas and musicals, the theatres have also served as laboratories for up-and-coming playwrights, actors and directors.

Among the projects to be funded from this grant are the Humana Festival of New American Plays at Actors Theatre of Louisville; new play festivals and residencies at The Guthrie, Seattle Rep and Hartford Stage; and new play development through their resident company at Trinity Rep.

Luis Ubiñas, president of the Ford Foundation, honored the five anniversary theatres at the recent National Corporate Theatre Fund Chairman's Awards Gala saying the "glimpses of their achievements convey the scale, the enduring impact and the future promise of the bold experiment we began together." More than 300 theatre patrons, Broadway leaders and industry professionals from across the country gathered for an evening honoring individuals and institutions that have made significant contributions to The National Theatre community.

Bruce Whitacre, Executive Director of NCTF, said, "I extend hearty and sincere congratulations to these artists, leaders and their communities. Regional theatres are the closest things that America has to a National Theatre. In fact, the artistic output of these five theatres and their colleagues all over this country has been extraordinary. The Ford grant underscores the importance of the arts and theatres on the national level and the impact they have on our communities."

The gala also supported Impact Creativity, a nationwide fundraising and awareness effort on behalf of theatre education programs at its network of 19 theatres launched by NCTF in May 2012 which to date has raised more than a half million dollars.

The Hearst Foundations' $100,000 grant recognizes that theatres have played a key role in enhancing arts education for young people in these communities through a variety of innovative programs based in schools and at the theatres themselves. The grant will specifically support Impact Creativity's Innovation Program, a special collection of 19 cutting edge projects, one from each participating NCTF theatre. These programs, often with an interdisciplinary focus, build skills and foster engagement in nontheatrical subjects by addressing issues such as bullying, at risk youth, and financial literacy; incorporating STEM with theatre education; and developing programming for special-needs students, as well as training educators in these techniques.

Ligia Cravo, Senior Program Officer at The Hearst Foundations said, "Impact Creativity is a model for integrating humanities and science knowledge to provide learning experiences that cultivate imaginative thinking and resourceful problem solving-invaluable assets for the tool box of our nation's future leaders, inventors, and stewards."

Notable projects include expanding special training for children on the autism spectrum at Trinity Repertory Company, STEM training with a technology institute at the Goodman Theatre, and playwriting programs for incarcerated youth at Manhattan Theatre Club. Together, they represent some of the most innovative and impactful programs in the arts education field for 2013-14.

"We are gratified that The Hearst Foundations share our respect and support of these theatres," said Whitacre. "These 19 theatres are innovating new ways to serve their communities through education programs that break down barriers, show new connections and make school subjects more engaging for disadvantaged youth. This grant recognizes the challenges to arts education around the country and its importance in keeping America creative."

National Corporate Theatre Fund (NCTF) is a not-for-profit association dedicated to sustaining America's finest not-for-profit theatres, on the stage and in the community, through innovative partnerships with companies, individuals and artists. From its base in New York, NCTF provides a national vehicle for the flow of theatre, collaboration and ideas to and from key markets.

Since 1978, NCTF has raised millions of dollars for its member theatres. NCTF theatres contribute to our creative and cultural life - benefiting local communities, children, employees and the economy. Launched last year, its Impact Creativity campaign (impactcreativity.org) is one of the largest efforts to sustain and grow arts education programs across the country.

Productions originating at NCTF theatres have transferred to New York and other theatres, and have won dozens of Tony Awards and Pulitzer Prizes. They enrich lives of the local residents, provide creative opportunities for distinguished and emerging performers, serve as incubators for new works, and engage over 500,000 children, most from economically disadvantaged neighborhoods through their theatre education programs.

NCTF theatres include The Actors Theatre of Louisville, Alley Theatre, ALLIANCE THEATRE, American Conservatory Theater, American Repertory Theater, Arena Stage , Center Theatre Group, Cleveland Play House, Dallas Theater Center, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Hartford Stage, Goodman Theatre, Guthrie Theater, Long Warf Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, The Old Globe, Seattle Repertory Theatre and Trinity Repertory Company, and Walnut Street Theatre.

Richard Thomas is the Honorary Chairman of NCTF, and the following artists serve on NCTF's Artistic Advisory Council to support NCTF's fundraising and sponsorship initiatives: Edward Asner, Brent Barrett, Annette Bening, Robert Brustein, Kathleen Chalfant, Glenn Close, Billy Crudup, Gordon Davidson, David Henry Hwang, Cherry Jones, Swoosie Kurtz, John Lithgow, Jerry Mitchell, Kate Mulgrew, Laura Pels, David Hyde Pierce, Daryl Roth, Marian Seldes, Patrick Stewart, and Paula Vogel.