The Theatre Lab Earns $100,000 Arts Innovation And Management Award From Bloomberg Philanthropies

The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts has been selected as one of 47 Washington-area cultural institutions to participate in the Arts Innovation and Management training program, part of Mike Bloomberg's American Cities Initiative, in an effort to help cities generate innovation. As part of the program, The Theatre Lab will receive a $100,000 award to support operations and arts management training over two years.

"We're thankful to Bloomberg Philanthropies for selecting The Theatre Lab as a 2018 grantee of the Arts Innovation and Management training program and allowing us to take the next step in community arts leadership," said Deb Gottesman, co-founder and co-executive director of The Theatre Lab. "We look forward to using this opportunity to improve our capacity to transform lives through theatre education."

The Theatre Lab was invited to compete for this unique $43 million multi-year initiative which seeks to strengthen the organizational capacity and programming of small and midsize cultural organizations within seven U.S. cities: Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Denver, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, and Washington, D.C. Previous participating organizations-in former AIM cities including Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco-reported significant improvements in board development, fundraising, and overall income over the two-year program.

"The arts inspire people, provide jobs, and strengthen communities," said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies. "This program is aimed at helping some of the country's most exciting cultural organizations reach new audiences and expand their impact."

AIM targets arts nonprofits because of the vital role that they play in building communities, driving local economies, and supporting artists. The program focuses on multiple organizations in each urban area to encourage and support the healthy creative infrastructure of cities.

Bloomberg Philanthropies will develop curricula and conduct seminars for the program in partnership with leading experts, including the DeVos Institute of Arts Management at the University of Maryland, led by Institute Chairman Michael M. Kaiser and President Brett Egan. The Theatre Lab and its peers will engage in activities that strengthen long-term health and goals, and will receive one-on-one consultations and implementation support for leadership and its board.

As part of the program, The Theatre Lab will secure 20% of the AIM grant in matching dollars; reach 100% board participation in fundraising; and maintain up-to-date information in DataArts. The grant award is unrestricted to allow recipients to utilize the funds to address their greatest needs.

About The Theatre Lab
The Theatre Lab is Washington, DC's largest and most comprehensive independent, nonprofit school for the dramatic arts. The Theatre Lab's mission is to transform lives through theatre. Since its founding in 1992, The Theatre Lab has worked to make the real-life benefits of theatre training accessible to all regardless of age, income, or experience level. Program highlights include a conservatory to prepare actors for a profession in the arts, year-round multi-week courses for youth and adults, summer drama camps for kids and teens, and the nationally recognized Life Stories program. Learn more at theatrelab.org