Coda: Performing Policy

Abstract

“Some friends and I are making a show—may I speak to you about grants?” I am often asked this question by students, full of hope, who have just embarked on a new project or created a new production group. As a scholar who researches and teaches courses on artist markets, who works nationally advocating artist-driven grassroots cultural policies, and who has worked as an artist and arts administrator, I am presumed to be a teacher of rainmaking. Within the last few years especially, the University of Texas Department of Theatre and Dance has been actively promoting the development of new work as a means for performing artists to create rewarding, self-determined careers. As a result, this type of question is not only frequent but also critical to the epistemological goals we have for our students. The question is also huge, requiring far more than a quick meeting or response. Given its role historically, the grant teaches some very fundamental lessons to students and emerging artists. Rewards are not instant. Most institutional funding and support generally takes at least 18 months, time enough for the organization to write an artist into the next fiscal year. Most grants require that artists already have a proven track record of three-to-five years professional experience. Time well spent researching grants exposes artists to the gifting organization, other artist recipients, and their projects rewarded.