APAP ArtsForward YAY

Made possible with generous support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, APAP’S ArtsForward program will support the presenting and touring field’s safe, vibrant, and equitable reopening and recovery as presenters, artists and audiences reconnect, tours resume, and venues reopen.

APAP|NYC 2020 Plenary Crowd by Adam Kissick/APAP

ArtsForward will provide grants to APAP presenting members and partner artists/ensembles and offer services and resources to the field at large. Inspired by working groups in the performing arts, including APAP’s Ethical and Equitable Partnership Working Group, ArtsForward supports the field in resuming programming and touring in a manner that supports presenters and artists. It intends to advance field conversations and build on learning and protocols that support the safety of artists, audiences, and workers.

About APAP ArtsForward

The APAP ArtsForward program is comprised of two components:

1. About the Grant Program

Direct grants of up to $50,000 will be given to up to 50 APAP member presenting organizations, in partnership with an artist or ensemble.
Projects can take place indoors, outdoors, virtually, or through a hybrid approach.
A priority, for the Mellon Foundation and APAP, is supporting artists.

Applications must:

Be co-submitted by a presenter and an artist/ensemble.
Allocate at least 50% of grant funds to artist fees and expenses. The remaining funds may be used to cover presenters’ costs, including COVID-related expenses.
Commit to an equitable payment structure to the artist, in phases, for the overall engagement, rather than performance alone.

Eligibility

Presenting organizations must be current APAP members from October 1, 2021 through the grant review process until February 1, 2022 and maintain membership through January 31 2023, if awarded. Artists are not required to be members.
Presenting organizations include independent nonprofit presenting organizations, festivals, university and college presenters, and organizations under the aegis of a larger non-profit entity (such as a museum).
Priority will be placed on funding small and mid-sized organizations with operating budgets of no more than $5M or presenting series under the aegis of a college, university or other non-profit entity with programming budgets of no more than $5M.

Timeline

Interested applicants will submit a short, EZ-form in late fall 2021, and a select number of applicants will then be invited to submit additional information by early 2022. Up to 50 grants of up to $50,000 will be announced by February 2022 to support engagements that take place throughout the remainder of 2022.

The full guidelines and application will be announced on this page in early October 2021.

Questions? Contact Suzanne Callahan and April Gruber, program consultants, at artsforward@apap365.org.

2. Field-Wide Programs and Resources

A range of programs, resources and services will be provided to support the performing arts field’s safe transition toward reopening its venues, including professional development webinars, conference sessions and the development of national tools.

For more information, contact programs@apap365.org.

Read the full press release here

Learn more about Building Ethical and Equitable Partnerships (BEEP) in the Performing Arts here.

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APAP ArtsForward YAY

About APAP ArtsForward

1. About the Grant Program

2. Field-Wide Programs and Resources

MEMBERSHIP

PROGRAMS

RESOURCES

CONFERENCE

AND MORE

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