New York City Small Theatres Fund

The New York City Small Theatres Fund, offered in partnership with the Howard Gilman Foundation and administered by A.R.T./New York, is a two-year general operating support grant for theatre companies based in New York City. The fund specifically targets theatre organizations with annual operating budgets below $250,000, seeking to expand financial stability and artistic opportunity for groups that have historically been under-resourced. The Howard Gilman Foundation, known for supporting the performing arts and cultural vibrancy in New York, partners with A.R.T./New York to ensure that diverse theatrical voices from across the city’s five boroughs have meaningful access to core operating funds. The program intends to uplift organizations that reflect the city’s varied theatrical aesthetics, production methods, and communities, with a particular focus on those facing barriers due to race, economic status, disability, gender, sexual identity, or geographic location. Funding is provided as multi-year awards ranging between $7,500 and $10,000 annually for each grantee, with a total granting period spanning July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027. These funds are intended as general operating support, allowing grantees to apply the money flexibly across eligible expenses as determined by their organizational needs. Grant recipients are required to participate in an annual reporting meeting each summer with a member of the A.R.T./New York team, supporting accountability and knowledge-sharing. In addition to financial support, the program offers grantees, including non-member applicants, a free year of membership with A.R.T./New York. The application process for the NYC Small Theatres Fund is structured in two stages. The first is an open call, with the application available through the Fall 2024 common application and submitted online via the OpenWater portal. The application opens August 27, 2024 at 10am Eastern Time, and the deadline for submission is October 15, 2024 at 5pm Eastern Time. After the initial review, approximately 40 applicants will be invited to complete a second application phase in early 2025. Notification for the first round will be issued in February 2025. Applicants do not need to be current members of A.R.T./New York, and membership is provided to non-members who are selected for funding. Eligibility for the fund requires applicants to be theatre companies, organizations, or artist collectives that have been creating, developing, or presenting theatre for at least two years. Entities may be 501(c)(3) nonprofits, fiscally sponsored, or unincorporated organizations, provided they operate in a non-profit manner. The program adopts an expansive view of theatre as a discipline, considering all live performance-based applicants who self-identify their work as theatre. Applicants must have annual expenses of $250,000 or less for their most recently completed fiscal year (excluding regranting or artist relief funds) and be primarily producing or presenting work within New York City’s five boroughs. Groups that create work in NYC and subsequently tour are eligible, but organizations funded directly by the Howard Gilman Foundation are not. A.R.T./New York offers a variety of technical assistance and accessibility supports to help applicants successfully navigate the process. Live and virtual information sessions are provided, covering eligibility, evaluation criteria, and the application process. Technical support is available through scheduled virtual office hours, allowing for review of application materials and budget questions. The program emphasizes accessibility, with large print application guides, captioned info sessions, and additional accommodations such as ASL interpretation or audio description available upon request. Applicants can submit narrative questions in writing or as audio/video files. Applications are reviewed by panels of New York-based arts administrators, artists, and theatre-makers. Peer nomination for panelists, including self-nomination, is encouraged. The fund is committed to equitable access, and all accessibility needs should be directed to Adam Mummery or Erica Wray Barnes at grants@art-newyork.org. Questions about eligibility and other aspects of the grant process can be sent to the same contact.