Strategy
Launched in 2008 with a DDCF grant of $1.5 million, the Dance/USA Engaging Dance Audiences program aims to encourage a transformation in the way dance organizations build and retain audiences.
The program will enable the dance field to explore new methods of engaging audiences through:
- A re-granting initiative that will fund approximately 10 projects that explore engagement practices; and
- Research, data gathering and analysis related to audiences that will be shared with the field.
Grant Details
Engaging Dance Audiences will provide support over two years for approximately 10 projects that explore bold and innovative audience engagement practices. Grant amounts may range between $25,000 and $150,000.
The program expands audience engagement beyond traditional notions of observation and performance attendance to create opportunities for audiences to interact more substantively with dance. Methods may be tied to specific performances, but also may occur independently.
Dance/USA published funding guidelines for the program in February 2009. Both organizational and individual members of Dance/USA may participate. Applicants must have 501(c)3 status and be an organizational member in good standing by May 4, 2009. Consortia applications will be encouraged to broaden the potential for impact; lead participants of consortia must be Dance/USA members. Individual members may be part of a consortia or upgrade their membership to become an organizational member and be eligible to apply on their own.
The program will use a two-stage application process:
- The first stage, a “Call for Ideas,” will encourage member organizations to submit a description of a project they wish to pursue as well as complete a short survey to capture current knowledge (deadline is May 4, 2009). A panel will review the ideas and invite those that most fully address the program’s goals to submit full proposals (deadline for full proposals is August 3, 2009).
- During the second stage, the panel will review final proposals and select approximately 10 grantees that will receive funding for implementation and accompanying research over two years.
Grantee meetings will enable participants to share ideas and best practices. Research consultants will work with grantees to design assessment tools and provide guidance on ensuring high-quality data collection.
Findings will be shared with the broader dance field through a report on existing engagement practices (with data to be collected as part of the application process), case studies, data and interactive discussions online.
Background & Rationale
With support from DDCF, Dance/USA convened three focus groups in 2006 to discuss the state of the dance field (view report). The groups identified declining audiences as one of the field’s most pressing concerns. Participants noted that old marketing models were increasingly ineffective, but indicated that more effective means of growing audiences had yet to emerge as practice.
Dance/USA developed Engaging Dance Audiences to tackle these challenges. It is the first national funding program and related study of audience engagement practices focused specifically on the art form of dance.